AlbinCruisers Information

Cape Dory 28' Trawler

2010-08-10T18:41:00.009-05:00

A friend of mine is selling his 28’ Cape Dory, 1985 flybridge trawler. In excellent condition, professionally maintained & stored indoors. Volvo 160hp diesel. Radar, GPS, chart plotter, dinghy & motor. Stored at Drummond Island, Michigan. $45,000us negotiable. Contact stebbins@umich.edu, 906 493 5857 or 734 668 6372

2008-01-08T21:25:00.006-06:00

Albin 27 (1986) Sports Cruiser

After several postponements we have finally completed the missing segments of our “dream cruise” – Sault Ste. Marie, through the Trent-Severn & Rideau canals for a week in Ottawa. It is time to leave boating & make more journeys by car.

Drifter has been sold to a couple in Thunder Bay Ontario.

Drifter is a sound, seaworthy, fresh water pocket trawler. It has the Nissan LD28 (78hp; cruises happily at 2800 rpm, 7.5 knots for app. 5 mpg. It is fully equipped for economical cruising & do-it –yourself maintenance.

For additional information explore this site - the site will stay up as long as it has activity.

If you have any questions you can contact me thru this website, planners95@yahoo.ca

John Bain

2008-01-08T21:15:00.000-06:00

2008-01-08T21:10:00.000-06:00

Canvas sides roll up for easy handling of lock lines

2006-09-29T10:43:00.000-05:00

LIST OF POSTINGS

I got caught up this summer in updating Drifter’s Log & also trying digital photography – so decided to post the results in the hope that you might find something of interest. Comments on the site or specific content would be appreciated. JB

Friday, September 29, 2006
Cruising Accommodations – Camper Style (13 pages)

Thursday, September 28, 2006
Cruising Log & Aids (24 pages)

Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A Boat of Many Bilges + Stuffing Box Info (16 pages)

Monday, September 18, 2006
Nissan LD 28M & Equipment on Drifter (8 pages)

Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Nissan LD 28M Specifications & Performance

Thursday, October 13, 2005
Nissan LD28 Parts Sources

Monday, October 03, 2005
Nissan LD20M & LD28M Owner/Operator Manual (20 pages)
Nissan LD20M & LD28M Service Manual Sources

Sunday, September 25, 2005
Jabsco Engine Cooling Pump Manual Source
Hurth HBW 250 (ZF 25M) Transmission Manual (2 excerpts)
Drive Damper & Coupling Sources

Sunday, May 15, 2005
Dinghy Choice (Dinghy & Motor Storage) (4 pages)

Saturday, January 22, 2005
Soundproofing

Sunday, January 16, 2005
Logo
A25 & A27 Generic History & Description (4 pages)
Drifter Picture
Drifter Ground Tackle
A 25 Internal Pictorial View
A 25 Flyer (5 pages)
A25 Advertisement 1976
A25 Advertisement 1973
A27 Express 1992 Plan
A27 Power Boating Report 1989 (6 pages)
A27 Power & Motor Yacht Report 1985 (3 pages)
A27 Flyer (4 pages)A27 Announcement 1983

Saturday, January 15, 2005
A27 Advertisement (1983?)

2006-09-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

CRUISING ACCOMMODATIONS – CAMPER STYLE

Donna & I spend our summers, 2 to 3 months each year, on Drifter on the North Channel of Lake Huron. Some of the features we have added to our “summer cottage” are described below. We made an early decision to seek low tech “appropriate” solutions to our cruising needs (except for navigation & then we have low tech back up) & enjoy their relative reliability. One example is the solar “sun shower” laid flat on forward deck for heating & suspended on a tender spar over the swim platform for a shower. Donna often uses it as a source of hot water for washing dishes. Other examples are the use of a Colman catalytic heater & a propane barbecue grill (used placed on the flat sole of the tender).

2006-09-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

The Albin 27 “Sports Cruisers” have a very large aft cockpit. Our full enclosure converts the open space to a multi-purpose “sun room”. The Sunbrella enclosure has doors port & starboard just aft of the pilot house. Two of the side windows & the aft window have screening to allow ventilation and also have plastic windows that Velcro & snap in place for inclement weather.

2006-09-29T10:26:00.000-05:00

The aft “door” rolls up for easy access to the tender & swim platform.

2006-09-29T10:21:00.000-05:00

The sun room gives a panoramic view of our anchorages. All windows also have Sunbrella privacy covers that Velcro in place.

2006-09-29T10:11:00.000-05:00

With folding table & chairs the sun room serves as a spacious dining area & indoor/outdoor carpets add comfort. (Note blue plastic milk cartons – which serve as portable book cases)

2006-09-29T10:08:00.000-05:00

The table stores behind the helm bench seat when not in use,

2006-09-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

In keeping with the low tech philosophy a Colman “Xtreme” cooler gives us a 6 day cruising range before looking for ice. It does double duty as a convenient coffee table. Our family room easily accommodates 6 on folding chairs.

2006-09-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

We have also found the side decks on the cockpit very convenient for storage of long equipment. With the addition of 2, ¾ “ marine plywood brackets under each deck they becomes convenient storage areas for such items as, dinghy sail rig, spars, oars, paddle, boat hook, mop etc. The space below the brackets is still available for loose or boxed storage.

2006-09-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

We were very disappointed with the original sleeping accommodations & decided that luxury on a small boat would be a comfortable full sized bed. We created ours by permanently lowering the dining table and adding a firm 4” foam mattress (48” x 72”) and a 1 ½“ memory foam topper.

2006-09-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

A small shelf was added to support the edge of the mattress.

2006-09-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

Since the bed is permanent we added a larger shelf to the cabin bulkhead & will replace the smaller shelf with a second larger one in the spring.

2006-09-29T09:23:00.000-05:00

To provide privacy & keep an uncluttered look we made “eyelids” from plastic chopping boards (from dollar shop). They are cut to fit inside the ports but are ½’ taller so they stay in place due to spring tension. They store easily flat under a mattress.

2006-09-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

Privacy and sun protection is provided in the pilot house by Textilene Sunshure snap on sun screens. They are semitransparent & allow a fair view out.

Also note the white tarp covering the canvas cockpit enclosure. We find that on hot sunny days blue canvas acts as a solar collector & heats up the interior. The white tarp keeps the interior at the same temperature as outside air.

We also added Rain Hoods to the aft ports, port & starboard to allow ventilation on rainy days.

Also note the solar “anchor” light – probably not up to standards but they are a very practical solution to being seen at night.

The GPS receiver for the laptop, an Altina G Mouse designed for car use, sits on a home made mount at the aft of the pilot house roof.

2006-09-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

CRUISING LOG & AIDS (25 pages)

Over the years I have gathered several operating guidlines, checklists, equipment brochures, etc. Many of these are placed in a looseleaf binder (with a transparent cover) as part of Drifter's Log. Several are in a clipboard folder kept at the helm. Hopefully you find several of the ideas useful. The pages are jpeg copies and if printed as borderless photos shold be close to original size.

2006-09-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:10:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:08:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:07:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:05:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:04:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T19:00:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:58:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:54:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:52:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:51:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:49:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:47:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:42:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:40:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:35:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:33:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:31:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:29:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T18:26:00.000-05:00

2006-09-28T17:53:00.000-05:00

2006-09-26T18:26:00.000-05:00

A Boat of Many Bilges

This description is of a 1986 Sports Cruiser with its large open aft cockpit – and many variations preceded & followed our set up. Of course, the Family Cruiser - the aft cabin model has different set ups & access.

2006-09-26T18:20:00.000-05:00

Although not strictly a "bilge" the anchor locker located at the bow has a drain.

2006-09-26T18:14:00.000-05:00

Somewhere along the line they did put a standard anchor well drain
leading out through a hull fitting. Easy add if you do not have one.

2006-09-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

The compartment under the veeberth is great for dry storage.

2006-09-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

It is a bilge as reaches below the waterline & drains aft into the keel.

2006-09-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

A trap door in the hanging locker sole also gives access to the bilge.

2006-09-26T17:46:00.000-05:00

The shower floor drain leads into this area of the bilge. There is a quite large space in the bulkhead so that any water entering from the floor drain in the head would go back under the engine and thence to the lowest part of the bilge.

2006-09-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

There is a false bilge under engine - a tray with no drain catches engine drippings & misc. dropped parts.

2006-09-26T17:29:00.000-05:00

The next compartment – under the engine & an extension of the engine compartment- contains the secondary bilge pump. It is located at the bottom of the cavity formed by the keel. Getting to it around the shaft will test the working range of your joints. The pump & float switch are mounted on a loose plywood base – to allow retrieval from the pit for repair & maintenance. Be sure that the pump is wired so that it is always "on" with the battery switches "off". Some boats have it miswired, so this precaution s not as strange as it sounds. Of course there is a panel switch so that one can turn the pump on manually.

2006-09-26T17:21:00.000-05:00

The SC models have a large hatch (similar to the engine hatch) in the aft cockpit that gives total access to a huge storage compartment. A smaller hatch in the aft of the storage area gives access to the bilge. Note the emergency outboard & portable manual bilge pump (on a custom made platform).

2006-09-26T17:10:00.000-05:00

The primary bilge pump and the stuffing box are located in the cavity formed by the aft portion of the keel.

2006-09-26T17:02:00.000-05:00

The propeller shaft also passes through it. There is a wall separating the two bilge compartments but there is a weeping hole to the aft bilge. It is lower & hence the primary bilge pump is located here.

2006-09-26T16:55:00.000-05:00

2006-09-26T15:23:00.000-05:00

The stuffing box or stern gland is water lubricated & should be adjusted to drip once every 30 to 45 seconds.

STUFFING BOX ADJUSTMENT
A satisfactory lowing of the “drip rate” can usually be achieved by tightening the stern gland packing. Use a ball peen hammer to loosen the locking nut (the aft of two six flatted nuts). Facing aft, strike a flat on the locking nut at the three o'clock position, on the port side, to turn it down (clockwise). When it moves a bit, take a few more turns clockwise by hand. Then, use a wrench to turn the packing gland nut (the forward of the two six flatted nuts) in the same direction (clockwise) a quarter or half turn, or more, or until considerable resistance is felt, until snug or the drip stops, then slightly more. Turn the locking nut counter clockwise by hand until it contacts the gland nut, then strike an edge of a flat a couple of hits with the hammer to seat it against the packing gland nut. With a bit of experience, the whole operation is perhaps 30 seconds of contortion.
Since the gland nuts are in very confined space a custom made wrench appears to be necessary. One readily available alternative is a chain wrench - they have an adjustable chain that wraps around almost anything & a "vice-grip" like tightening mechanism. By loosening & tightening you can use it like a ratchet in very tight places. Easier than making a special tool & has other applications as well.

STUFFING BOX REPACKING
If the packing gland nut is already so tight & can’t be turned it is time to add another turn of packing or replace all of it with 5/16 Gore-Tex (preferably while the boat is out of the water). Clean up the threads & shaft with mineral spirits. Loosen the locking nut, unscrew the packing gland & slide it forward on the shaft Remove the old packing with a Flax Pic, check with a mirror that all has been removed& cut new packing the same length. Insert new rings one at a time alternating joints & pack each in with the gland. When packed full (about ¼” thread remaining), tighten the packing nut & lock nut.

DRAIN PLUG
Later models of the27s have a winter drain plug. If SC version, you can see the plug if it is there down in the bottom of the keel somewhere around the bilge pump. If an AC, you are on your own. Often there is enough bottom paint accumulation so that the plug may be hard to find from the outside. A 3/8" or 1/2" drive ratchet should fit the drain plug. Use NEVER-SEIVE (anti-seize) on the threads to facilitate removal

For example the1990 Albin 27 Express came had a bilge drain plug on the port side of the keel exactly 26 inches forward of the after end of the keel (not counting the skeg). It is about one inch above the bottom of the keel. It has a female fitting that is one half inch square so a standard socket wrench handle fits.

The purpose of the keel drain is to help remove the various kinds of crud from the bilge. After draining, follow up with nice fresh water flush. Follow that with a vacuum job. If you need to add one the best location is the lowest place in the bilge. The hole must be drilled from the outside, so careful measurement is needed. The plug is about 1 1/2" in diameter with a large 5/8" square hole in the centre. It fits flush so that nothing will catch on it.
Finally, there is a compartment accessed by a hatch in the aft end of the cockpit that contains the rudder post.

2006-09-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

Finally, there is a compartment accessed by a hatch in the aft end of the cockpit that contains the rudder post.

2006-09-26T15:04:00.000-05:00

The drains for the deck hatches & bilge pumps exit thru this compartment. The compartment itself drains back to the keel through limber holes and around the bilge pump hose. Some water may collect in the very aft of this compartment due to the down curve of the hull (the built in” trim tab”).

2006-09-26T14:51:00.000-05:00

And of course the rudder shaft has its own stuffing box & its packing is ¼”. It is packed & adjusted the same way the one for the drive shaft. A drip is not necessary here since the shaft has limited rotation but it must be loose enough for easy steering.

2006-09-18T17:25:00.000-05:00

NISSAN LD28 Engine & Equipment (Installed in Drifter)

2006-09-18T17:19:00.000-05:00

Engine Compartment Overall, looking fwd, Nissan LD 28 & wiggle room.

2006-09-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

Engine Port Side, looking fwd, – heat exchanger, coolant overflow, alternator, dipstick

2006-09-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

Engine Compartment, port looking fwd, battery boxes, potable water tank, repaired depth sounder hole

2006-09-18T16:54:00.000-05:00

Engine Compartment, port looking aft, fuel valves, battery charger, potable water tank drain

2006-09-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

Engine, starboard looking fwd, raw water pump, fuel pump, oil filter, glow plugs, starter.

2006-09-18T16:18:00.000-05:00

Engine Compartment, starboard looking fwd, potable water pump, engine & head raw water seacocks

2006-09-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

Engine Compartment, starboard looking aft, fuel filters, black water holding tank

2006-04-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

LD 28 Specs

LD28

2005-10-13T19:29:00.000-05:00

Nissan Marine Diesel LD28

Engine & Engine Marine Parts

Jesco is a source of engines, engine parts & the only source at present for the specifically marine components on the engine. Can also download engine spec sheet. Go to http://www.jescoweb.com

Engine Parts Websites

Fortunately the LD28s were used in the Nissan Maxima 810/910 1981-3. Examples of Nissan engine parts suppliers are listed below. You can find who has the part in & do some comparison shopping. I checked for “spark plugs” & found them less expensive than Jesco. ie. $24.47 vrs. $34.7 US. You can also check with your local Nissan Dealer. Nissan here in the Soo, ON can order Glow Plugs for $66.14 CDN. Ouch!!! or a service manual for $29.95 CDN.

If the full link doesn’t work, shorten to the .com version & work your way in to the site.

http://www.nisspartswholesale.com/MAX-4DD-001_1983_parts.html

http://replacement.autopartswarehouse.com/parts/autopartswarehouse/models.jsp?make=NI&year=1983

http://www.partspalace.com/Make.aspx?ID=NI&Desc=Nissan

http://www.carjunky.com/nissan~maxima~parts.html

There are many other potential sources – now that we know where else the engine was used by Nissan. The following list the parts but may not stock.

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=49&catalogid=0

http://www.1staaanissanparts.com/?OVRAW=Nissan%20Parts&OVKEY=nissan%20part&OVMTC=standard

Glow Plug Details

http://www.faiauto.com/glow%20plugs/UK/BUYGUIDE/HTML/GGP24.HTM

Nissan Engine Manuals

2005-10-03T18:16:00.000-05:00

Nissan Engine Manuals

Owner/Operators Manual - Nissan LD20M & LD28M

According to Jesco it is no longer available. I have posted pictures of the content of the original manual. You can save them to a file on your computer & use Word to “Insert” the pictures into 8 ½ x 11 pages & print your copy – my copy came out at 19 pages + Cover.

Engine Service Manual – Nissan LD20 & LD28

Go to http://www.jescoweb.com
Jesco has (as of 10 02 2005) 3 copies at $35.00us each.

2005-10-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Nissan Engine Manual Cover

2005-10-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

cover a

2005-10-03T11:21:00.000-05:00

contents

2005-10-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:54:00.001-05:00

2005-10-03T10:54:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:47:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:35:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:30:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:29:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:26:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:23:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:21:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T10:08:00.000-05:00

2005-10-03T09:56:00.000-05:00