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The Minnow is an Albin 25 Deluxe, a fiberglass boat, designed and built in Sweden in 1977. About 2795 were built between 1969 and 1977. It has a unique twin stateroom design that works very well to accommodate two couples or a family of four. With a dodger protected salon area amid ships and the galley and head forward.
The Specifications for the boat is as follows:
* L.O.A. :7,6 meter (25ft. 0in)with swim step and davits 27’8” overall.
* L.W.L. :6,75 meter (22ft. 2in)
* Beam :2,6 meter ( 8ft. 6in)
* Draft :0.7 meter ( 2ft. 4in)
* Height from mast support to deepest part of keel :2.75 meter ( 9ft)
* Height from mast support to waterline :2,1 meter ( 7ft)
* Displacement (empty boat with fuel) :1600 kg ( 1,6 ton) (Standard Engine)
* Maximum speed 8 Knots
* Cruising speed 6 Knots
* Engine Yanmar 3YM30, 1513 hours
* Water Capacity: 30 gallons in main poly tank, 15 gallons in aux tanks.
* Fuel Capacity: 40 gallons total
* Batteries and charging system: 3 deep cycle Batteries, engine alternator and Victron solar panels and charging system.
I spent two winters refitting this boat in Central Oregon, essentially stripping the boat down to the bulkheads and hull, and then installing all new electrical and plumbing systems and new marine and navigation gear.
We took the bottom paint down to the gelcoat to inspect for blisters, there were none. We reapplied 3 coats of Interlux Bottomkote NT. The entire exterior of the boat was sanded and three coats of Interlux Brightside polyurethane paint was applied. All the inside of the boat was painted with Total Boat Epoxy Coat. We applied head liner and trim to all the vertical cabin surfaces and as a result the boat has no condensation on the inside. All interior wiring was replaced with Anchor tinned up-gauge wiring with new breakers and Blue Sea switch panels. The battery system is comprised of three 12 volt deep cycle batteries in two banks, isolated by a Blue Seas ACR, and charged on AC power by a ProMariner HD12 two bank charger. Two 100 watt solar panels are controlled by a Victron Smarsolar system. There are two rotary isolation switches and 30 amp shore side female input.
A diesel heater supplies heat to the main cabin, rear cabin and helm station with controllable dampers for each area. There is a DC windshield heater and twin windshield wipers, and horn.
The boat has a 12’ Raytheon C120 Multi Function Chartplotter Display with All Navionics West Coast Canada and Alaska charts, It has a digital sounder, an external GPS antenna and 24 mile Raytheon radar. It is coupled to an Icom GX2400VHF radio for AIS reception.
The 4 foot x 3 foot aluminum helm station hatch opens and tilts in all directions to provide ventilation and full unobstructed view around the boat. The solar panels are mounted on this hatch. There is a helm step that provides additional elevation for the helms person. There are two swiveling helm seats on a pivoting, sliding aluminum framework that tilts up for access to the engine below and also provides a framework for four drawers for books and charts. Aft of the helm station there is full aluminum cabin top that extends to cover the entire co*ckpit. There is large very handy aluminum storage basket and radar arch that is attached on top of the hard top. A sturdy dodger with new Issen glass and heavy duty zippers extends down from the hard top and encloses the co*ckpit. This arrangement has proved to be very watertight, convenient for entry and provides many ventilation options.
There is an aluminum ladder aft of the hardtop for access to the basket and for those who want to sit on the radar arch seats
All cabin lighting is LED most with dimming features, and with integral USB outlets. There is amber overhead night vision illumination in all cabins and a red chart whip light. There is a bright flood mast head forward fog light, and standard nav, running and anchor lights. The 15 foot aluminum boat pike stores along side the mast and provides attachment for the vertical radar reflector.
The boat is powered by a Yanmar 3YM30 30 HP with 1513 hrs. It has been meticulously maintained and serviced. A Racor T24 fuel filter maintains clean diesel from the 25 gallon stainless tank. The engine uses a little over 1/2 gallon of diesel per hour, so together with the three 5 gallon jugs that are stored under the forward starboard Vee berth Minnow has a range of approximately 360 miles. Three fill ups got us from Olympia to Alaska!
A 25 pound Mantus anchor is stowed on an aluminum bit that projects forward to clear the bow when it is deployed. There is 50 feet of 1/4” hi-test chain and 350’ of 1/2’ multi plait nylon rode that stows into an anchor locker forward of the Vee berths. A Maxwell windlass with remote and helm control provides the lift power.
There is a spare 20 pound Columbia River type anchor and 200 feet of anchor rode securely stored below the helm station.
There is a single 30 gallon poly water tank, and five 2.5 gallon polly jugs stored under the port forward Vee berth, each system with it’s own galley foot pump. There is also a saltwater foot pump.
The 25 gallon stainless fuel tank is supplemented with three 5 gallon auxiliary fuel gerry jugs under the forward berth.
The davits is a custom aluminum pivoting double T-Frame that steps on the swim platform and is lifted by the mast. It accommodates an 8 foot walker bay dinghy with a sponson collar. The davits pivots to clear the swim step and draws the dinghy in securely over the aft deck.
The swim step extends across the the transom and provides safe, secure storage for the 2 gallon gasoline gerry can. A swim ladder mounts aft.
The aft cabin has two 6’3” outboard berths with ventilation hatches cut in the foot wells that provide convenient storage when the aft cabin is not in use. There are USB charging stations and head-of-bed storage and illumination for each berth. The aft stateroom door is a split dutch door that provides additional ventilation and easy access to the aft stateroom; a cabin table swings up from the lower section of the dutch door and secures to the overhead for dining in the co*ckpit
There is plenty of cabinet storage space in the galley, and under both forward Vee berths. A full athwart ship counter can be mounted across the head of the Vee berths. the counter stores on the head door. There is a stainless three burner propane stove. The two bottle propane locker is located in the co*ckpit area and has a solenoid safety valve and overboard venting.
There are two fire extinguishers, and a CO2 and a CO hard wired detector in the main cabin. There is a high water bilge alarm and two bilge pumps. The forward bilge pump is a rule submersible pump and the aft pump is a 2000GPH diaphragm pump they both operate with auto/manual rocker switch control.
The head is an Airhead with a foot pumped overboard diverter line. Fresh water showers are easily rigged with the gin Pole on the aft swim step. A privacy screen can be rigged around the davits supports
There is a built in tool locker and a spare parts cabinet.
A double axel, heavy duty, galvanized trailer with electric brakes, bunks and an eight foot extension is included.
The original owners had her berthed in Powell river BC, and cruised around Georgia Strait and the Gulf Islands. We spent one season aboard her in the San Juan Islands of Puget Sound and took her up the Inside Passage to Alaska. She over wintered in Petersburg Alaska and we are intending on bringing her back down to Puget Sound in the spring. She is available in the water at the Municipal dock in Petersburg Alaska for viewing.
The Minnow is a capable, economical costal cruiser that has given us a life time of memories and has many more to offer her next captain and crew.
