Saga - Alberg 35 Refit Projects
Pictured below are some of the modifications and upgrades we completed on a friend's Alberg 35 kept here in Brunswick, GA.
Part of her refit involved fitting new sails and roller furling, mast steps, dual SolarTrackers, Monitor windvane, Lofrans manual windlass, flexible third water tank under the cockpit footwell, relocating the galley sink and adding fresh water foot pump, adding an Atom kerosene stove, a Lavac toilet, replacing the main electric switch panels and refinishing the exterior brightwork. Much has been done, but there are still a few jobs on the owner's wish list that we expect to undertake as his budget and our work schedule allows.
Click photos to enlarge
 Saga in Brunswick while the refit was in progress. |
 The dual 55-watt SolarTrackers. |
In the summer of 2008 we removed the broken-down and unwanted 4-cylinder diesel engine and installed an outboard well in the lazarette locker. It's unusual to find an outboard engine used as propulsion on a 35-foot sailboat, but the Alberg 35 is well suited to this modification provided the owner accepts the trade-offs of losing the diesel bio-hazard. Removing the inboard engine and it's numerous appendages freed up enormous storage space, eliminated the need to ever bring a mechanic to the boat again, allowed for an eternally oil-free bilge, and improved the sailing performance. And that is just a few of the benefits. Saga is now powered by a 9.9HP four-stroke Mercury that can be stowed on its side out of the water when not in use.
 Ultimate horror on a small cruising sailboat - a broken-down ancient diesel inboard spewing oil into the bilge; an onboard eco-disaster. |
 With a few scraped knuckles the engine is stripped with an electric impact wrench to lighten it then out it goes to the scrap metal yard! |
 Step one on building an outboard motor well. Ok, so cutting a gaping hole into the afterdeck is not a sight for the faint-hearted. |
 Alright, things look even worse here. Good thing the owner was not around for this stage of the job! |
 Now things start to come together as the well box and hull plug are fitted. |
 Looking down at the completed well. Drain fittings in the locker sides are plumbed to a shut-off valve in the bilge. |
 Here is a view of the removable boards that fit around the motor shaft to reduce turbulence. A gasket sealed lid (not shown) fits over the top of the box to prevent storm waves flooding the locker during passages. |
 Motor in place. |
 The motor in operating position. When the hull plates are removed by loosening the wing nuts, the motor can swivel some 25 degrees for limited side thrust if needed for departing a marina slip in a strong cross wind. |
 The 9.9 motor is too big to fit entirely within the lazarette since it needs to be this far forward to have the prop low enough in the water so this slotted cover board is used. A vinyl motor cover is available to protect the motor from sun and spray if left installed. |
 When not needed, the motor is best left stowed on top the gasket sealed well box and tied in to eye straps. |
 Finished locker with motor stowed inside. the 86 lb. motor can be lifted in and out of the well by a boom vang tackle attached to the backstay. |
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