Albin Singoalla 34 Rudder

[Jmc1764]

Hello, Just joined here and wondering if anyone else here has an Albin Singoalla ? I have a very tiny weep from the rudder gland but can quite work out how it all goes together, I was wondering if anyone else has replaced seals or whatever is in there. My boat has been modified somewhat the original owner had the rudder shaft cut in half and a bolt together joint fitted, I presume to make it easier to remove the rudder. Anyways looking forward to finding other owners.

 

[BeLo]

Hello!
I have bought an Albin Singoalla recently. The only problem is that the boat is located on the Swedish east coast in Öregrund and I am living in Karlstad by lake Vänern. My plan is to sail her to Karlstad starting 7 of June. I am counting on one week to get down to Mem, where the Göta Channel starts, as I think it is a distance of approx. 40nm. Through tha channel to Karlstad will take another week, but I expect it to be a fascinating ride.
I am also trying to buy a trailer to handle the boat when autumn comes, but I am unsure of how thick the keel is at the bottom. Do you have that measurement?
I would be great if you would have the time to share your experiences with the boat.
I believe there were only about 70 Singoallas built, so we are unlikely to run into another one.

Best regards,
Bengt Löwenhamn
bengt.lowenhamn@suntec.se

 

[Jmc1764]

HI and congratulations. Yes they are quite rare, I found that there were 76 made, Im number 36 . I attache a picture of the fin keel, it is almost flat on the bottom and quite wide as I remember, about 200mm to 250mm . It weighs about 4.5 tons so you need something very strong to put it on. Please do upload some pictures when you can as they are all probably a little different now 50 years after being built
You will find trying to steer at slow speed difficult, I found you need to just go for it and give a good push from the engine and then cut off and steer as she moves, once you get used to it its not so bad, but on the sea she comes into her own, they hold course really well and are very stable. They are really tough boats !
Things I found problems with are :
My engine is a vetus M4.14 I had to get a new heat exchanger as the old one was cast in one pice and the exhaust elbow had rotted.
I had a leak at the bottom of the mast when the bolts come through the deck, that was an easy fix though and no damage as the deck is a closed cell sandwich design.
the electrics needed some fixing but nothing difficult, other than a few new ropes and sail cleaning thats it. Im happily sailing and loving her. She always gets a lot of interest and people find it hard to believe she is 50 this year !

 

[Jmc1764]

Old cast irn heat exchanger replaced with new alloy design with removable water injection elbow

 

[Jmc1764]

Here some pics around the boat

 

[BeLo]

Hi,
Thanks for the approximate keel width!
I have been told that we have Singoalla number 35, but I don't have all the paperwork yet.
The engine has been replaced with a 42 hp Lombardini that is in good shape. The cookpit needs some work as some previous owner replaced the hatches with plywood, in pinewood colour. Terrible!
I notice that your boat also has the hideous light blue patches on deck. Ours too!
I have been sailing an Albin Vega earlier and it has the same lack of maneuverability at low speed and particularly in reverse.
The only pictures I have so far are from the previous owner. Attached a few.
Best regards,
Bengt

 

[Jmc1764]

Hi, she looks fantastic. love the engine too, Yes you get use to the swimming pool blue decks Its amazing if yours is #35 what are the chances of that , our boats are sisters !
One of the things to check when you get her are the window seals, they can drip a bit in wet windy weather, I resealed them all and now there fine, also check the rigging tension unless is been replaced recently, I had one that was quite lose, did not notice it untill I checked. the chainplates are pretty well fixed on these but I read somewhere its important to check the seal on where the woodwork is bonded to the hull, I found one bit under the front v berth that had unstuck from the wood, go epoxied it back, I still have a drip from the rudder shaft but it only adds up to about a cup full a week so will wait until winter to haul out and have a look.
Also check the steel wires from the steering mechanism to the rudder shaft, a dab of grease works wonders.
Please do send some more pics when you get her its really interesting to compare I mounted a solar panel on the companion way hatch cover as its out of the way there and that keeps the batteries topped up.
My next upgrade will be a powered winch as its a pain to haul the anchor up when your alone.

 

[BeLo]

Hi,
I found another Singoalla owner in Finland and he made exactly the same estimate of the keel with as you. His boat is in the water, so he was unable to measure.
I asked if he knew his boats number, but he didn't. He suspects as it might be number on, which would be cool. He knew it was produced in 1970.
It is painted Brittish Racing Green. Lovely colour!

It would be really nice to try to track down some of the other Singoalla owner to share tips and tricks, and photos of course.
Do you use Facebook? A group there would be really easy to set up.

Regards,
Bengt

 

[Jmc1764]

Hi, yes a facebook group might be a good way to find other owners, Im not sure how to get that going but if you want I could have a go unless your IT savvy and can do it ? There must be a good few left in the world, I saw one advertised in greece, not sure if its still there and another in poor condition in the US. I know the Vega's have a strong following and rightly so they are great boats, and its often said that the Singoalla is like a bigger Vega, the design is very similar, I think you'll be impressed when you get her out of the water and see how strongly made the keel and skeg are and the rigid keel section between them, makes them really strong and its encapsulated as well so no keel bolts or joints to worry about. Great vintage sailing

 

[BeLo]

Creating a Facebook group is quickly arranged. ;-)
Albin Singoalla
I have configured the group to be public, which means that everyone can view the content, but I have set that we have to approve new members. I think that is a good way of keeping a lot of bullshit out of the comments.
Please join the group and post the pictures above there too!

Regards,
Bengt

 

[BeLo]

Today I spoke with owner of Singoalla number 18. This was an older gentleman living in Jönköping, Sweden. He has had his boat since 1985 and is the second owner. He did not have Facebook until now, but when he heard about the Facebook group he decided to join. Great fun!
Harri in Finland is already a member, and has posted a picture of his green Singoalla.
Try the link in read above or just search for groups named Albin Singoalla in Facebook.

Regards,
Bengt

 

[PAFOMS]

Hi, yes a facebook group might be a good way to find other owners, Im not sure how to get that going but if you want I could have a go unless your IT savvy and can do it ? There must be a good few left in the world, I saw one advertised in greece, not sure if its still there and another in poor condition in the US. I know the Vega's have a strong following and rightly so they are great boats, and its often said that the Singoalla is like a bigger Vega, the design is very similar, I think you'll be impressed when you get her out of the water and see how strongly made the keel and skeg are and the rigid keel section between them, makes them really strong and its encapsulated as well so no keel bolts or joints to worry about. Great vintage sailing

Have been looking for info on this boat as there are few around. They look well built but I wonder how they sail. Could you give a general round up of the good bad and indifferent as you have sailed one for a while?
The prop position looks “interesting”. Aside from there being no prop wash on the rudder is it prone to cavitation in a lumpy seaway?
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Jmc1764]

Hi, They sail well for a boat design 50 years old. shes not as fast as the new fat back end types but with a fair wind she keeps up with most. I found her good in rough weather, she is strongly built and ride s the waves well, her size makes her an easy sail for two and a little more challenging for solo. I did find that tacking solo is tricky as you have to jump around the wheel to get to the winches, in strong winds this is interesting she is comfortable for a 34footer with plenty of space inside and nice wide decks. Of course everything is a bit dated now but if you like the classic styling I would say she is a good as any over boat in her class. The keel is encapsulated so no worries down there, yes there can be some cavitation in rough seas on the prop but its not an issue. she is tricky to manoeuvre in tight quarters and you need to learn the nack . But once you understand the dynamics of how to manoeuvre its not so bad.

 

[PAFOMS]

Thanks for the feedback. While modern “fat” boats have their plus points I am perfectly happy with classic plastic.
There’s a Singoalla for sale so will go check it out when BoJo lets travel recommence.
Meanwhile you might want to make contact with:
puravidasettingsails.com
They are circumnavigating in a Singoalla

 

[Whidbey]

Finally found some Singoalla owners! ( if anyone is still here?) I bought mine 11 years ago here in the Seattle area. It’s a perfect boat for cruising around the islands up here. As for handling characteristics I agree with the previous posts. I’ll post some pictures if anyone is interested.

 

[Agathos]

Hi I'm new to posting but I've had Singoalla for 22 years now and I have to replace my Volvo MD2B and I would be interested to know if anybody has replaced their engine and if so with what.

 

[Tranona]

The most obvious replacement is the Beta 25 betamarineengines.com/index.php/seagoing/engines/beta although with the displacement at 4.5 tonnes you might also consider a 29hp from Beta, Volvo Yanmar or Nanni. All of those will fit in the current engine space looking at the photos earlier in the thread. However all of those engines are higher revving than the MD2B so will require a new propeller at the very least. Propeller choice is in many ways more important than the choice of make of engine and the aim should be to fit the largest diameter propeller while maintaining good tip clearance to the hull. A folding or feathering propeller would of course be best. Typical diameter with the newer engines are between 15-17" with the larger sizes needing a bigger reduction ratio gearbox. Your engine supplier should be able to calculate the right combination for you. You will either need to modify your engine beds or have adaptor brackets made to convert the existing mounting points to the new engine. Beta will supply these for you. Be prepared also to replace the exhaust system as well as looking at the shaft and shaft seal. Worth converting to a more modern design of drip free seal.

Often the choice of engine depends on what is available where you live and whether you have a local dealer who will fit it for you if you don't want to do it yourself. There is very little difference either technically or financially between the 4 main makers except that Beta is the only one with a 25hp which will be fine and a bit cheaper. The advantage of the larger engines is that you will find you cruise at lower rpm, probably 2100 rather than 2400. No saving in fuel but lower noise.

Hope this helps

 

[Agathos]

Thank you for your very informative reply.