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Old 07-01-2008, 11:40 AM
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msauntry msauntry is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Annapolis, MD
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1962 Alberg 35 (Pearson)

Well, just to get something in the Alberg forum, I'll chat a little about my boat. I moved up from a Triton to an Alberg 35. Same thing, just a bit bigger and sails every bit as sweet. Lived aboard for 5 years, working on some nearby Schooners in Annapolis.

Late model Atomic 4 supposedly rebuilt in 2002. Boat was a basic daysailer on the Chesapeake Bay. I upgraded a lot of things in order to do a long cruise in 2007 of six months living aboard and sailing around the US and British Virgin Islands. Did the ICW to Beafort and had a 14 day passage out, and a 10 day passage back. Was averaging 6 knots/day until the very last day when the wind died and I drifted in the Gulf Stream for a few hours before finally creeping into Beafort again.

Lived at anchor all the time. No refrigeration. Pretty light electrical draws. Used two T-105 batteries for the house bank and a cheapo yard tractor battery as a backup start. Mando 55 amp alternator was sole source of charging and on the ocean crossings ran it about 30-45 minutes in the morning and evening. Used a Simrad TP-32 tiller autopilot that worked pretty well until halfway through the return crossing and it crapped out. Sent it in and they fixed it under warranty and it works fine again. Something in the circuit board or internal fluxgate compass failed because I tested the motor and it still worked and there was no water inside the unit. I'll carry a spare next time Recommend treating those tillerpilots like a laptop. Don't handle them roughly, those fluxgate wires are hair-thin!

Manifold rusted through on the passage and I had a hard time starting it on the last day. Had the starter rebuilt. Added the Crankcase ventilation kit from Indigo, as well as the Pertronix ignition. Switched to a 4 way ignition switch since saltwater destroyed my old key and pushbutton start arrangement. Blower wired into the 4 way switch is a huge improvement.
New accessory drive installed since old one had a bearing going bad.

Rewired the engine bay this year and repainted the engine. Runs pretty sweet now. Replaced the chipped and corroded two blade prop with my old Triton's 13x8 two blade. Couldn't get enough revs out of it. Switched to the Indigo prop and am much happier with the performance, though it wil never reverse predictably because of the keel design. Forward propulsion is great.

Happy to answer any questions...
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