alberg 29 sailboatdata

Pretty to look at and tough to boot, this classic cruiser makes a fine family boat

By the time the first Alberg 29 came off the production line, Alberg had designed dozens of successful boats, beginning with Malabar Jr. in 1935. Alberg’s Triton and Sea Sprite, both launched in 1958, were well received and became icons of their era. The still in-demand Alberg 35 followed in 1961.

In partnership with Pearson Yachts, Alberg designed the Ariel 26, the Alberg 30 and the wildly popular Ensign, all in 1962. The Bristol 27, also built by Pearson, arrived in 1966, and then in quick succession the 19-foot Typhoon and the Alberg 37 in 1967, and the Alberg 22 and 23 in 1970. 

With such a sterling track record, almost any boat designed by Alberg received acclaim and acceptance, and the Alberg 29 was no different in 1976.

Nye Yachts built 80 of the rugged sloops between 1976 and 1985. The late Alan Nye Scott was at the time also president of J.J. Taylor, the company responsible for producing the Canadian-made Contessa 26 and Contessa 32. Nye Yachts launched the Alberg 34 in 1985, shortly before the business closed in 1986.

The Alberg 29 has proved its mettle over the years. Gordon Applebee, former owner of the Alberg 29 Long Reach , undertook an extensive refit and in 2012 sailed the boat transatlantic from Canada to Europe in a well-documented voyage. The boat has always exhibited bluewater capability.

Potential buyers often ask what makes the Alberg 29 different from other boats designed by Alberg, particularly the Alberg 30. The answer typically leans toward its shorter overhangs, increased interior volume, a keel-stepped mast, and a more modern look compared to the more traditional Alberg designs that preceded it. 

First Impressions

Sailors fond of boats with graceful overhangs are often quick to recognize the work of Carl Alberg, and the Alberg 29 is no exception. It has all the features a sailor dreaming of coastal cruising or setting out on longer passages might want or need. 

A masthead sloop, the boat looks graceful yet solid, and that’s precisely because it was built for sailing in heavy weather. It appears balanced, with two large portholes on each side of the cabin and three smaller portholes on each side of the coachroof. There’s a sense of composition, style and continuity, unlike some modern yachts, which can resemble a museum of windows. Wheel steering, sensible T-shaped cockpit, bow pulpit, sturdy double lifelines and plenty of grab rails on deck contribute to the boat’s overall sense of capability.  

Construction

The Alberg 29 was built to exacting standards, and the hull, deck and interior exhibit master craftsmanship. The solid hull is hand-laid fiberglass mat and roving, the deck a sandwich of balsa wood between layers of fiberglass. The boat’s lead ballast is encapsulated. Most fittings are stainless or bronze. The joinery and other woodwork below deck are occasionally described by owners as near museum quality.

What to look for

Like any older boat, the Alberg 29 can suffer from deck delamination, mostly due to water infusion at the chainplates or where other deck hardware has been attached. After more than 40 years at sea, the boat’s seacocks and other through-hull fittings are likely in need of replacement. If the caulk has degraded at the deck fittings, it may be time to rebed. 

Some owners contend gelcoat blistering is common, which usually requires deep sanding or peeling and the application of a new barrier coat. Engine problems often depend on how well the previous owner maintained the machinery. Look for worn belts, brittle hoses, oil leaks and clogged filters, all signs pointing to a lack of maintenance.

The boat has wheel steering so its control cable should be inspected for wear.

The Alberg 29 is a masthead sloop with aluminum mast and boom. The T-shaped cockpit is roomy enough for four adults while the helmsman stands aft of the destroyer wheel. 

Double lifelines and a stainless bow pulpit and stern rail suggest safety, as do multiple wooden handrails fastened to the deck. The boat has a cast bronze bow. Cleats and chocks at the bow, amidships and stern are also bronze. The mast and boom are extruded aluminum. The mast is stepped to the keel for strength.

Originally the boats were outfitted with two bronze halyard winches with bronze handles and a pair of two-speed bronze genoa sheet winches. The boat has jib/genoa track and fairleads.

The cockpit shape allows unhampered movement forward by the helmsman when single-handed sailing. The cockpit has large, self-bailing drains and seat locker storage. 

The cabin interior is teak and oak, with a teak-and-holly cabin sole. Cabinetry and joinerwork is of the highest grade. The forward cabin includes a V-berth for two adults, with shelves, drawers and storage in the forepeak. The cabin has a settee and a double berth. Headroom is 6 feet 2 inches. There is no excess of interior volume for storage or daily living despite the manufacturer’s boast to the contrary.

The galley has a stainless sink with freshwater pump, insulated icebox, and a gimbaled stove with oven. There are lots of drawers, cupboards and a dish rack. The boat carries 30 gallons of fresh water.

The head is located to port with a counter sink to starboard, where it shares space with a hanging locker. The amidships shower sump pump was optional.

The original Alberg 29 was fitted with two-cylinder, 15-horsepower inboard Yanmar diesel with reduction gear, water-cooled exhaust, and control panel that is easily accessible from the helm. The engine compartment is large enough to allow servicing. The boat has a 12-gallon fuel tank. The hull speed has been estimated at 6.3 knots. 

The Alberg 29 owners’ association notes the standard design features “a shorter waterline and long counter, which adds speed in both light and heavy air.”  The owners point out the full keel “provides tracking ability and comfort in a seaway, which few other designs can match.”

According to the 1980 sales brochure from Nye Yachts, the Alberg 29 “is a more modern hull with increased stiffness, resulting from firmer bilges, increased beam, and the fact that her fullness is further aft.”

Additionally, “a deeper draft and wider keel lowering the center of the lead ballast by several inches, along with the higher ballast-displacement ration, contribute to the boat’s stability.”

Owners say the bow is finer than on other designs and the keel more cut away, reducing wetting surface. The beamier hull provides comfort in a seaway.

The Alberg 29 is a well-designed, strongly constructed cruising boat that’s rich in craftsmanship and known for its bluewater capabilities.

SAILING’s Value Guide

(5-sailboat rating system)

PRICE:  The price of the Alberg 29 can range from $30,000 in pristine condition to less than $20,000 for an older model in good shape. (3 Sailboats)

DESIGN QUALITY:  Carl Alberg designed this full-keel boat near the end of his illustrious career. Like almost all of Alberg’s boats, it offers an elegant sheer, low coachroof and classic sailplan.  (3 Sailboats)

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: The Alberg 29s were built by Nye Yachts in Canada. Robustly constructed, they featured hand-laid fiberglass matt and roving throughout the hull, with a laminate design. The mast and boom are extruded aluminum. The mast is stepped to the keel for strength.  (3 Sailboats)

USER-FRIENDLINESS:  Despite the boat’s relatively small size, wheel steering is standard, which many owners contend is a plus when sailing short-handed. Like most Alberg boats, the full-keel hull is designed for a comfortable ride, with a shorter waterline and long counter adding speed in both light and heavy air.  (4 Sailboats)

SAFETY:  Heavy-duty hardware and double lifelines, along with nonskid decks, add to the boat’s sense of topside safety. The beam is wide enough to allow for crew making sail changes, anchoring or performing other foredeck tasks.  (3 Sailboats)

TYPICAL CONDITION:   Although it was a production boat, it was solidly constructed and carefully crafted, which suggests typical condition will be better than other boats of the same vintage.  (3 Sailboats)

REFITTING:  Owners have cut out sections of the deck where moisture was evident. Some rewired the entire boat, addressed engine oil leaks and replaced tired standing rigging.   (3 Sailboats)

SUPPORT: Information and support are available from a website dedicated to the Alberg 29. (www.twentynine.ca). The Great Lakes Alberg Association is also active and there is an annual Alberg Design Rendezvous in the Pacific Northwest.  (2 Sailboats)

AVAILABILITY: Eighty Alberg 29s were built by Nye Yachts between 1976 and 1985. Only three were for sale in the United States in late winter and a few more in Canada. It has been noted Nye Yachts began numbering Alberg 29s by starting at 100, which would be hull No. 1.  (2 Sailboats)

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:   The Alberg 29, perhaps due to trust in the designer and the builder, continues to hold its value and remains in demand long after the last boat came off the production line.  (2 Sailboats)

OVERALL 'SVG' RATING: 3 Sailboats

LOA 29’3”; LWL 22’3”; Beam 9’2”; Draft  4’6” ; Displacement  9,000 lbs.; Ballast 4,000 lbs.; Sail area  416 sq. ft.

Also in Used Boat Notebook

• Hunter Passage 42
• Pearson Rhodes 41
• Santa Cruz 52
• Allied Princess 36
• Kelly-Peterson 46

Also from David Liscio

• Chasing a dream
• The wide, wide world of multihulls
• Flares are expired. Now what?
• Saved from the scrap heap
• Pedal to the Medal

The Alberg 29 is a 29.25ft masthead sloop designed by Carl Alberg and built in fiberglass by Nye Yachts (CAN) between 1976 and 1985.

80 units have been built..

The Alberg 29 is a heavy sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally very small. There is a very short water supply range.

Alberg 29 for sale elsewhere on the web:

Main features

Login or register to personnalize this screen.

You will be able to pin external links of your choice.

See how Sailboatlab works in video

We help you build your own hydraulic steering system - Lecomble & Schmitt

Accommodations

Builder data, other photos.

Modal Title

The content of your modal.

Personalize your sailboat data sheet

An Alberg 29 Site

Welcome to twentynine.

Twentynine is a site dedicated to the Alberg 29, a sailboat designed by Carl Alberg to replace and update the popular and successful Alberg 30 . After becoming discouraged by the lack of information on the Internet about these boats, I decided to put up a site featuring all the information I have, in hopes that others (and I know you’re out there) will find what they’re looking for. If you have information about Alberg 29s you’d like to share, please email me at [email protected] .

The Alberg 29 Blog

An irregular posting of my experiences with my Alberg 29. It won't be frequent, since I run several other websites, including the Contessa Corner and a fairly successful personal site .

Of sites and sailboats · Feb 08, 2007

So, at last my schedule has allowed me to start working on this site.

Many weeks ago, I started writing entries for the blog portion of this site. Those can be seen below, complete with the dates I wrote them on. To some degree, the posts document the acquisition and ownership of a new-to-me Alberg 29.

The boat I bought was in fact not my first choice for an Alberg 29. I had looked at another one that lived on Lake Simcoe. When I first looked at it the weather was not so different as it is now – the boat was covered in a tarp, buried in snow up on the hard at the back of a muddy, snowy lot.

But that boat wasn’t meant to be. The survey came back with far more wrong than I was willing to deal with on a boat. So I began my search anew, and eventually bought the second Alberg 29 I ever laid eyes on.

The first made itself known to me in Bronte Outer Harbour one day while I was chugging my beloved Contessa 26 out for a days sail. A low, sleek, long looking hull with graceful but short overhangs caught my eye. After the sail, I went and talked to the owners – two transient women who just adored her. They gave me a tour, and I seriously fell in love with the boat.

The second one was in Niagara on the Lake, and I had gone to see it on a cold September day not long after. She was seriously overpriced, but she was beautiful. Far too high a price for me though, and I looked elsewhere until I found the boat on Lake Simcoe. When that fell through, I made a lowball offer on the overpriced but lovely one, and wonder of wonders, it was accepted.

I found myself the proud owner of an Alberg 29! You can read about my adventures bringing her home in some of the earlier posts in this blog.

And now, I find myself the proud and happy owner of yet another sailboat site. I hope you find something worthwhile in these pages. I’ll try to write frequently, but I have other sites to run, and other Lakes to yet sail.

Leave your comments

— spewk · Feb 24, 05:09 PM · #

— picton pete · Mar 2, 04:44 PM · #

— Adrian · Mar 3, 10:15 AM · #

— Pat · Mar 6, 10:05 PM · #

— Judy Preston · Mar 18, 09:27 AM · #

— Adrian · Mar 18, 09:49 AM · #

— Judy Preston · Mar 18, 05:12 PM · #

Commenting is closed for this article.

29 reasons to smile Total height of an Alberg 29

The Alberg 29 Gallery

View the entire gallery , or click on the thumbnails below to view larger versions. Do you own an A29 and want it featured in the gallery? Have additional information about the Alberg 29? Send me an email , I'm always looking for more information on these unique boats.

Alberg 29 Specifications

What is an alberg 29.

The full keel traditional line of Carl Alberg’s designs have long commanded the respect of the yachting world. Their shorter waterline and long counter add speed in both light and heavy air. The fair hull shape and full keel (not long keel) provide a tracking ability and comfort in a seaway which few other designs can match.

What then, is the difference between the Alberg 29 and other designs by the same architect? She is a more modern hull with increased stiffness resulting from firmer bilges, increased beam and the fact that her fullness is further aft. In addition, a deeper draft and wider keel lowering the center of ballast (lead) by several inches along with a higher ballast-displacement ratio, add to her stability.

The bows are finer than other designs and the keel more cut away, reducing wetting surface.

A higher aspect mastead-rig and larger foretriangle result in better balance, less weather helm and more efficient windward performance. Her stiffness results in an ability to carry more sail.

A beamier hull provides comfort. The galley is laid out for safety in heavy seas or while racing, and the quarter berth navigation table is new to Alberg production boats. The craftmanship and attention to quality are unsurpassed.

There is a difference in “full keel” yachts and even between similar Alberg designs. For the cruising yachtsman, there is no reason to sacrifice speed, performance and club racing for the comfort and safety of a sea-going vessel.

(From the 1980 Nye Yachts Alberg 29 brochure.)

Alberg 29 Standard Equipment

Hull and deck.

Hand-laid fiberglass mat and woven roving with laminate design in accordance with Lloyd’s Specifications. Deck, cored with balsa, is one piece with nonskid surfaces molded in. Gelcoat color of hull, boot and deck are molded to owners specifications.

Ballast is an internally installed and glassed in lead moulding. Due to keel and ballast shapes, the center of gravity of the ballast is only 15” from the bottom of the keel.

Rudder is of fiberglass encasing a stainless shaft and webbing and set into the hull with bronze heel and through-hull bushing.

Cable steering with pedestal and 28” destroyer wheel.

Spars and Rigging

Extruded aluminum mast and boom sections. Standing rigging is of 1×19 stainless with stainless turnbuckles. Halyards and topping lift are internal. Jiffy reefing and cunningham controls are included.

Deck Hardware

Stainless steel double rail pulpit and stern rail with stainless stanchions and double lifelines. Cast bronze bow, admidships and stern mooring cleats and chocks. Four bronze framed fixed portlights, six bronze frame opening ports and a forward coachroof plexiglass opening hatch providing ample ventilation. Two bronze two-speed genoa sheet winches, two bronze halyard winches and bronze handles. Jib/genoa track and fairleads.

Two cylinder fifteen horsepower diesel engine with reduction gear, water-cooled exhaust and control panel. Located with cover providing complete and easy accessibility.

Crafted in teak and oak with a teak-and-holly cabin sole. Cabinetry and joiner work is done to the highest standards. Forward cabin includes 2 “V” berths, with shelves, drawers and storage in the forepeak area. Main cabin has a settee, double-berth, single berth galley and quarter berth, and navigation area.

Stainless sink and fresh water pump, insulated ice box, gimballed stove with oven. Drawers, dish racks and cupboards. The galley is designed and fitted to make use in heavy seas and is both safe and practical.

Main Saloon

Has settee double berth to port and a single berth to starboard. Permanently mounted table has leaves to fold up while in use or down to allow clear passage when sailing. Galley area is opposite navigation quarter berth. Cabinetry above each berth incorporates both shelves and cupboards for safe storage of small items, while ample lockers are provided under berths.

Marine toilet to port and counter sink to starboard (with hanging locker) allow maximum utility in minimum space. Optional shower sump amidships allows full head room.

“T” cockpit allows unhampered movement forward by the helmsman for single or shorthanded sailing yet leaves him aft for racing. Larger self-bailing drains, coaming hand holes and seat locker storage add to safety and comfort.

Alberg 30 site A great resource for Alberg 30 information. Be sure to check out the mailing list.

Diana Comes Home An Alberg 29 comes home to Ottawa from Florida

Great Lakes Alberg Association Primarily geared toward Alberg 22 and 30 owners, but an excellent resource for Alberg 29 owners nonetheless.

© 2007 All Rights Reserved. Email: [email protected]

Specifications ALBERG 29

1976 - 29.25 ft / 8.92 m - Carl Alberg - Nye Yachts (CAN)

ALBERG 29 Sailboat Data

Hull Type: Long Keel Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop LOA: 29.25 ft / 8.92 m LWL: 22.25 ft / 6.78 m S.A. (reported): 417.00 ft² / 38.74 m² Beam: 9.17 ft / 2.80 m Displacement: 9,000.00 lb / 4,082 kg Ballast: 4,000.00 lb / 1,814 kg Max Draft: 4.50 ft / 1.37 m Construction: FG solid hull, balsa cored deck Ballast Type: Lead First Built: 1976 Last Built: 1985 # Built: 80 Builder: Nye Yachts (CAN) Designer: Carl Alberg

Information from  sailboatdata.com .

Type Engine: Diesel HP: 15 Fuel: 12 gals / 45 L Water: 30 gals / 114 L Hull Speed: 6.32 kn

Not logged in

• Create account

Engineering:Alberg 29

• Engineering

Page actions

• View source

The Alberg 29 is a Canadian sailboat that was designed by Carl Alberg as racer-cruiser and first built in 1976. [1] [2] [3]

The Alberg 29 is a refinement of the 1962 Alberg 30 concept. [1] [4]

• 1 Production
• 3 Operational history
• 5 References

The design was built by Nye Yachts in Belleville, Ontario, Canada . The company built 80 examples between 1976 and 1985, but it is now out of production. [1] [3] [5]

The Alberg 29 is a recreational keelboat , built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a slightly spooned raked stem, a raised transom , a keel-mounted rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed long keel , cutaway forward. It displaces 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) and carries 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) of lead ballast. [1] [3]

The boat has a draft of 4.50 ft (1.37 m) with the standard keel fitted. [1]

The boat is fitted with a Japanese Yanmar diesel engine of 15 hp (11 kW). The fuel tank holds 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 30 U.S. gallons (110 L; 25 imp gal). [1]

The boat's galley is located on the starboard side of the cabin, at the bottom of the companionway steps. It has a stainless steel sink and a two-burner propane stove. The head has a privacy door and is located forward on the port side, just aft of the bow "V"-berth, with the sink opposite, on the starboard side. Additional sleeping space is provided in the cabin, by the dinette settee, which has a fixed table and a single berth to starboard. The trim is teak , with the cabin sole teak and holly . A shower was a factory option. The design has 74 in (188 cm) of headroom below decks. [3] [4]

Ventilation is provided by a plexiglass forward hatch and six opening ports, while a further four ports are fixed. [3]

The boat has genoa and jib tracks and four cockpit winches, plus bronze cleats and blocks. There is an anchor locker in the bow. [3]

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 222. [4]

Operational history

In a review Michael McGoldrick wrote, "In many ways, the Alberg 29 is the refinement and culmination of the concept behind the original Alberg 30. It has a slightly more modern look about it. Like the older Alberg 30, this boat has a full keel and places a high priority on seaworthiness. The cleats, portholes, and other equipment are robust and indicate that the Alberg 29 was designed for bluewater cruising. Despite its full keel design, owners report that when the wind picks up, the Alberg 29 can point quite high and has a good turn of speed." [4]

In a review Richard Sherwood wrote, "While the Alberg 29 has a full keel, it is not long. The bow and counter combine to give a short, 22-foot 3-inch waterline. The bow is fine, the keel cut away. Bilges are firm, and the wide beam gives stability. Like other full-keel boats, she tracks well. The rig is high aspect and there is a large foretriangle for windward performance." [3]

• List of sailing boat types

Related development

Similar sailboats

• Bayfield 29
• Island Packet 29
• Northwind 29
• Prospect 900
• Thames Marine Mirage 29
• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Browning, Randy (2019). "Alberg 29 sailboat specifications and details" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/alberg-29 .  
• ↑ Browning, Randy (2017). "Carl Alberg 1900-1986" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/designer/alberg-carl . Retrieved 17 December 2017 .  
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition , pages 204-205. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN :0-395-65239-1
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 McGoldrick, Michael (2019). "Alberg 29" . Sail Quest . http://sailquest.com/market/models/alberg29.htm .  
• ↑ Browning, Randy (2019). "Nye Yachts (CAN)" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/builder/nye-yachts-can .  
• Sailing yachts

• Add a new article
• Search in all topics
• Search in namespaces
• Search in categories
• Search using prefix
• About HandWiki
• How to edit
• Citation manager
• Formatting articles
• List of categories
• Recent pages
• Recent changes
• Random page
• Support & Donate
• Special pages
• Cite this page

User page tools

• What links here
• Related changes
• Printable version
• Permanent link
• Page information

Other projects

In other languages.

• This page was last edited on 9 July 2022, at 13:27.
• Privacy policy
• Disclaimers

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Pay My Bill
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter
• Give a Gift

How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

Rhumb Lines: Show Highlights from Annapolis

Open Transom Pros and Cons

Leaping Into Lithium

The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning

Do-it-yourself Electrical System Survey and Inspection

Install a Standalone Sounder Without Drilling

When Should We Retire Dyneema Stays and Running Rigging?

Rethinking MOB Prevention

Top-notch Wind Indicators

The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

How Dangerous is Your Shore Power?

DIY survey of boat solar and wind turbine systems

What’s Involved in Setting Up a Lithium Battery System?

The Scraper-only Approach to Bottom Paint Removal

Can You Recoat Dyneema?

Gonytia Hot Knife Proves its Mettle

Where Winches Dare to Go

The Day Sailor’s First-Aid Kit

Choosing and Securing Seat Cushions

Cockpit Drains on Race Boats

Rhumb Lines: Livin’ the Wharf Rat Life

Re-sealing the Seams on Waterproof Fabrics

Safer Sailing: Add Leg Loops to Your Harness

Waxing and Polishing Your Boat

Reducing Engine Room Noise

Tricks and Tips to Forming Do-it-yourself Rigging Terminals

Marine Toilet Maintenance Tips

Learning to Live with Plastic Boat Bits

• Sailboat Reviews

One of Carl Alberg's most successful boats, the Alberg 30 enjoyed a production run of a quarter-century.

The Alberg 30 was in continous production from 1962 until 1987, an impressive run of 25 years. Made the entire time by the original builder, Whitby Boat Works, production was down to a trickle towards the end of the run: only three Alberg 30s were delivered in 1984, for example.

No other sailing auxiliary that we know of has a production record of that duration, the previous record belonging to the old Tartan 27 that was introduced in 1961 but discontinued in 1979.

During those 25 years, over 700 Alberg 30s were built with virtually no substantive changes: boats built 30 years ago can race one-design with 30s built at the tail end of the run.

The designer of the 30, Carl Alberg, most successfully made the early transition from wood to fiberglass boat design. His 28′ Triton for Pearson Yachts is credited with starting the boom in fiberglass auxiliaries (1958).

A series of Alberg designs have been the mainstay of the successful line of Cape Dory Yachts since the early 1970s.

The Alberg 30 is an adaption of a 30-footer Alberg designed for San Francisco Bay and was first built in response to a request by some Toronto sailors for a cruising auxiliary that could be fleet raced.

By the time the first boat was built, a large group of Chesapeake Bay sailors had also commissioned a fleet. Today those two areas are still the hotbeds of Alberg 30 ownership with more than 100 boats represented in the Toronto association, almost 200 in the highly active and enthusiastic Chesapeake Bay association.

Price of the first 30s was $10,000 delivered and reasonably well equipped; 25 years later the “base price” of a 30 was about $45,000 Canadian, or $34,000 US at the time.

A Close Look At The Boat

Clearly the Alberg 30 is anachronistic. Her low freeboard, long overhangs, narrow beam, low aspect rig with long boom and short foretriangle base, broken cabin profile are clearly vintage, harking not just from the time of early fiberglass, but of the previous era of wood. So too is her accommodation layout: settee berths, ice box top doubling as a chart table, jammed head, and split galley.

Yet a demonstrable demand has endured for such “old fashioned” boats on both the new and used boat markets.

Owners of boats of this heritage accurately perceive that they are ruggedly built and seaworthy. At the same time, with their moderately heavy displacement and large wetted surface, they are relatively sluggish performers and, because of their short waterline lengths and narrow beam, cramped for space compared to more modern boats of comparable overall length and/or displacement. Similarly, with their relatively slack hull sections and narrow beam, they seem quicker to heel than the more initially stable modern hull forms, although at about 20 degrees they firm up reassuringly. Ballast is encapsulated cast iron.

The Alberg 30 is well built, modestly finished, and so-so performing. Owners report a remarkable absence of structural problems that cannot be attributed to normal wear in a vintage boat. The finish and decor of the boats has undergone routine upgrading during the long production run, reflecting the changing marketplace and styles, although the 30 has never been considered to have an elegant or even especially “yachty” decor. Plain oiled teak has been commonly used topside and below, though earlier boats (pre-1970) had the more fashionable, at that time, mahogany .

Performance of the Alberg 30 has systematically suffered by comparison with newer boats introduced over the years. At an average PHRF base rating of 220, the 30 may be equated with such full-keel kin as the 28′ Triton (245), the Seawind 30 (240), the Bristol 29 (225), the 32′ Vanguard (230), and the redoubtable Tartan 27 (235). At the same time, the maintenance of the one-design standard of construction and absence of major changes permits excellent fleet racing as a class.

Although changes during the production run have been minimal, they are important to the prospective buyer. These include a variety of engines and, in 1969-70, the adoption of a fiberglass interior liner as well as some changes to the cockpit. The original engine in the 30 was the Graymarine 22 hp, followed by the Atomic Four, the 10 hp single cylinder Bukh diesel, the more powerful Volvo Penta MD7A and finally the Volvo 2002.

The Gray and the Bukh reportedly are shy of adequate power for the 30 as well as not being easy (or cheap) to get parts for. The Atomic Four, as dependable as it is, should be getting close to the end of its expected life span; repowering with the Universal diesel should be feasible, though not inexpensive.

The changes in 1970, as much the result of tired tooling as of inherent drawbacks, did away with a cockpit access to the icebox (a “beer box” that melted ice at an unconscionable rate), improved the nonskid deck pattern, replaced teak plywood hatch covers, changed the hull-to-deck joint, added a seahood for the companionway, and provided the winch bases with a molded recess for handles. The wood coamings remained.

Below, per the fashion of the era and production economy, the interior became a molded component, although the most recently built boats have more teak trim.

What To Look For

With a boat as fundamentally solid, built for as many years, as the Alberg 30, prospective buyers should feel a warm confidence in her structural soundness. The major areas of concern are the condition of her engine, rig, and cosmetics. On the basis of owner input, we’d especially check the following:

• Some rudders on earlier boats failed, the strapping pulling away from the glass laminate. It should be checked regardless of the age of the boat. Rudder bearings have also become worn on older boats, resulting in a discomforting amount of play. The gudgeon and/or the heel fitting may need bushing. On tiller-equipped 30s the tiller head fitting is subject to wear as well as cracking.

• Perhaps the weakest part of the 30 may be the forward lower shroud chainplate fillet: a number of owners report having them enlarged and reglassed. This seems to have occurred as a gradual failure that can be anticipated; creaking and signs of separation from the hull give prior warning.

• Any engine, but particularly those in older 30s, should be carefully examined prior to purchase of a boat, not an easy task since engine accessibility is not good. The original galvanized steel gas tanks have a history of eventually rusting through; optiminally they should be replaced with ones of greater capacity (original gas, 22 gal; present for diesel, 12 gal) but this is not easy in the existing space.

• All the equipment should be checked. This includes the stove and head, but it particularly applies to the rig and deck hardware. The same mast and boom have been used on the 30 since its inception. However, earlier boats had wooden spreaders that, if original, will undoubtedly need replacement. Similarly, roller mainsail furling was standard and should have been replaced with slab or jiffy reefing (important given the 30’s large mainsail and initial tenderness). Rigging swages should be meticulously examined as should tangs and spreader bases. In cases of doubt, attachments should be removed to check the condition of the spar underneath.

Given the age of many of the Alberg 30s as well as the active racing life many have undergone, owner replacements of original equipment and upgrading seem commonplace. If done to quality standards, such work has much to recommend itself to buyers.

Price—The Bottom Line

Getting a handle on how much a buyer should expect to pay (or a seller to ask) for an Alberg 30 is difficult. About half the boats are concentrated in areas where there are strong, active owner associations. Indeed, most of the boats bought and sold in those areas are to some degree transactions involving the associations. This is decidedly to the advantage of buyers in those areas in that there is a readily available list of boats on the market, absence of broker involvement (and brokerage commissions), and a promise of continual efforts to maintain the value of the boats. For buyers outside of those areas, we find that 30s can be bought for lower prices.

Clearly the upgrading that took place about 1970 (hull #410) has increased the value of those boats, even though the changes were perhaps more textural than substantive.

At the same time, buyers must consider the relative differences in auxiliary engines as well as the question of whether a lined hull is preferable to an interior of joinerwork.

Given the lack of real difference between the various model years, we’d look for an older boat in above average condition and save a few thousand dollars.

Conclusions

Clearly and simply, the Alberg 30 is not a boat for everyone. A buyer has to be willing to compromise on the 20% to 25% less interior space in this boat, compared with more modern 30-footers that are just as readily available at a comparable price.

At the same time, not many 30-footers old or new seem as basically seaworthy and rugged as the Alberg. Add to these decided appeals the 30’s traditional (pleasing) appearance plus the benefits of highly active, albeit localized owner associations, and the result is a boat that should appeal to a moderately large number of prospective buyers.

In buying an older boat we’d budget some refurbishing and upgrading on top of the purchase price. The boat lends itself to being retrofitted with wheel steering, good sails, polyurethane restoration of the gelcoat, some improvement to the interior decor, etc. If not done already, replacing an original old engine, improvement of the galley, and adding some amenties would make an older 30 a better boat.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Would this be a good boat for a solo trip around the Pacific for an inexperienced sailor?

This boat has been circumnavigated single handed by a number of individuals. The most famous is Yves Gelinas.

My friend Terrell Adkisson circumnavigated in Altair (#575) in 1975-1978. That was a big influence on my decision to buy La Brisa, (#579) which I sailed on the Gulf Coast for ten years. I would point out that the Hinckley Bermuda 40 had even a longer production run from 1959 1991- though with less than half the number of boats built.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

Island Packet 370: What You Should Know | Boat Review

How To Make Starlink Better On Your Boat | Interview

Catalina 380: What You Should Know | Boat Review

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Founded by Allan Nye Scott. The company purchased the molds for the ALBERG 22, and commissioned the design for the ALBERG 29, and 34. Located first in Belleville Ontario, CAN, and later Bloomfield, Ontario, CAN.

Associations

• Alberg 29 Site
• Carl Alberg

3 sailboats built by Nye Yachts

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Hispanoamérica
• Work at ArchDaily
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

Moscow's High Rise Bohemia: The International Business District With No Business

• Written by Dario Goodwin
• Published on March 17, 2015

The Moscow International Business Center (Also known as Moskva-City ) was meant to be Russia ’s ticket into the Western world. First conceived in 1992, the district at the edge of Moscow’s city center is intended to contain up to 300,000 inhabitants, employees and visitors at any given moment and, when completed, will house over 4 million square meters of prime retail, hotel and office space to create what the Russian government desired most from this project: an enormous financial district that could dwarf London’s Canary Wharf and challenge Manhattan . Twenty three years later though, Moscow-based real estate company Blackwood estimates that as much as 45% of this new space is entirely vacant and rents have plummeted far below the average for the rest of Moscow. The only press Moskva-City is attracting is for tenants like the High Level Hostel , a hostel catering to backpackers and other asset-poor tourists on the 43rd floor of the Imperia Tower , with prices starting at $25.50 for a bed in a six-person room. This is not the glittering world of western high finance that was envisioned back in the post-Soviet 90s; but what has it become instead?

As one might expect from a project of this sheer ambition, Moskva-City has a troubled past. The economic crash in 2008 hit Russia hard enough to evict the previous Mayor of Moscow , Yuri Luzhkov, who had been a cheerleader for the district, and replace him with the considerably more austere Sergei Sobyanin, who famously declared that the whole idea was an “urban planning mistake.” But as recently as 2013, the Wall Street Journal was triumphantly claiming that Moskva-City had risen from the dead, citing 80% occupancy rates and glowing quotes from industry insiders claiming that Moskva-City was the "place to be." Driven by record highs in oil prices, Moscow looked poised to become the next Dubai .

Instead, Moscow is now in the grip of an economic winter prompted by western sanctions and drops in the price of oil. The large financial groupings that Moskva-City was meant to shelter have been warned off by their inability to issue credit to international markets, for example - but Moskva-City isn’t just an Empire State Building left empty by the Great Depression.

A fundamental problem that is holding Moskva back compared to the rest of Moscow is the simple fact that currently, getting to Moskva-City is nigh-on impossible at peak hours. Moscow has long been plagued with transport problems, ever since the government failed to match the dramatic expansion of the city with a dramatic expansion of the transport system after the Second World War. Despite being only 2.5 miles from the Kremlin , Moskva-City is only just inside the ring road that bounds the city center and which acts as the only real transport link to it (and as a result, is clogged by construction vehicles.) A railway and metro hub has been finished, but so far only runs a one-stop shuttle service to the closest Metro station that is actually integrated with the rest of Moscow Metro. The isolation of the outer districts is a large, negative part of the Moscow psyche, and it’s not surprising that this is driving away the globetrotting financial elite this project was meant to attract.

The project is managed by architectural practice No.6, which is a constituent part of the large Moscow based practice Mosproject-2 , which is itself a public corporation headed up by Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin, who is apparently the “People’s Architect of Russia.” Despite all this state involvement, the project has still managed to become bogged down in bureaucratic infighting - each lot is managed and developed individually, which has led to developers competing for occupants by slashing rates.

Much has been written about the way modern financial districts and towers that inhabit them can be unwelcoming, forbidding or even hostile by design, but the skyscrapers of Moskva-City seem even less friendly than usual. The site - a former stone quarry, chosen out of necessity as the only place in the city center where a new district could be plausibly constructed - is isolated both physically and visually, leaving the cluster a stark anomaly on the city skyline. Even the names seem more imposing than optimistic now: Imperia, City of Capitals , Steel Peak.

The Mercury City Tower , so far the tallest completed building on the site, is officially “a strong reference to Russian constructivism, [which] gives the tower a strong vertical thrust similar to the one found in New York's Chrysler building .” It would be easy to criticize the Mercury City Tower for picking ‘inspirations’ that are so totally opposed to each other - The Chrysler building the defining emblem of American pre-crash confidence and Constructivism created with the express purpose (especially architecturally) of extending the Bolshevik revolution into a social revolution - but the way they smash those two inspirations together is almost beautifully ironic.

Even though the High Level Hostel is less an asset to a financial district than it is a PR problem, it’s been a huge success since opening in September, already ranked 27th out of 766 hostels in Moscow by TripAdvisor. According to the management agency for Moskva-City , 58% of the new occupant signings this year have been non-financial, including a number of small to medium size businesses. Other areas of office space have been occupied by a restaurant and a culinary school, while another space has been redeveloped into a 6,000 seat theater.

While Moskva-City is failing to be a financial district that could take on the world, it’s inadvertently becoming a humanized space catering to the very groups that the Russian economic miracle left behind. Taking advantage of rents lower than the rest of Moscow , the world class facilities and the sheer desperation of the developers, the humanization of Moskva-City could well create the world’s first high-rise bohemia.

Of course, these are not spaces designed for a community, or even for people: these are spaces designed for money, and there’s little scope for changing something that seems so baked into the design of Moskva-City . The High Level Hostel is trading off of the irony of being a hostel in a banking tower, but it’s perfectly possible that at some point people will no longer find this joke funny (especially in a building that seems hostile to the very idea of humor). The isolation of Moskva, even though it allowed this community to spring up in the first place, is just as detrimental to a humanized district as it is to a financial one: even bohemians need to move around the city, or the district risks becoming a black-spot instead of a hot-spot.

Moskva-City’s isolation won’t last forever. The end of construction will open the roads up to traffic, and plans to properly integrate the spur lines of the Metro in this area into the wider system are well under way. The integration of the district will inevitably push up rents, and the Russian economy will eventually boom once again. When that happens, Moskva-City is prime territory to be reconquered by the giants of international finance, and it seems unlikely that the municipal or national governments would want to step in to protect this accidental district. For now, though, the towers capture perfectly this moment of Russia ’s schizophrenic understanding of its place in the world.

• Sustainability

世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!

想浏览archdaily中国吗, you've started following your first account, did you know.

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Eastern Europe

Moscow Localisation : Country Russia , Federal City Moscow . Available Information : Postal address, Phone number, Website, Mayor, Geographical coordinates , Population, Area, Altitude, Weather and Hotel . Nearby cities and villages : Kuskvo , Reutov and Lyubertsy .

Information

Find all the information of Moscow or click on the section of your choice in the left menu.

• Update data

Moscow Administration

Moscow contact info.

Want to contact the Administration of Moscow ? Here are all the details of Moscow available below.

Moscow Demography

Information on the people and the population of Moscow.

Moscow Geography

Geographic Information regarding City of Moscow .

Moscow Distance

Distance (in kilometers) between Moscow and the biggest cities of Russia.

Locate simply the city of Moscow through the card, map and satellite image of the city.

Moscow Nearby cities and villages

Moscow twin towns, sister cities.

The City of Moscow has international agreements with its different pairings.

Moscow Zone

Time zone of Moscow.

Moscow Weather

Weather forecast for the next coming days and current time of Moscow.

Moscow Sunrise and sunset

Find below the times of sunrise and sunset calculated 7 days to Moscow.

Moscow Hotel

Our team has selected for you a list of hotel in Moscow classified by value for money. Book your hotel room at the best price.

Moscow Nearby

Below is a list of activities and point of interest in Moscow and its surroundings.

Moscow Page

• Information /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#info
• Administration /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#adm
• Contact info /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#contact
• Demography /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#demo
• Geography /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#geo
• Distance /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#dist1
• Map /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#map
• Nearby cities and villages /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#dist2
• Twin towns, Sister cities /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#twintown
• Zone /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#hour
• Weather /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#weather
• Sunrise and sunset /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#sun
• Hotel /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#hotel
• Nearby /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#around
• Page /Russian-Federation--Moscow--Moscow#page
• Terms of Use
• Copyright © 2024 DB-City - All rights reserved
• Change Ad Consent Do not sell my data