Rough Rider

F

ive-foot seas, wave after wave, are marching in behind us, tossing the stern from side to side. It's ugly out here, and getting uglier every minute. What was calm ocean 5 hours ago is now being whipped up by late afternoon winds. To make matters worse, we've overshot the inlet and have to turn and run in front of the big seas that are surrounding Newport Harbor in Newport, Rhode Island.

Not that we're looking up at cresting green monsters, or that the Albin 28 Tournament Express is in any real danger of getting completely swamped, but I'd rather be quartering the seas than skimming on wavetops toward the inlet.

After dodging lobster traps and being shoved around by the waves for an hour or so, we pass Brenton Point and head into the safety of Narragansett Bay toward Newport Harbor. This is one of those times when a dock looks mighty good.

There are boat tests, and then there are serious boat tests. This one, aboard the Albin 28 Tournament Express, is a certified serious boat test, a 5-hour run from Newport, Rhode Island, to Block Island and back that includes docking in a stiff wind and running in big seas.

At some boating magazines a boat is given the seal of approval when it passes the swizzle-stick test: If the swizzle stick on your pina colada is still standing by the end of the test - the boat doesn't pitch or roll too much - then it is deemed seaworthy.

While that may seem a bit cynical - and Boating World puts boats through a much more extensive battery of tests - there's something appropriate about the swizzle-stick test. That's because the majority of pleasure boats aren't designed for the kind of potentially rough conditions that you may encounter on the ocean. A lot of boats that claim to be "sea-worthy" have no business losing sight of land, as most are built for calm-to-moderate conditions. But on a rough and tumble day, the Albin 28 proves that it can definitely take a bluewater licking and keep on ticking.

It's easy to see the quality in the lines of the 28 Tournament Express. It has a Downeast upturn in the bow, a very slight touch of trawler in the profile and a progressive modified-V planing hull. The pilothouse accentuates the New England look, a look that may not appeal to everyone. In my opinion, it's a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter models other builders are producing.

LOA	29'11"
Beam	10'
Weight	7,500 lbs.
Fuel	132 gal
Top Speed @ 3500 rpm	25 mph
(with 300-hp Yanmar Diesel)
Decibels @ 1000 rpm	74 dB-A
Decibels @ 3500 rpm (WOT)	84dB-A

It's also a pleasure to drive, as I find out during the 18-mile run to Block Island. The hull, with 16 degrees of deadrise at the transom, heads through the 1 to 2 foot seas like a plow. This 28's powered by a single 300 hp Yanmar diesel engine, but you can also opt for a 380-hp MerCruiser, 330 or 370-hp Cummins or 230-hp Volvo Penta.

The Yanmar gives the 28 a friendly cruising speed of about 20 mph at 3000 rpm, and a top speed in the 2 foot chop of 25 mph at 3500 rpm. You'd probably add another 2 to 3 mph in calm water, depending on wind and tide.

I like the helm setup, with the guages on the helm console and the electronics positioned overhead.

The pilothouse offers button-down protection againstwind and sun- we could talk at normal pitch when running - and of course, rain.

To port, there's a raised companion seat, with a chart table in front. When I'm not driving, it's a good place to hang out since it turns to face the helm. The padded engine box is a good place to have a snooze.

Another option for catching a nap is to go down below. Fit and finish in the cabin is strong, with cherrywood accents, a V-berth and table, and a large quarterberth behind the galley, which gets my seal of approval. Standard Items include a stainless steel sink, microwave, butane stove, 2.8 cubic foot refrigerator and plenty of storage. The standup head has a shower and toilet. The five electric lights, siz portlights and overhead hatch make for a light and airy cabin.

Albin is billing the 28 as a sportsfishing boat, and it has all the standard fishing items you'd expect, such as rod holders, tackle boxes, built-in fishboxes and a recirculating livewell. But the engine box limits cockpit movement, and the cabin is something you won't find on most fishing boats, so I see the 28 being more of a cruiser with fishing potential than a hard-core fishing machine.

The Albin 28's also loaded with additional standard features that you won't find on may cruisers of this size and price range, such as its niftiest feature, a standard bow thruster.

Single screw inboards are the hardest boats to maneuver in tight quarters, and if there's a wind blowing you could be in trouble when docking. We find that out as we're being pushed by a crosswind into the docks at Block Island. Instead of banging-in head-first, Peter Waterman, the Albin's new owner, just pushes the button and the boat swings neatly into the dock. This is the first time I've seen a bow thruster on a boat this small, and I know Peter is happy to have it.

The 28 is sturdy, as I find out during the run home from Block Island. by the time the boat bangs me awake during my post-lunch test of the cabin V-berth, the seas are 4 feet.

The following seas are pushing us around, and I can see Peter's knuckles are blanching white on the steering wheel - as mine are on the grabrail. But the boat tracks straight and we make it in with no problem.

I'm impressed. I've been on boats that were tossed around like corks, but the Albin holds steady even when it looks like we might take on water.

Perhaps the most memorable feature of the Tournament Express is its solidity, elements of which you can only see by looking at the details. To me, the oversized handle on the optional transom door is a perfect example. This one has a thick stainless-steel handle and bed that will keep the door closed - even if one of those waves had slammed into the boat from behind.

My trip along New England's coast is visually stunning, and the scenery is matched by the Albin's rock-solid performance. Whether you use this boat for cruising, fishing or both, the 28's solidity lets you head to the water without hesitation.

Reprinted from Boating World - Nov 1999

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