DangerousPirate
Active member
That's a strange design, but has it's advantages, too, I guess. But what is it really like to have the engine under the v-berth?
Albin Scampi - What's it like to have the engine under the v-berth?
- Thread starter DangerousPirate
- Start date
KevinV
Well-known member
Stimulating?
DangerousPirate
Active member
Well, the owner spoke a few good arguments. Like the forward engine is very accessible (which it is), a lot better than most engines in the engine bay of a boat that size. And the added weight in the front helps with breaking through waves in heavy weather, which, I guess, makes sense.Stimulating?
And since you don't run the engine when you sleep, it's not a big deal, under way you can always sleep in a different berth (which you normally do anyway, closer to the cockpit and radio).
Also apparently it warms up the v-berth nice n well.
But yeah, anyone who owned a scampi or similar? I can imagine the vberth must get quite smelly from it?
johnalison
Well-known member
I remember seeing a Maxi at a boat show with an engine under the saloon table, which made a kind of sense, but a forecabin, wow. From the weight pint of view, anything towards either end of the boat is a bad thing from a racing point of view, so I’m surprised that it was built into Scampis. I think the Scampi must be unique in being named after its actual appearance.
DangerousPirate
Active member
I mean, the boat doesn't ahve to be a racer honestly. But stable and seaworthy. I am more concerned about noise and smell.
Neeves
Well-known member
Many catamarans have the engines under a berth, but not in the bow, in the stern or slightly forward of the stern (the saildrive can be turned round). The location of the engine, the heaviest item on most yachts is balanced by the location of the batteries, water and fuel, fridge. But having the engine in the bow to punch through seas is a bit of a phurphy - its the overfall weight and design of the vessel that helps it punch through seas. Whatever - you don't want weight in the ends.
Noise and smell is not an issue, most engines are 'in' the accomodation. If you are sailing overnight you would choose a berth for its comfort at sea and noise is a minor issue - there is lots of noise anyway.
Jonathan
Noise and smell is not an issue, most engines are 'in' the accomodation. If you are sailing overnight you would choose a berth for its comfort at sea and noise is a minor issue - there is lots of noise anyway.
Jonathan
DangerousPirate
Active member
Good point. Anything else to consider? It doesn't seem to be a very common set up or boat.
Tranona
Well-known member
If you look at the hull shape of the Scampi sailboatdata.com/sailboat/scampi-30-2/ you will understand why they went that route. There is not enough depth of hull aft to run a normal shaft without putting the engine in the middle of the saloon. That was an option fairly common at the time , but Norlin decided to exit the shaft just aft of the keel to get the prop in deep water which meant the engine had to go even further forward. It was these sorts of designs and problems of efficient propulsion that in part prompted Volvo to develop saildrives which are much easier to install in shallow bodied hulls and get a decent size propeller.
KompetentKrew
Well-known member
It seems like an eccentric design choice, but it shouldn't be the thing that affects your choice of boat.
There were many boats for sale when I was choosing mine, and I probably looked at 20 or 30 of them - there were more that I ruled out without even inspecting them. The two that I made offers on were quite different - one was centre cockpit, the other aft cockpit; both were 40' sailing boats with 2 decent cabins, but that's about all I can say they had in common.
Buying a boat is a bit like marriage - you cannot expect perfection. It is important to find one which is pretty good and, as long as you get that right, you can stick with your decision for 30 years. It is not about getting the best boat, or one that is 87% good vs one that is 86% good - it's about being 100% sure that your choice is good enough.
The Albin Scampi is a famous design, it must've been popular in its time. No doubt there are people who love the Scampi as much as some people love the Anderson 32 or @Concerto loves his Westerly. It doesn't matter - pick one, fall in love and give your life to her.
You can see from the photos that the Scampi sails ok, so your question should be about condition, price, sails, engine - was she lovingly maintained by a knowledgable owner?
There were many boats for sale when I was choosing mine, and I probably looked at 20 or 30 of them - there were more that I ruled out without even inspecting them. The two that I made offers on were quite different - one was centre cockpit, the other aft cockpit; both were 40' sailing boats with 2 decent cabins, but that's about all I can say they had in common.
Buying a boat is a bit like marriage - you cannot expect perfection. It is important to find one which is pretty good and, as long as you get that right, you can stick with your decision for 30 years. It is not about getting the best boat, or one that is 87% good vs one that is 86% good - it's about being 100% sure that your choice is good enough.
The Albin Scampi is a famous design, it must've been popular in its time. No doubt there are people who love the Scampi as much as some people love the Anderson 32 or @Concerto loves his Westerly. It doesn't matter - pick one, fall in love and give your life to her.
You can see from the photos that the Scampi sails ok, so your question should be about condition, price, sails, engine - was she lovingly maintained by a knowledgable owner?
DangerousPirate
Active member
I think picture are not very great at showing you how well a boat sails, but I didn't have any doubts to begin with. I just found the placement of the engine very odd and thought there is a good reason why modern boats don't do that any more. Sort of like the boom rollers, where the sail goes on the outside.It seems like an eccentric design choice, but it shouldn't be the thing that affects your choice of boat.
There were many boats for sale when I was choosing mine, and I probably looked at 20 or 30 of them - there were more that I ruled out without even inspecting them. The two that I made offers on were quite different - one was centre cockpit, the other aft cockpit; both were 40' sailing boats with 2 decent cabins, but that's about all I can say they had in common.
Buying a boat is a bit like marriage - you cannot expect perfection. It is important to find one which is pretty good and, as long as you get that right, you can stick with your decision for 30 years. It is not about getting the best boat, or one that is 87% good vs one that is 86% good - it's about being 100% sure that your choice is good enough.
The Albin Scampi is a famous design, it must've been popular in its time. No doubt there are people who love the Scampi as much as some people love the Anderson 32 or @Concerto loves his Westerly. It doesn't matter - pick one, fall in love and give your life to her.
You can see from the photos that the Scampi sails ok, so your question should be about condition, price, sails, engine - was she lovingly maintained by a knowledgable owner?
BTW those pictures make me want to go sailing. Really nice.
Neeves
Well-known member
Our engines in our cat, one was in an aft locker accessed from 'outside' the other was under a stern berth. Both engines, Volvos, were accessed from the seawater pump side but they were turned round, one had the seawater pump forward the other aft. This means access to the oil and fuel filters was also reversed but meant lying on top of the engine to change them (cat hulls are very narrow). The oil filters are well down on the side of a Volvo MD2020 and lying on top of a warm engine trying to minimise spillage of oil as I removed the old filter was better suited to a monkey than me. I eventually added a remote oil filter housing to make it easier which I bolted just above the relays on both engines (you also need an adaptor plate that screws into the location where the filter would be attached).
In terms of 'convenience' its not where the engines are located its how accessible are the service points. Boat builders are 'stuck' with the layout of the engine ('our' engines seem to be designed and built assuming easy access from all and every side) - but builders can make it easier to service them by planning (or not).
Jonathan
In terms of 'convenience' its not where the engines are located its how accessible are the service points. Boat builders are 'stuck' with the layout of the engine ('our' engines seem to be designed and built assuming easy access from all and every side) - but builders can make it easier to service them by planning (or not).
Jonathan
DangerousPirate
Active member
Well, that one is accessible all around. Would be ideal for servicing.
Neeves
Well-known member
Skylark
Well-known member
IIRC, Flamingo yacht charter had one around the late 1990s called Puffin. At one time in its life it had to be recovered from the seabed. I chartered it a couple of times. Forward engine seemed fine.
jwilson
Well-known member
Once sailed a quite racy Japanese-built Yamaha 30 (I think it was 30) that had a Yanmar IGM single-cylinder engine in the forepeak and a very very long propshaft. It sailed very well indeed. The various Yamahas were nicely built boats. Also once met a Cheoy Lee with a substantial Volvo diesel in the stern lazarette locker aft of the cockpit with a weird Z-drive. That did not sail well.
crewman
Active member
Years ago I crewed an Albin Stratus 35. This had the engine under the saloon table. Made access easy but when motoring the saloon was noisy. Never noticed any smells though.
DangerousPirate
Active member
I don't know. When I run the engine, I can smell it. The rubber, the oil... Even without leaks, it's just there.
But yeah, maybe I should test sail an albin scampi. It sounds interesting, and I like the idea of a well accessible engine. Always the biggest PITA on a boat.
river
New member
I had a Scampi and really liked this arrangement. The distance from the cockpit, and extra insulation from bedding, makes it very quiet when in use. It is well accessible, and heats the bed. I had no problems with smell.
dunedin
Well-known member
The Scampi was a very successful IOR racer, winning the highly competitive Half Ton Cup - so it didn’t seem to hinder its performance.
LittleSister
Well-known member
But the back of the forward V-berth is not actually right in the ends of the boat, and probably little nearer the ends, if at all, than many stern engined boats.
Apart from warming the berth, I suppose it does have the advantage that the slope of the engine (towards the prop) aligns with the hull (in contrast to a stern engine), which means (in theory at least) that it can be mounted lower, which would be a CoG advantage.
Someone mentioned another design with a forward engine and long shaft. The Scampi doesn't look as long in the shaft as it might be, as the prop is close behind the keel, rather than right aft.
I agree with the others who have said it is not a reason not to buy the boat. (Could even be considered an advantage as a topic for conversation!)
