# albin vega for cruising?



## me262 (Apr 22, 2003)

I have read that the Albin Vega makes a great cruising boat. Though it seems a little tight being a 27'' boat with an 8'' beam, they do seem solid enough. Has anyone done any serious offshore cruising in one of these and, if so, what improvements to the boat/rigging, and etc. do you recommend? Thanks!


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## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

You may want check the Albin Vega newsgroup at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlbinVega/

The newsgroup appears active – there is also a lot of information on the web – most in Swedish but also quite a bit in English. 

While not an ideal boat by modern standards, there have been a fair number of offshore voyages in the Vega - perhaps the best known in North America is that of John Neal in the Mahina. See his site at: http://www.mahina.com/expbroch.html#anchor1043585


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## jack_patricia (May 20, 2001)

M:

John''s referral to Log of the Mahina by John Neal is an excellent suggestion. First, it is a captivating story: a young going-nowhere college dropout 20-yr old sails from the Pacific NW to the deep South Pacific, most of it singlehanded, and returns with the skills and appreciation for a part of the globe that leads to him eventually becoming widely recognized & respected. Second, the book''s Appendix does a thorough if basic job of describing just how to set up the Vega - or any small sailboat - for offshore sailing across lots of water.

A Vega was our first boat but we sailed it out of Santa Barbara, CA and so each sail was off soundings and adjacent to unimproved islands, heavy afternoon winds being blown down the Channel, and far more meterology than you see further South. We cruised our boat to the islands and as far South as San Diego as a young family of three, and we found the boat an absolute joy as a sailing boat, and very functional - tho'' yes, also small and basic.

At the time we bought ours (1976), these boats were being sailed to the Caribbean by multiple young N European crews for a winter''s frolic and then a return back across the Atlantic. The only design or structural weakness I know of, setting aside the consequences of aging, is the mast support bulkhead. John Neal talks about this in depth after working the boat thousands of miles into Pacific head seas, but he''s the only one whom I''ve heard describe this problem.

Log of the Mahina is about $5-6 on Amazon.com. Dig into it and enjoy the read!

Jack


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

There was also a recent "Classic Plastic" article in Cruising World on the Vega. You might check their website or your library for the back issue.

Fair winds,
John


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

THese are great boats, can't go wrong. A bit tight, but it is economics in design and space. We bought ours for coastal cruising after having owned a much roomier Sabre 28'. Sabres are a great boat too...the Vegas are a wee bit more blue water built. Try to stay clear of the "Vari-prop" set ups or the old Vega 022 gas engines...they run OK when they work, but are a real BEAR to repair. Ours has the Volvo-Penta MD6A (10hp). Will someday repower with a BETA. Good luck in your search....you won't regret the Vega

Helpful sites:

http://www.bluemoment.com/boatreviews/vegareview.html

www.americanvega.com


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## andreasmehlin (Aug 5, 2006)

For the moment I know one Albin Vega circumnavigating around the world.
Another one is leaving land in June 2007.

Both are swedish sites

http://www.sailingontherocks.com
http://www.runtjorden.com

In Sweden there´s a lot of Albin Vega sailingboats.
For sale in Sweden:
http://www.blocket.se/li?q=vega&ca=20_s&c=18&w=3&ps=&pe=&bt=2

Regards
Andresa


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## equitiman (Jul 1, 2004)

Wow, thanks for the blocket link. Is there a reason Vega's in Sweden seem so inexpensive compared to the other Vega's I have found for sale in Europe? The ones you provided on the link are running at about half the price of the ones I have seen in the UK and Germany.


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## andreasmehlin (Aug 5, 2006)

No theres no special reason what I know, which reflect the price.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Possibly because they are closer to where they were made, so there are more of them?

Do the prices in Sweden include VAT? The prices in the UK & Germany will.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Sorry, you are crazy to cruise in a boat that small. Yes it is a great and seaworthy boat. But you will be out of space before you finish outfitting. Unless, of course, you are a minimalist. If so, more power to you. I just want more space, and more storage.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

Yo' U68...

For many of us the length of our boat is tightly correlated to our wallet. We'd all love to cruise in a 45 footer with two heads, 3 cabins and space to bring all the goodies from home, but alas, money is often a big part of the choice. A decent Vega can be had for $15-18k.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

U686932-

IIRC, the Pardeys were cruising in something about the same size. The average size of the boats have gotten bigger over the years, but for many years, a 27-32' boat was pretty much standard for cruising around the world. It is only just recently, where people want most of the comforts of their shore-based life while out cruising, that the boats have gotten bigger and bigger. 

Not everyone can afford to go cruising on a 45' boat, with two master cabins, and a generator, and all that...and many don't see any need for all of that. Cruising used to be more a way of life, than it was a way to take a break from life. The people who sailed, did so for the love of sailing, and loved the freedoms that it brought. They were on sailboats—not yatchs. 

A well-outfitted boat, like an Albin Vega, is more than sufficient, for someone who is of modest means, to go cruising around the world. It will probably take more skill to do so in a smaller boat than a larger one, as the seamanship required in a smaller boat may be higher. It will also take an acceptance of a simpler way of life than the people who have the 41' floating condos, as much of what is stuffed aboard a 41' yatch has no place on a 27' sailboat.


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## Tartan34C (Nov 21, 2006)

*Go small, go now*

A friend and I sailed one to England from New York some years back. The only major change we did other then the standard stuff for a boat her age was to change the spreader bases. A nice trip and we had no problems with finding enough space for our gear and stores. But then again my first crossing was solo on a 22 foot Sea Sprite so I have experience with sailing light so to speak.

A small boat has a lot of advantages over a larger boat such as reduced cost; less work to handle her and you can row instead of having an engine.
All the best,
Robert Gainer


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Nice to have you here for a visit Robert. Are you the same Gainer of "the sea always wins" fame? What great adventures you've had! Happy Holidays! Can we have Jim back now?? <grin>


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## Tartan34C (Nov 21, 2006)

Thanks for your welcoming note Mr. Moderator. Sorry for not responding sooner but your question about “The Sea always wins” took the wind out of my sails so to speak. I don’t think I want to make any clams about that phrase because I think many others have used it and besides when people give me that strange glance and a question starting with “Are you the same Gainer” I most often hear something like these to finish the question,

a. Are you the same Gainer who was on “To Tell the Truth” after becoming the youngest person to solo the Atlantic. (1974 in a 22 foot boat)

b. Are you the same Gainer who died, I read your obituary after you rolled your boat over in hurricane Gloria.
(October of 1976 on a 30 foot boat 550 miles east of Puerto Rico with 90 Knots wind speed and over 45 foot waves)

Well, you get the idea and now I have had over 35 years of sailing experience so I have accumulated a lot of interesting mistakes some success and even what you describe as adventures. Fortunately most of the times my trips are extremely dull and I’m sure you know the old saying “the hallmark of good seamanship is a dull passage. My next trip is from New York to the west coast of Greenland this coming summer and that should be fun with hopefully only a moderate amount of adventure.

But my favorite story about name recognition was in Bermuda just last year when I couldn’t convince a young lady single handing her boat to New York to join me for dinner after I arrived with a friend on his boat. We were in the ships store in Hamilton at the time so I grabbed a copy of Richard Henderson book on Single Handed Sailing off the self and showed her my name in his Honor Roll of Single Handed Sailors. We had a good conversation about sailing technique and enjoyed a nice dinner after that. 
All the best,
Robert Gainer


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

*"We had a good conversation about sailing technique and enjoyed a nice dinner after that. "*
Robert...I guess that is the upside of fame! <grin> Hope you have a dull trip to Greenland!! Will you be single-handing and what will you be sailing? 
Hope you can keep us entertained with a missive or two along the way!
All best...Cam


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## Tartan34C (Nov 21, 2006)

I will be sailing my Tartan 34C named Growler. I may have a friend with me on this trip if his schedule permits but single handed is not out of the question. Most of my longer trips have been singlehanded and in many ways I think it’s the best way to sail.

I am a very traditional sailor and still use sextant and taffrail log for navigation and using a SSB for e-mail is something new to me. I haven’t yet figured out how e-mail works using the SSB but if I do then I will send e-mail during the trip. 

Talking about new technology like e-mail, my first landfall with GPS was just last year when I sailed to Bermuda. I will have a GPS on board for this upcoming trip but I am still not convinced of their ability to survive the marine environment so I will also have two of my sextants aboard. 
All the best,
Robert Gainer


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