Albatross 4 Seater Slipper Stern

[VivaSportiva]

I have a friend who wishes to sell his Albatross Alpine 4 seater Slipper stern .The boat is fitted with the Sunbeam Holbay engine and is in need of complete restoration. Generally the boat is complete with all fittings but requires a lot of work.If you are interested give me a call on 01202 870769 or email me and I will give you some more details.

[Good buy]

A brief over view, of this boat for any one thinking of going to see it. There is no front or back floor, no rear seat base. The tank has been fibreglassesed. There were some very poor front cushions non original. There is a hole cut in the dash were the glove box should be. The engine is non original, and missing the correct water tank. It has a steel car exhaust, and the bump has been mucked about with. Outside the front and the sides have a fare amount of denting worst in the front. There is a crack were the P bracket would fit on the hull, it is off the boat, there are small changes in the shape of the boat were it is sitting on the trailer. Whole boat needs a repaint. There is a very poor cockpit cover, and the trailer is junk. Really is a shame, the boat has not been used in fifteen years, and needs a bucket load of money thrown at her.

[Good buy]

Sorry i forgot the rudder what is left of it is in steel as is the skeg . Real sad

[VivaSportiva]

Whilst I appreciate you are entitled to your own views and opinions on the condition of the Albatross Slipper Stern owned by my friend you are implying that the condition of this restoration came as a complete surprise to you and your tone is one of utter shock and disbelief which if I may suggest points to a nievity when restoring boats of this nature.In my experience all restoration projects if done properly involve considerable sums of money changing hands not to mention time, effort and a great deal of inginuity to achieve the best or affordable results.At no time did I paint a rosy picture of the boats condition or its fixtures and fittings although some of the items you mention are low cost easily rectifiable and expected of most restoration projects. One mans meat is another mans poison and in my experience of restoring 6 Classics and 3 Continentals one of which was purchased by the late Ray Wright for a client this boat is no worse or better than most neglected Albatross of this age.We are talking of a 50 plus year old craft. My aim in originally making this post was to offer to the CMBA members the opportunity to purchase at the right price an increasingly rare boat rather than see it go to the scrap yard.With the right attitude ,lots of patience and money to spend this would make an enjoyable and usuable boat of which to be proud .

[Good buy]

Please do not take this a personal attack on your self , i fully appreciate your efforts to find a good home for this lovely boat . My sadness comes from the fact that some one will nead to spend at lease £6500 to bring this boat back to her forma glory . And that does not even allow for the estimated 500 hours of there own time as well . What i find most strange is that this boat has not moved in fifteen years , and yet the owner still thinks every thing costs a fiver and that with a few hours work it will be a great boat . And as such he thinks it is worth some great value. Wile i did not expect to find any thing great , it was a little worse that i thought it wood be .Please believe i would love to own the boat it is just we are such a long way apart on what we think it is worth. And as such i hope my info may be usefully to some one else .

[Rapier]

As moderator, I've deleted an unrelated post to the topic above - keep it at the sensible debate level, or the topic will be locked down.

[suicide jockey]

I have just purchased this lovely boat and can't wait to get her in the water........ next year!!!
She is frame No 2003 and if anyone has any history or can help with an original nav light I would be very pleased to hear.
I have already a 2 seater Mk 3 in very good condition so I understand the basics but the rootes 1725 engine is new to me ....... any tuning hints would be good.
thank you ....steve

[Rapier]

Great news; was it this one?

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F217933

[petrolhead]

I love the slipper stern albatross. The 1725 Rootes engine is a good strong one, I have never had one in a boat but several in cars. I believe your boat has a Holbay motor which in the car had higher compression, different camshaft I think, certainly a pair of Weber 40 carbs and tubuler exhaust with different distributor advance retard/timing...quite tuned up in itself over the stock 1725 one. It was reputed (in the dim old claims days!) to put out around 120bhp, I had one in an H120 (120bhp!) Rapier Fastback with manual overdrive gearbox.

If your motor is not Holbay then that is the way to go tuning it! but the parts are sought after.

[suicide jockey]

Great news; was it this one?

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F217933

Yes ...... thats the baby!! Pics always look better than reality but only missing a nav light and the rubber edge. Seats always get binned so no loss that backs are missing. Fortunately I can just about sew in a straight line.