New to the forum. My wife and I are recently retired - looking for a project and a return to the water. Plan is coastal cruising and winter months down south. Our last boat was a 48 Albin North Sea Cutter that we ran mostly in the eastern parts of Long Island Sound. Despite a trawler profile that boat had a deep V Ray Hunt-designed hull (24 deg deadrise I believe) and amazing seakeeping abilities. Wonderful boat with some notable problem areas - I learned a lot. Lack of time due to work demands led us to sell about 6 years ago.
One of my favorite boats is the 58 LRC, which checks most of our boxes - size, build quality, layout, style and price point. A couple of gray areas I hope some folks here can offer advice:
Electrical - I know these systems are large and very complex. 32V with multiple panels and switching configurations, isolations transformers, and multiple shore power inlets exposed to the elements. At 45 years or so I'm wondering if these systems are still serviceable or have they reached their design life? I suspect cable replacement would be prohibitively expensive, if even feasible without a major interior refit due to access issues.
Flybridge access - the single ladder doesn't work for the dog or the old farts.
Are there any owners who have managed to configure a stairway from the pilothouse, or perhaps from the aft deck? We like the floorplan with the day head, but this would probably be compromised too much by a stairway - perhaps a boat without the day head would be a better choice?
Pilothouse sound levels - we've never run in a 58. Our old Albin's lower helm was directly above the engine room, and despite ER soundproofing and carpet insulation was very noisy at cruising speeds (270hp 4-stroke Volvo turbodiesels @ 2400 rpm). I'm thinking with the physical separation and lower rpm the 58 LRC should offer a quieter ride from the pilothouse.
4-71's or 6-71's? I don't see any consensus on this.
Appreciate any thoughts out there.
One of my favorite boats is the 58 LRC, which checks most of our boxes - size, build quality, layout, style and price point. A couple of gray areas I hope some folks here can offer advice:
Electrical - I know these systems are large and very complex. 32V with multiple panels and switching configurations, isolations transformers, and multiple shore power inlets exposed to the elements. At 45 years or so I'm wondering if these systems are still serviceable or have they reached their design life? I suspect cable replacement would be prohibitively expensive, if even feasible without a major interior refit due to access issues.
Flybridge access - the single ladder doesn't work for the dog or the old farts.
Are there any owners who have managed to configure a stairway from the pilothouse, or perhaps from the aft deck? We like the floorplan with the day head, but this would probably be compromised too much by a stairway - perhaps a boat without the day head would be a better choice?
Pilothouse sound levels - we've never run in a 58. Our old Albin's lower helm was directly above the engine room, and despite ER soundproofing and carpet insulation was very noisy at cruising speeds (270hp 4-stroke Volvo turbodiesels @ 2400 rpm). I'm thinking with the physical separation and lower rpm the 58 LRC should offer a quieter ride from the pilothouse.
4-71's or 6-71's? I don't see any consensus on this.
Appreciate any thoughts out there.