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Select Albemarle 310XF

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A Legend Comes to Town
Albemarle 310XF


Pacific Northwest sport fishermen have traditionally selected from the
same 8-10 brands of mono and catamaran sportfishing hulls when
shopping for a new boat. While it's possible to fish from a vessel of
almost any sort, a slow cruise past the fleet of serious anglers
mooching for mid-winter blackmouth can be extremely informative with
regard to the local "popular taste" in fishing boats. The brand mix
hasn't changed very much in recent years, but an old nameplate that's
new to the Pacific NW will be claiming a fresh share of the market;
and deservedly so.

East coast sal****er fishermen routinely demand performance from their
boats that seems almost extreme by Puget Sound and other "inland
waters" standards. Some of the best fishing along the Atlantic
seaboard can be found as much as 50-60 miles offshore, beyond the
continental shelf and in open ocean conditions. Boats need to be
capable of extended, high speed runs through rough water, and
seaworthy enough to endure any unexpected turn for the worse while a
very long way from home port. When fishing closer to shore, (such as
in the Chesapeake), the same sort of steep, closely spaced chop that
characterizes a breezy day on Puget Sound is very commonplace.

An entire "culture" of regionally popular boats flourishes in New
Jersey, the Carolinas, and other seaboard states. Atlantic seaboard
demand has traditionally absorbed much of the available production
from venerated names like Viking, Bertram, Egg Harbor, and Hatteras,
but on the rare occasions when such boats have been relocated to the
Pacific NW they have been very well received. Edmonds Yacht Sales is
the Pacific NW dealer for a line of sportfishing boats that has earned
a place in that panoply of esteemed east coast trademarks, Albemarle.
Albemarle boats are now regularly available here, and as Pacific NW
anglers become acquainted with their characteristics and quality they
will sell increasingly well.

We spent a morning with Scott Linnane of Edmonds Yacht Sales and got
underway in the Albemarle 310XF Sportfisher. What a neat boat. With
the 310 XF (Express Fisherman), Albermarle has combined pleasant, well
appointed forward cabin accommodations with a super-fishable bridge
and cockpit. This twin diesel inboard is a boat that will be the envy
of other folks on the fishing grounds, yet provide a perfect platform
for a family or romantic weekend getaway.

On deck:

The 310XF features a "Carolina bow", characterized by an almost
extreme flare. The chances of taking much spray over the bow or
burying the nose in a head sea are substantially reduced by this
protective and buoyant design. Our test boat was equipped with the
optional hardtop- a feature most regional boaters would consider
nearly essential in our climate. The self bailing 64-sq ft cockpit has
a 45-gallon fish box located under a hatch cover as well as a 45-
gallon fish box built into the transom. Baitfish can be kept alive and
fresh in a 30-gallon livewell located in the starboard forequarter of
the cockpit, and rigged at an adjacent sink and cutting board. There
are fresh and raw water washdowns in the cockpit, as well as a 14-
gallon insulated drink cooler in the port forequarter.

There are four rod holders atop the transom gunwales, and six "rocket
launchers" incorporated in the aluminum support for the hardtop. Stern
lines are led through flush stainless hawse to cleats affixed where
they won't snag a line when a fish is being played.

The bridge deck includes a pair of Pompanette helm chairs, and the
wheel is located on the centerline. There is ample room in the helm
console for a new owner to install his or her choice of electronics.
We noted an L-shaped settee to starboard as well as a bench to port
that would allow as many as a half dozen adults to be on the bridge
deck at any given time. The boat at Edmonds Yacht Sales is fitted with
a full canvas enclosure for the bridge deck, with panels that roll up
under the hard top when conditions create a desire for more of an open-
air experience.

Engine access is quickly available through a service hatch immediately
adjacent to the helm chair (and strategically designed for easy
checking of oil, coolant, etc). When serious maintenance or a repair
might be required, a hydraulic "lift" system will tilt the entire
bridge deck up against a pivot point along the aft cabin bulkhead. Few
inboard installations have any more elbow room, fresh air, or light
potentially available to anyone involved in mechanical adjustments.

Interior Accommodations:

Anyone stepping into the cabin of the Albemarle 310 XF for the first
time will likely be very pleasantly surprised with the generous use
and the quality of the woodwork. Impressive as well are the
upholstery, the appliances, and the thoughtful use of space. The
"yacht quality" of the cabin can be somewhat explained when
considering that Albemarle is part of the "Hatteras Collection", and
the interior is finished up to a standard that truly deserves to be
associated with a name often considered the most traditionally
prestigious in American boatbuilding.

A teak and holly sole at the base of the companionway steps will hold
up under assaults by wet-footed fishermen passing through to use the
nicely appointed, fully enclosed head with six-feet of standing room
and a shower. A compact galley is situated at the aft bulkhead, with a
microwave oven, a sink, a refrigerator, and a Granicoat (R) countertop
for food prep.

The back cushions for the port and starboard settees flanking the
dining table swing up to create upper and lower berths on each side,
allowing the 310 XF to make a realistic claim of "sleeping four". A
built in stereo system, a book and storage shelf, and a flat screen TV
that swings down from a mount above the galley provide several
entertainment options.

Specifications and construction:

LOA (with pulpit): 32'2"
Beam: 11'
Draft: 34"
Weight: 15,500 lb
Deadrise: 18 degrees
Fuel: 325 gallons
Water: 30 gallons


Albemarle hulls are hand laid in the traditional manner, with 24-ounce
woven roving and a both polyester and vinylester resins. Decks are
cored with Baltec to reduce weight and add stiffness. All cleats and
other hardware are reinforced with backer blocks, and through hull
fittings are bronze below the water line and stainless above. A
"shoebox" style overlapping hull to deck joint is chemically bonded,
and reinforced with stainless steel fasteners every six inches.

Albemarle places a high priority on providing a solid, comfortable
ride in high seas- and in pursuit of that goal they choose to use
laminated marine fir stringers, fully encapsulated in fiberglass.
Albemarle's engineers favor this approach as the encapsulated fir has
just enough "flex" to allow the hull to withstand the constant
pounding that can be associated with offshore runs, yet maintains
maximum structural strength. Boaters with any concern about the use of
wood in stringers will be pleased to note that the highly engineered
fir structures carry a lifetime warranty, so Albemarle is obviously
very confident in the durability of the material. (The remainder of
the hull carries a 10-year warranty).

An informal test of a quality boat is the "heft" factor. Every hatch,
cabin door, and locker feels very solid, substantial, and heavy on the
310XF. If there's anything that could be called "flimsy", we were
unable to find it. We noted that even the hidden undersides of most
molded pieces were finished to an extremely fair standard.

Underway:

Our test boat was equipped with twin Cummins 330-HP diesel engines,
driving 20X 27 props through ZF Hurth 1.75:1 gear boxes. Offshore AC
power is provided by a 5kW genset. As one expects from nearly all of
the latest generation diesels, the Cummins started instantly, even
when cold, and produced next to zero smoke at idle. Boaters who might
have objected to the "diesel smell" of similar boats a few years ago
would be hard pressed to notice any exhaust odor of any kind.

The port and starboard engine controls are long, single levers on
opposite sides of the wheel console. "You're not likely to get the
engine controls confused when they are so widely separated," we
commented.

"Yes," confirmed our host, Scott Linnane. "I have noticed that this
arrangement makes it much easier and is more intuitive to use when
facing aft to back down on a fish or simply dock stern-to in a
marina."

After motoring out past the Edmonds breakwater, we throttled up to put
the Albemarle 310XF on plane. Albemarle suggests that the boat's
handling characteristics are enhanced by the deep-V hull as well as a
carefully balanced distribution of weight. We experienced very little
bow rise during a quick but steady acceleration, without the use of
trim tabs.
We were on plane at about 1600 rpm, creating very little wake. The
balance was evident with engines that are set well forward (the drive
shafts are 95 1/4" in length), so there is no need for the deep "prop
pockets" that rob many boats of critical buoyancy astern.

Wide open throttle of 2870 rpm will push the Albemarle 310XF to just
over 31 knots. A "fast cruise" setting of 2600 rpm still logs over 28
knots, and slowing down a bit more to 2500 rpm allows a speed in
excess of 26 knots.

The sensation on the bridge at high speeds is most definitely one of
"outdoor" boating.
We ran with only the aft curtains of the full enclosure rolled up, so
while there was no cold wind whipping across the bridge deck we were
well aware of engine noise and the cool, sweet, smell of fresh salt
air. Frankly, it was a blast, and we made a note on the cassette tape
recorder that the experience could be defined as "comfortable
adventuring" rather than luxury yachting, and we expect that most
prospects for a sportfisher will appreciate and value the difference.

Conditions were calm, but we managed to find a steep four-foot wake.
We slammed into it at 28 knots, and simply punched through the wall of
water with nothing more than the sound of an impact. We weren't
suddenly airborne and looking for a place to land, we just motored
along as if we had hit a six inch ripple instead of standing water
almost as high as the deck. Nothing rattled, groaned or banged. It was
if the Albemarle was chuckling with confident delight and remarking,
"That was easy, what else you got?"

Conclusion:

We would advise anybody considering the purchase of a high caliber
inboard sportfisher to take an opportunity to view the Albemarle. Many
of the characteristics that have made this boat a legend on the
eastern seaboard will be appreciated by our local anglers, and even
the non-fishers in any family will appreciate the comfort and quality
of the cabin.
After taking an in-depth look at the 310XF, it's not surprising at all
that Albemarle is built by the same division of Brunswick that builds
Hatteras.

Manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Albemarle 310 XF, loaded
with all of the options mentioned in this article and some other to
boot, is $316,835. Edmonds Yacht Sales will be offering a "Boat Show
Special" at the Seattle Boat Show, discounting the boat substantially.
(We think prospects will be very pleased with the price, considering
the value).