The Boating Forum - 26 Albemarle CC ................................

Any thoughts on an Albemarle 260 CC? how is the ride on this rig, what are the pluses and minuses.

Go over to http://www.albemarleboatowners.com/forums/ and ask for more data.

1BIGTROUBLE

IF YOU BUY A 26 ALBEMARLE WITH A GAS BIG BLOCK YOU MAY HAVE THE PERFECT SCREEN NAME!!! I HAVE COME CLOSE TO BUYING 3 26'S OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS--
EVER WONDER WHY ALL THE 26'S ADVERTISE "NEW ENGINES" OR LOW HRS?
THE REASON IS SIMPLE---A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE ENGINE TO INGEST
WATER --THEY HAVE DONE SOME MODS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM---I HAVE THE
INFO FROM ALBEMARLE FOR THE FIXES WHICH INCLUDE

1. NEW HIGHER RISERS
2. WATER LIFT MUFFLER
3. BAFFLES INSERTED INTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD

A MECHANIC TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY "VALVE OVERLAP' WHICH IS
PARTLY CAUSED BY THE NORMAN EXPANSION OF THE TIMING BELT.

I JUST PASSED ON A 1999 EXPRESS-- $28,000 WITH A BAD ENGINE--IT WAS THE 3RD
TIME IT INGESTED WATER..BOAT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE WITH ABOUT 350HRS
TOTAL..RESALE MARKET IS NOT GOOD TO ALBEMARLES FOR SOME REASON

THERE WAS A 2000 IN NC ASKING 49K--I OFFERED 34K--THEY CAME BACK AT 39K.
HAD A NEW ENGINE ALSO! INCLUDED TRAILER

ANOTHER 26 SOLD IN FLORIDA FOR 36K ABOUT 18 MOS AGO-

FIND ONE WITH A BAD ENGINE AND PUT A NEW DIESEL ENGINE IN IT.

PAUL

PDLBOATER - 1/19/2007 10:28 AM

1BIGTROUBLE

IF YOU BUY A 26 ALBEMARLE WITH A GAS BIG BLOCK YOU MAY HAVE THE PERFECT SCREEN NAME!!! I HAVE COME CLOSE TO BUYING 3 26'S OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS--
EVER WONDER WHY ALL THE 26'S ADVERTISE "NEW ENGINES" OR LOW HRS?
THE REASON IS SIMPLE---A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW CAUSES THE ENGINE TO INGEST
WATER --THEY HAVE DONE SOME MODS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM---I HAVE THE
INFO FROM ALBEMARLE FOR THE FIXES WHICH INCLUDE

1. NEW HIGHER RISERS
2. WATER LIFT MUFFLER
3. BAFFLES INSERTED INTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD

A MECHANIC TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY "VALVE OVERLAP' WHICH IS
PARTLY CAUSED BY THE NORMAN EXPANSION OF THE TIMING BELT.

I JUST PASSED ON A 1999 EXPRESS-- $28,000 WITH A BAD ENGINE--IT WAS THE 3RD
TIME IT INGESTED WATER..BOAT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE WITH ABOUT 350HRS
TOTAL..RESALE MARKET IS NOT GOOD TO ALBEMARLES FOR SOME REASON

THERE WAS A 2000 IN NC ASKING 49K--I OFFERED 34K--THEY CAME BACK AT 39K.
HAD A NEW ENGINE ALSO! INCLUDED TRAILER

ANOTHER 26 SOLD IN FLORIDA FOR 36K ABOUT 18 MOS AGO-

FIND ONE WITH A BAD ENGINE AND PUT A NEW DIESEL ENGINE IN IT.

PAUL

Wow, thanks for the info, some one else told me the same thing, that they have a water ingestion problems. has the factory done anything to correct the problem on any of the boats?

Man do I despise misinformation/incomplete information...........

The GM vortec 7.4l and 8.1L fuel injected engines have a valve overlap issue that allows water inversion. ie..saltwater gets pulled through the open valve into the cylinder and will cause problems. The 7.4l was the worst. This occured in many manufacturers applications. Carolina Classic was probably one of the most well known. This occured with Volvo and Mercruiser and several different boat manufacturers that used this engine. It tended to be noticed the worst in applications with a lot of idling in cold saltwater.

There were about 4 different exhaust tricks that Volvo tried to keep the water ingestion from occuring. A source I trust told me that no matter what that engine will ingest water, even sitting on a flag pole. Carolina Classic got so tired of it that they won't put that engine in their boats anymore. They have since gone to Crusader engines. The difference between Volvo and Crusader is that Crusader uses a completely closed cooling system and they specifically warranty against water ingestion.

One trick that was recommended was to idle the engine at 2000rpm for 1 minute before putting the boat away to blow out the exhaust system thus keep it from getting back into the engine. Interestingly there are a couple of guys on this forum that use their boats in freshwater that have not had a problem...much less corrosion with fresh vs saltwater.

Albemarle would still put the 8.1 L Volvo GM vortec engine in their 268 as of two years ago (keep in mind that the 265 is probably the model the hull you are looking at is based on, to the best of my knowledge Albemarle hasn't offered a Center console based on the relatively new 268 hull).

Albemarle uses the latest iteration of Volvo's exhaust modifications and they use a vertical muffler. When I visited the factory 2 years ago they specifically told me that water ingestion is no longer an issue for them with this setup.

If you are serious about this boat I would try to find out more about the exhaust set up and see if it could be retrofitted.

Diesel engines in this boat never had this problem. Small block Volvo 350 and 305 engines that exhausted through outdrive such as the Albemarle 24 and 28s with duoprop did not have this problem. I am told that the back pressure from exhausting through the outdrive prevented water ingestion.

Do a search here under carolina classic..about 3 years ago there was a huge discussion thread about it.

Albemarle makes a good boat but I would be leary of purchasing one with a fuel injected 7.4 or 8.1 l Volvo too but you needed to know the whole story.

BTW, the original 265 Albemarle hull was probably the best head sea boat ever made in this size. However it has a reputation as being very tender at drift and has a tendency to bow steer in a steep following sea.

Ben

BENS2

MY INFO ON THE ALBEMARLE IS ACCURATE--I HAVE THE WRITTEN RESPONSES
FROM ALBEMARLE AND VOLVO

WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 265 AND 268 HULL--WHAT YEAR WAS
THE CHANGEOVER

IN 1998 THEY HAD A 262 CC AND A 265 EXPRESS---THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY AD
ALSO CALLS IT A 262 CC 0R 260 WITH OBS

I SEEM TO RECALL DONNA FROM ALBEMARLE TELLING ME THAT 2000 WAS THE LAST
YEAR FOR THE CC---

AS FAR AS WARRANTY COVERAGE---VOLVO WROTE THE FOLLOWING--

VP WILLWARRANTTHE REPLACEMENT ENGINE AS FOLLOWS
FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS FROM INSTALLATION .....REPAIRS DUE TO
WATER INGESTION
SIX MONTHS FROM INSTALLATION A LIMITED WARRANTY WITH THE SAME COVERAGE AS OUR"ENGINE ONLY PACKAGE" FOR THE BOBTAIL ENGINE.

Not sure if the 265 became the 268 in '04 or '05, but the hull change was from a 24 degree deadrise to 21 degree deadrise; due to tenderness, as mentioned above.

Nice boats, good luck in your search.

INTERESTING ABOUT THE CHANGE.

I LOOKED AT AN OLDER CENTER CONSOLE-1992--THE CONSOLE WAS A LOT SMALLER
WITHOUT A HEAD---I ALSO THINK THAT THE ENGINE WAS UNDER THE CONSOLE
VERSUS UNDER THE LEANING POST ON THE NEWER ONES.

I HAVE ALSO HAD KNOWLEDGEABLE BOAT PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THE OLD 26S DID HAVE "BOW STEERING"ISSUES. PERHAPS THE ENGINE WAS SHIFTED AFT UNDER THE
LEANING POST TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS. IT ALSO PROVIDE ROOM FOR A HEAD IN THE
CONSOLE---ENGINE ACCESS ON THE NEWER 26S IS VERY GOOD---I HAD A 24 CC
AND SERVICE WAS TOUGH--LUCKILY I NEVER HAD TO DO ANYTHING BUT CHANGE
THE OIL AND PLUGS.

THE INFO ON THE CRUSADER WARRANTY IS APPRECIATED---THE ENGINE CHANGE
IS STILL GOING TO COST 15K PROBABLY----SWITCHING TO DIESELS ALSO
WILL REQUIRE A NEW OUTDRIVE

PJJR - 1/20/2007 12:09 PM

Not sure if the 265 became the 268 in '04 or '05, but the hull change was from a 24 degree deadrise to 21 degree deadrise; due to tenderness, as mentioned above.

Nice boats, good luck in your search.



I think the change over was in '04.

It was a Mid year change, Late '03, and all are hull id'd '04 and newer. The Centerconsole Has never been offered on the 268 Hull, as the Liner will not drop in without Major Mod's.....The 265 Hull was a deeper V, but also had greater depth forward. The interior height in the cabin is now attained thru the use of their newer deck styling.

As stated above, this water ingestion issue was not limited to any one boat manufacturer. The boat compainies however did assist the owners in resolving issues.

The 265 hull was a beast in a sea. Yes "tender", but now quite as bad on the 262 Center due to a lower center of gravity.