Yacht Survey for Insurance in Greece

Today’s Yacht Survey in Samos Greece was on this Albin Vega 27 Sloop. The Vega was constructed of glass-fibre re-inforced polyester. Her joinery work is in hardwood and veneered ply. Glass-fibre frames and stringers also serve to stiffen the hull.

Per Brohall, the Swedish designer of the very successful Viggen, received a commission in 1964 from Lars Larsson, owner of Larrson Trade AB (in 1971 renamed Albin Marin AB), to design an enlarged version of the Viggen. This would hopefully increase the sale of Albin engines. This design was intended to replace the wooden prototype of the Vega that had been launched on 29 July 1965 which, after extensive and severe sea-trials went into production. The results were so favourable that the production forms for the reinforced fibreglass hull could be taken directly from the V-1 prototype hull. The original V-1 (made from mahogany) still sails in Sweden under the appropriate name of "Mahogany".

Sadly the Vega is no longer made but the moulds are still in one piece and located somewhere in Holland..... Who knows?

The hull is solid fiberglass, said by the builder to be 3/8-inch thick at the sheerline and 1-inch thick at the base of the keel, but the deck and cabintop are cored fiberglass for lightness. 

Surveyors comments: Lack of control in reverse gear. The unusual situation of the propeller, aft of the rudder, seems to create difficulties with steering the Vega when she's in reverse gear. She will need to be moving astern at a fairly rapid clip before the rudder takes effect.