TOPIC:

Hi, I've just purchased Albacore 7176.

the boat is needing a fair bit of cosmetic work, but appears to be all there, and has only a couple of areas needing immediate attention before being able to use.

long term aim is to try and get the boat back to as near how it looked when I first saw in the very late 80's when owned by Gavin Fleming. it will need redecked at some point, and I will be painting the hull, rather than the varnished finish it currently has (my Father's Albacore was white - I can see it following that 'tradition')

I havent been in an albacore for many years, but am looking forward to sitting at the back, rather than in the front.

I will probably have many questions on repairs/renovation and tuning......

Alex.

Hi Alex, I have re built many Young hulls, if you have any queries please feel free to email me, graham.darvill1@btinternet.com

well, I took the boat for a sail today (with the wife... her first time in a dinghy!!)

everything seems to work as required - centreboard floats up and the transom flaps leak, but everything else seems to work good. Looking forward to the first club-race, Should be a bit different from the N12 Im used to. dont think Cramond Boat club has seen an Albacore for a long time....

Wow-you're a member at Cramond Boat Club? So am I though I live in Oxfordshire. I sailed Albs there in my youth-first ever capsize was in an Albacore back in the 70's. I have a lovely photo of 7176 (with 6695, sailed by Gavin's parents Roger and Solvie) on my lounge wall. I often hope to bring a boat back to CBC for the regatta but it's a long way and something always gets in the way

I crewed for Gavin at the Nationals in Llandudno one year, and Roger (Gavin's Dad) was my Fathers crew in his Albacore in the late 60's / early 70's, before my father bought a yacht and Roger bought Fram.

I am trying to find out the number of my Dad's Albacore, it was 1830-something we think - I have Dave Innes on the case trying to find out.

Cramond is unfortunately not the place it once was.......

alext wrote:

I am trying to find out the number of my Dad's Albacore, it was 1830-something we think - I have Dave Innes on the case trying to find out.

Hi Alex

M Tulloch sailed AL 1750 "Rebellion" at the nationals in 1972, 73 & 74.
See: www.albacore.org.uk/results/Past%20Nationals/page3.HTM#1972

Was that your dad's boat?

As I said the Family link to the class is strong!!

that was my Uncle Maurice.

My Dad's Albacore was 1835, Whigmalerie.

Alex

Right..... Ive finally managed to sell my N12, so on with this Albacore.

First things first - I need to have a good look at how Derek "bumped" her back into shape - Im told 7176 might have been about the worst Kingsfield for not measuring - does anyone have any idea how I could contact Don O'Donnel who apparently re-measured the boat for Derek?

next is to look at the 2 parts of the boat that are not as attached as they should be - the transom stiffener and one part of the capping on the rear-floor in the centre.

cheers

Alex..

Slowly getting there with this boat.

Stripped the interior varnish off the centreboard case, transom and tank-tops.

Repaired the floor where the centre capping was coming loose near the transom - fully expected to find a horror-story under here, but it was just failed glue and a poor attempt at repairing it previously. both interior stringers had become partially detached and one had been broken, so these have been repaired and re-glued. transom is now fully re-attached to the hull!
So far I have only found one area of rotten wood - right below the centreboard bolt where the case meets the floor - its only about 2 inches long and doesnt appear to be too deep, so am gouging it all out and then epoxying in some replacement wood.

I am now a couple of coats into the revarnish and am very pleased with how the interior now looks (its really soaked up the varnish!) - it really is a lot better!

still not happy with the exterior finish - the "bumping" back into shape has been done very crudely and needs addressing - this will probably mean painting the hull exterior - Im going to try and keep a stripe of the woodwork visible, or only paint the underside - the jury is still out on that.

plan is to re-assemble the boat, sail her hard for this year, and if she doesnt fall apart, do the redecking over next winter.

REALLY looking forward to going sailing this year!!