SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE – Please Tell Them You Saw It In PCS
SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE
PCS BOAT REVIEW
BY CAPTAIN HORACE BARGE
Specifications
A TANK IN BALLET SLIPPERS
Length: 36’ Beam: 14’5” Draft: 4’ Dry Weight: 25,000 lbs Fuel: 535 gallons Water: 95 gallons
ALBEMARLE 360 EXPRESS FISHERMAN
A
lbemarle Boats has been in business for 30 years and has models ranging from a 24-foot trailerable center console all the way up to a 41-foot convertible sportfisher. The manufacturer is located in Edenton, North Carolina, which enables them to use the rough waters of Cape Hatteras as a proving ground. For those of you who have not been there, I can assure you that these tumultuous Atlantic waters are some of the best testing grounds available for any boat builder. Unlike some other manufacturers who have shaved off weight at every corner in order to gain speed, Albemarle has seen to it to maintain a certain amount of weight so the ride would not be compromised. With the advent of the new common-rail diesel engines, there is little loss in fuel economy with a nice heavy ride to plow through the roughest of seas. It is always a pleasure to meet up with Vladimir Beck of Horizon Yacht and Ship Brokerage to look at the Albemarle’s lineup of boats. Mr. Beck’s experience in the yachting world (along with his Croatian accent and ponytail) always makes for a fun day of testing. At first glance the Albemarle 360 Express just looks like a tank; with the wide beam and the listless entry into the cockpit, you can tell she is built for weather. While the mild Carolina flare provides a wide 14.5-foot beam, the cockpit still maintains a width of 13 feet, 5 inches for plenty of fish-fighting room. Located in the transom is an insulated 56-gallon fish box with overboard macerator pump, and it can be easily plumbed to provide another live bait
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Optional berth over queen-sized bed.
The helm – keeping it simple like it should be.
SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE – Please Tell Them You Saw It In PCS
tank. When you grab the transom door to swing it open, you can tell that Albemarle doesn’t skimp on the fiberglass. In the deck is another 57-gallon insulated fish hold that also drains overboard with a macerator pump. Vladimir swears you can use it as a bathtub once anchored up at the islands. I suppose if you cleaned it up well and added enough fresh hot water – why not? There is also a large backing plate pre-installed in the deck for a fighting chair or for extra support of a large aftermarket bait tank. One of the real beauties of the 360 Express is the access to the engine room. As would be seen in a 70-footer, a hydraulic engine lift hatch encompasses the entire helm deck and provides access around the engines. Typical to sub-50-foot yachts, the headroom is very low, but with the helm deck raised, it won’t take a visit to the chiropractor after changing the oil, especially since the entire complement of engine oils can be easily changed with optional oil changer system. Another positive of the raised deck is the amount of light that is let in. Housed inside the engine compartment, you will find twin Cummins QSC 540 hp diesels along with a nine kW generator. These common-rail Cummins are a real treat to behold, with their increased fuel economy and quiet, clean operation. Vladimir put it best when he said, “While running in the Long Beach and Los Angeles area, it is likely that the air exhausted by these engines is cleaner than the intake.” The Palm Beach-style helm area provides for great visibility both port and starboard and gives the captain the
please see ALBEMARLE 360 EXPRESS on page 119
Easy access around lets you take to the bow if that’s where the fish takes you.
Twin 540 hp common-rail diesels combine fuel economy with quiet operation. 114 | PCSportfishing.com | THINK CONSERVATION | SEPTEMBER 2008
ALBEMARLE 360 EXPRESS from page 114 |
San Pedro Yachts, Inc. West Coast Dealer for Seaway Boats of Maine
Maintained by a full time captain, this Mikelson Sports Yacht is in top condition and shows true pride of ownership. Twin 1300hp 3412 Cats create a comfortable cruising speed of 20 knots and a top speed of 28 knots. With her dual Northern Lights gensets, watermaker and dive compressor, she is the epitome of luxury. She offers 3 air conditioned staterooms and additional crew quarters, each with private head and shower. The staterooms include a full beam master, queen VIP and forward V-berth. Equipped to fish, dive or just enjoy the water, this Mikelson 64 does it all in comfort and style. Her walk around engine room makes routine maintenance a breeze, and her spacious layout offers an entertainment platform second to none.
64' Mikelson Sports Yacht 2000 $1,290,000 Contact Wayne Young for more detailed information and to view this fine yacht at 480-313-2828 or by email at thecptn@cox.net.
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SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE
To view this vessel in San Diego contact listing broker Wayne Young – (480) 313-2828
SPORTFISHER SHOWCASE – Please Tell Them You Saw It In PCS
ability to be in the center of the action. To port is a lounge and another across the aft portion of the helm deck, providing plenty of seating for guests. Standard non-skid deck with optional Aquamet carpeting makes for happy feet. Moving down into the salon, you’ll find a galley to starboard, which provides a single-burner electric cooktop and built-in microwave amidst a Corianstyle countertop, complete with sink. Adjacent to the galley is an enclosed head with separate shower to complement the Vaccuflush electric toilet. The real teak and holly sole is warm and inviting, as is the convertible sofa and removable salon table. Forward, the main cabin has privacy doors and a queen-size bed. For even more guests, an optional berth can be added above the master. Twenty-two-inch flatscreen TV and entertainment system by Bose will make any movie come to life, and with the addition of a satellite dish, you will never miss your favorite program while at sea. Vladimir was ready to get me out so I could see for myself the great ride and handling of the 360, and who was I to disappoint? Once we made our way through the maze that is San Pedro Harbor, we cleared the breakwater and took off. This boat cruises effortlessly at 2,100 rpm while maintaining a speed of 25 knots. At cruise speed we are burning 34 gallons per hour. That translates into a very usable 374-nauticalmile range. When pushing the throttles wide open, we topped at 36 knots and burned 52 gallons per hour. We finally ran into enough boat wakes of our own and others to provide a decent test for this hand-laid fiberglass hull, and you could tell that rough seas were not going to be a problem. I couldn’t resist taking the helm and performing some hard overturns at speed, after which I backed down at nearly seven knots without a drop of water entering the Albemarle during either procedure. I could go on and on about the Albemarle 360 Express, her hardtop, and CFab tower, but you would be better off to call the good folks at Horizon Yacht and Ship Brokers to schedule a test drive for yourself; (310) 380-6725, or you can visit the Albemarle Website at www.AlbemarleBoats.com. I