A new Vega Owner

[Douglas Pollard]

HI all, I am the proud new owner of an Albin Vega 27 named Sea
Legs. I had been searching for suitable boat for an old man to to
single hand and for an old couple to go back to the Bahamas and the
Florida keys in. WE live in Virginia so will sail The Chesapeake bay and
likely some in the Carolina Sounds. I was raised in Maryland just east
of Baltimore and sailed the bay and creeks up there in an Old town canoe
as a teen ager and hope to visit creeks and rivers up there as well.
My wife and I lived aboard for 14 years though on bigger and much
clumsier boats. So we are really looking forward to sailing this Vega.
I sailed on one, I think about 1969 with a hippie kid who owned her and
really liked her a lot. When I went looking for a boat recently a Vega
is what I looked for. We are really looking forward to the coziness of
her more narrow interior as well as the see keeping abilities of her
hull shape.
The boat I bought still has her feathering propeller and would be
happy for any comments on keeping that. Also she has the original
through the mast roller furling that I remember as working well. WE did
not take a deep reef in the main so if anyone could give me some advice
there it would be appreciated. She is also equipped with slab reefing
and roller furling on the jib and again I would like some advice on
these if any one has any. Thanks for any help, Doug

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Doug

Welcome to the friendly world of Vega Ownership or should I say Custodianship....... I am sure you will be more than happy with your new "partnership"

The combi gearbox (variable pitch prop) works very well when it works! What engine is fitted, petrol Albin or Diesel Volvo? What is her Vega number?

Slab reefing (or jiffy reefing I think you call it over the pond) is far superior to the roller boom reefing in my opinion.

I am sure there will be many replies for your questions, now and in the future, Fair winds and Tides.

Steve Birch (Vega Southern Comfort V1703)

 

[pjacobs55]

Doug,
Welcome to the list. You've chosen a fine little boat. It sounds like you have a Series II, with the thru-mast roller furling gear ... probably the silver-coloured mast? If that's the case your engine is likely a Volvo Diesel. Just guessing.

Like Steve, I prefer slab reefing and don't use the roller furling boom. I also have a jib furler and love it. My boat was originally a gas powered one, with feathering prop, but a previous owner kindly installed a Yanmar 2GMF and regular transmission with a Campbell Sailor 3-blade prop ... great setup.

As you probably know, there're a lot of photos in the 'Photos' section, maybe you could post some of 'Sea Legs'. There's an amazing wealth of information in the 'Messages' archive, too.

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
Victoria BC Ca

 

[dougpol1]

I am looking at Sea Legs's North Carolina registration the first four
numbers of the Hull identification number 2225 the last numbers are
0374. I guess the first four are the hull number and the last four are
the manufacturing Date. Correct?? IS the hull number the number on the
sail " I don't have the sail here at home and I can't remember what
number is on it though, it does have the Vega emblem on it as I recall.
The seller said he thought the engine was the original Volvo 2 cylinder
diesel.
I live about 300 miles from where she presently is and we have two feet
of snow so getting back there is a problem right now. I hope to go spend
a couple days on her in about two weeks. Need to get acquainted!
I, back in the 1960's had a Japanese Yokohama 21 sloop. Nice little
sloop! She had a roller furling main and it worked quite well. The boom
was wood and was small in diameter forward bigger in the middle and
tapered smaller again aft. It worked pretty good and the boom aft did
not drop down aft as I have seen some dowhen furled I guessed that the
straight aluminum boom on my Vega likely would not set well when reefed.
The advice I have gotten here confirms what I had guessed.
Another thing I have been thinking about is if ideling the engine faster
to charge batteries, how do you keep the propeller out of gear since the
pitch of the blades change as the engine is given more throttle
automatically? Doug
Peter wrote:

 

[kanderson4unc]

My Vega, number 1076 is in NC too, where are you? I'm an NC native so if you need any help getting her ready to move, just give a shout. Fairwinds.

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Doug

One the the pecularities of the Combi is that it is always in gear and
therefore the prop is always rotating. Forward and reverse is just the prop
pitch changing. You can make the revs higher whilst still keeping the prop
pitch in neutral but will entail seperating teh automatic pitch and rev
controls.It sounds like you have a late Series II with a Volvo MD6A. The
hull number will be on teh sail and on a bronze plate in the cockpit by the
engine controls.

Cheers

Steve B

 

[dougpol1]

Thanks Fairwinds, I will be taking Sea Legs to Virginia In early April
maybe if there is a break in the weather, March. I have to come down
this next week and get some pictures. I forgot to take any, I'm afraid
my wife is going to brain me. I bought the boat without my wife along
and she is really excited and no Pictures. I can't believe how dumb I
am. Doug
karl anderson wrote: