Exclusive: Albin 40 North Sea Cutter — By Capt. Bill Pike — November 2005

Rarin’ to Go

Flying-Bridge Fever

More of this Feature • Part 1: Albin 40 • Part 2: Albin 40 • Flying-Bridge Fever • Albin 40 Specs • Albin 40 Deck Plan • Albin 40 Acceleration Curve • Albin 40 Photo Gallery
Related Resources • Boat Test Index
Elsewhere on the Web • Albin Marine

I cranked our Yanmars at the lower helm after inserting two ignition keys, then I went topside. Things went groovily until dealership rep Michael Brockman noticed our oil and water gauges were pegged, a discovery that prompted a fast pull back to idle speed. We both then made a frenzied trip to the engine room to check the sea strainers and then to the stern to make sure cooling water was exiting the exhaust ports. All was well.

Baffled, we idled back to the dock where we picked up two more ignition keys as well as some useful info. In order to crank a two-helm Yanmar boat at the upper station as well as get accurate instrument readings onboard, all ignition keys, topside and below, must be inserted…four keys in our case. Safety and theft protection are the reasons—Yanmar makes it impossible to crank or monitor a vessel exclusively from her flying bridge. —B.P.

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