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?
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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.
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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.
