***August 11, 2017 Update: My Vega is now sold, in it’s place I will be using a Hallberg-Rassy 33 Mistral for my circumnavigation bid. More details to follow

The time has come to move onto the next chapter in my adventures: circumnavigating the globe with my 27 Albin Vega sailboat.

Driving 17,000 miles from England to Mongolia and back – backpacking through Central America for nearly a year – riding a motorcycle up the Pacific coast of America.

To sail the around the world has been a longtime dream of mine, put on hold in order to accomplish more readily attainable land goals. But the time and vessel have both come, and since acquiring my boat (named the “Adamek”), I have been hard at work outfitting and updating the vessel for the harsh weather ahead. Here is the Adamek in her home port of Long Beach Shoreline Marina (after sailing her up from San Diego).

Underwhelming, is it not? Though she will not be winning any beauty contests soon, she sails well. I chose the Albin Vega due to it’s pedigree as a notoriously well-equipped “Pocket Cruiser”. Her sister boats (of which there were more than 3,000 built) have been across the many oceans of the world on number of occasions. At one time, the Albin Vega held the record for the quickest Atlantic crossing. Some stats about the vessel:

• Built in 1969, mine is #169 (total production run ~ 3,450)
• Length Overall: 27 feet, 1 inch (23 foot waterline)
• Beam: 8 feet (width)
• Draft: 3 feet, 10 inches (depth below waterline)
• Mast Height: 30.8 feet / 9.39 Meters
• 5,070 lbs stock weight (2,017 lbs of which is lead ballast encapsulated in the keel)

What makes the Albin Vega well-suited for my circumnavigation attempt?

• Solid fiberglass construction (up to an inch thick in parts)
• Relatively narrow hull designed for cutting through the water (not for cabin space)
• 3/4 keel adds stability for long passages/harsh conditions
  • Rudder hung off the back of the keel adds strength
• Tiller steering
  • Very simply and reliable
  • Space-efficiency in the cockpit
• Overall a light boat for what it is. By comparison, the Pearson 28, another pocket cruiser, weighs in at around 8,400 lbs (1.5x the weight) making it reasonably quick even in light winds
• Most importantly, the Albin Vega was available when I was in the market, at a cost that was in my budget and in a condition that made sense

What makes the Albin Vega bad for a circumnavigation?

The Albin Vega was built for uncompromising performance, and it is for this reason there is one major drawback: space.

Compile the pro/cons for the Albin Vega and one could list a hundred reasons why it’s perfect for sailing around the world or the harbor. But the weight of the major con weighs heavily on any decision. One aspect of space in particular, was that the designers wanted to reduce windage and for this reason kept the cabin roof low (5’7″ of clearance or so).

But I am 6’1″, and the inability to stand up straight in the interior (except the companionway) is a very unfortunate thing indeed. No Albin Vega owner ever says this, but I’m going to: I wish they would have made the cabin taller. It may not have been as pretty or performed as well, but I’d have accepted the trade-offs. With that said, they sold over 3,500 of these boats in the world’s second tallest country, so evidently I’m a wimp when it comes to leaning over.

Secondarily, the narrow beam means less overall space in the cabin relative to most sailboats (especially modern ones). I’m actually not as concerned with this. There isn’t a U-shaped galley arrangement…I can deal with that. Standing room aside I find the available space to be sufficient for my needs.