Twentynine

An Alberg 29 Site

Welcome to Twentynine!

Twentynine is a site dedicated to the Alberg 29, a sailboat designed by Carl Alberg to replace and update the popular and successful Alberg 30. After becoming discouraged by the lack of information on the Internet about these boats, I decided to put up a site featuring all the information I have, in hopes that others (and I know you’re out there) will find what they’re looking for. If you have information about Alberg 29s you’d like to share, please email me at adrian@twentynine.ca.

The Alberg 29 Blog

A successful first week · May 09, 2007

It’s amazing what a week of living on the boat can do to improve one’s mood.

Granted, it was cold. Damned cold indeed! But I have a cute little electric heater that, when we were plugged into shore power, worked well enough to render the cabin downright cozy. Suffice it to say that trips to the shore-side bathrooms were not anticipated with enthusiasm. Showering was, as Sarah put it, an “exercise in survival”.

We did something new on the boat this year – we really, truly cooked. The boat has an excellent two-burner propane stove with a small but serviceable oven, and this was more than enough for us to cook and bake. We made a couple loaves of bread, had crepes twice, and had eggs both poached and fried. Baked beans came off that stove too, but the veggie burgers came off the small Force 10 propane barbecue that hangs off the rail.

The boat was certainly roomy enough for two, with ample storage space. Some rearranging as we went along, coupled with a general purge of things the previous owner had left on the boat rendered even more space available. A small soft-sided cooler worked very well as an icebox, and will continue to do so until I have a satisfactory solution to the barely-insulated factory icebox.

We got out and sailed three times too. The first time it was cold, and we only had about ten minutes of wind. But we got out there. It was the first time Sarah and I had sailed the boat together, and after a moment of excitement at launch, everything went well. Docking went more smoothly than I could have hoped.

The second time we sailed in gentle breezes for maybe an hour or so. The launch had been better than the first, but we still hadn’t perfected it. I had a couple ideas this time though, ways to improve the maneuver. Docking would have been flawless had the captain remembered the counter-intuitive installation of the forward-reverse lever. No dock was harmed in the return of the boat, but it was a close thing.

The third time, last night, we went for an evening sail after work. It was gorgeous! After what can only be described as a textbook launch, we had 10-15 knot winds, and had a good heel going for a while. Absolutely beautiful sailing conditions. We sailed for about an hour and a half before the sun started setting, and then headed back in for a passable docking experience.

I feel recharged. Reinvigorated. Sarah’s headed back home for a few weeks, which is a bit of a downer, but the glow of a successful first sailing week of the new season can’t be hidden from my slightly sunburnt face.

Comment [2]

Launched · Apr 23, 2007

After a very long day, the boat is finally in the water.

As anyone who lives in upstate New York or Southern Ontario will tell you, we had a seriously bad storm roll through the Toronto region today.

It was all sunshine and summer weather while I was at a meeting downtown. I hopped on the GO train, destined for Bronte at 11:25. My father, who also has a boat at Bronte outer (sadly, not an Alberg) picked me up, and we drove to the marina to go about preparations for launch at 5:00 (his boat) and 6:00 (my boat).

By 3:30 the third thunderstorm straight out of the maw of hell had rolled through, and wind gusts up to 60kts were a frequent occurrence. The marina decided to halt launching, but we hoped the weather would settle, so we filled our time helping the marina staff tie high-windage powerboats back up to their berths. One had actually ripped a cleat straight out of the dock. At one point, my father was almost blown off the dock into the water.

So we went out for dinner, and sure enough, just as we were finishing up, my phone rang and the marina was ready to launch our boats. It was sunny again, and the wind had dropped down to a nice gentle breeze.

Both boats launched without a hitch, though my A29 demonstrated once again why it is I hate reversing the boat. Nine times out of ten, it will walk to port while reversing, and one time out of 100 it will back up in a perfectly straight line. I took a guess and thankfully she walked to port. I looked like I actually knew what I was doing.

So begins another sailing season. Hopefully it will be better than last year.

Comment

Total height of an Alberg 29 · Mar 17, 2007

I was recently asked this by a reader who was considering shipping an Alberg 29 from Halifax to Edmonton. The question gave me pause, partly because I didn’t know the actual total height of an Alberg 29 from keel to the top of the cabin, and partly because I wondered where in Edmonton one would sail such a thoroughbred boat!

In any case, I was at the boat today, to clear snow from the cockpit (I didn’t have time to cover the boat this year) and do some minor repair work, so I measured the total height.

The total height of an Alberg 29 (or at least, my Alberg 29), from bottom of keel to top of cabin is 110 inches.

Comment

An Alberg 29 for sale · Feb 13, 2007

I’ve just read an advertisement for an Alberg 29 for sale. The ad is as follows:

Alberg 29 1982

Volvo diesel 18hp. Autopilot, depth sounder, VHF, stereo, shorepower, stove, BBQ, wheel, winter cover, cockpit cushions, compass, dodger, ice box, sea water pump, epoxy and painted the bottom and installed new toilet.

CDN $44,000

It strikes me that this is a very novel installation of television and VCR. While I personally use a laptop for my movie-watching – its smaller and way more electricity efficient – I guess this works. I find the chest of drawers behind the toilet very interesting. As is the galley and its lack of a visible stove?

It can be seen here.

Comment [2]

Of sites and sailboats · Feb 08, 2007

So, at last my schedule has allowed me to start working on this site.

Many weeks ago, I started writing entries for the blog portion of this site. Those can be seen below, complete with the dates I wrote them on. To some degree, the posts document the acquisition and ownership of a new-to-me Alberg 29.

The boat I bought was in fact not my first choice for an Alberg 29. I had looked at another one that lived on Lake Simcoe. When I first looked at it the weather was not so different as it is now – the boat was covered in a tarp, buried in snow up on the hard at the back of a muddy, snowy lot.

But that boat wasn’t meant to be. The survey came back with far more wrong than I was willing to deal with on a boat. So I began my search anew, and eventually bought the second Alberg 29 I ever laid eyes on.

The first made itself known to me in Bronte Outer Harbour one day while I was chugging my beloved Contessa 26 out for a days sail. A low, sleek, long looking hull with graceful but short overhangs caught my eye. After the sail, I went and talked to the owners – two transient women who just adored her. They gave me a tour, and I seriously fell in love with the boat.

The second one was in Niagara on the Lake, and I had gone to see it on a cold September day not long after. She was seriously overpriced, but she was beautiful. Far too high a price for me though, and I looked elsewhere until I found the boat on Lake Simcoe. When that fell through, I made a lowball offer on the overpriced but lovely one, and wonder of wonders, it was accepted.

I found myself the proud owner of an Alberg 29! You can read about my adventures bringing her home in some of the earlier posts in this blog.

And now, I find myself the proud and happy owner of yet another sailboat site. I hope you find something worthwhile in these pages. I’ll try to write frequently, but I have other sites to run, and other Lakes to yet sail.

Adrian.

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What is an Alberg 29?

The full keel traditional line of Carl Alberg’s designs have long commanded the respect of the yachting world. Their shorter waterline and long counter add speed in both light and heavy air. The fair hull shape and full keel (not long keel) provide a tracking ability and comfort in a seaway which few other designs can match.

What then, is the difference between the Alberg 29 and other designs by the same architect? She is a more modern hull with increased stiffness resulting from firmer bilges, increased beam and the fact that her fullness is further aft. In addition, a deeper draft and wider keel lowering the center of ballast (lead) by several inches along with a higher ballast-displacement ratio, add to her stability.

The bows are finer than other designs and the keel more cut away, reducing wetting surface.

A higher aspect mastead-rig and larger foretriangle result in better balance, less weather helm and more efficient windward performance. Her stiffness results in an ability to carry more sail.

A beamier hull provides comfort. The galley is laid out for safety in heavy seas or while racing, and the quarter berth navigation table is new to Alberg production boats. The craftmanship and attention to quality are unsurpassed.

There is a difference in “full keel” yachts and even between similar Alberg designs. For the cruising yachtsman, there is no reason to sacrifice speed, performance and club racing for the comfort and safety of a sea-going vessel.

(From the 1980 Nye Yachts Alberg 29 brochure.)

Alberg 29 Standard Equipment

Hull and Deck

Hand-laid fiberglass mat and woven roving with laminate design in accordance with Lloyd’s Specifications. Deck, cored with balsa, is one piece with nonskid surfaces molded in. Gelcoat color of hull, boot and deck are molded to owners specifications.

Ballast

Ballast is an internally installed and glassed in lead moulding. Due to keel and ballast shapes, the center of gravity of the ballast is only 15” from the bottom of the keel.

Rudder

Rudder is of fiberglass encasing a stainless shaft and webbing and set into the hull with bronze heel and through-hull bushing.

Steering

Cable steering with pedestal and 28” destroyer wheel.

Spars and Rigging

Extruded aluminum mast and boom sections. Standing rigging is of 1×19 stainless with stainless turnbuckles. Halyards and topping lift are internal. Jiffy reefing and cunningham controls are included.

Deck Hardware

Stainless steel double rail pulpit and stern rail with stainless stanchions and double lifelines. Cast bronze bow, admidships and stern mooring cleats and chocks. Four bronze framed fixed portlights, six bronze frame opening ports and a forward coachroof plexiglass opening hatch providing ample ventilation. Two bronze two-speed genoa sheet winches, two bronze halyard winches and bronze handles. Jib/genoa track and fairleads.

Auxiliary

Two cylinder fifteen horsepower diesel engine with reduction gear, water-cooled exhaust and control panel. Located with cover providing complete and easy accessibility.

Interior

Crafted in teak and oak with a teak-and-holly cabin sole. Cabinetry and joiner work is done to the highest standards. Forward cabin includes 2 “V” berths, with shelves, drawers and storage in the forepeak area. Main cabin has a settee, double-berth, single berth galley and quarter berth, and navigation area.

Galley

Stainless sink and fresh water pump, insulated ice box, gimballed stove with oven. Drawers, dish racks and cupboards. The galley is designed and fitted to make use in heavy seas and is both safe and practical.

Main Saloon

Has settee double berth to port and a single berth to starboard. Permanently mounted table has leaves to fold up while in use or down to allow clear passage when sailing. Galley area is opposite navigation quarter berth. Cabinetry above each berth incorporates both shelves and cupboards for safe storage of small items, while ample lockers are provided under berths.

Head

Marine toilet to port and counter sink to starboard (with hanging locker) allow maximum utility in minimum space. Optional shower sump amidships allows full head room.

Cockpit

“T” cockpit allows unhampered movement forward by the helmsman for single or shorthanded sailing yet leaves him aft for racing. Larger self-bailing drains, coaming hand holes and seat locker storage add to safety and comfort.

© 2007 All Rights Reserved.
Email: alberg@twentynine.ca