Pursuit or Albemarle?

[TomBettle]

OK for the blue water skippers, crew and experienced anglers out there.

Which is the better allrounder, to include keeping the family happy and ease of wiring a grander?

The Pursuit range of offshore boats or the Albemarle equivalent?

Or, for that matter, neither and why?

It's a slightly loaded question as I don't think either are going to be huge sellers in the UK, but I've been in early day discussions with Albemarle, but we have just offered a sales display area in our marina to Pursuit Boats.

Many thanks for your help and advice.

Tom

[maguro]

Hi Tom,
in my opinion for your purpose the Pursuit is the better boat.
Quality, fit and finish of Pursuits are excellent, and they are a little less "hardcore" fishing than the Albes.
The older Albemarles, although very heavy, seaworthy boats had some sever gelcoat issues.
One or two years ago Albemarle was purchased by Brunswick, and now - just a couple of weeks ago, Brunswick sold it again to a NC businessman.
Because of that I would wait and see, what direction the brand will be heading (if you are considering to buy new)

[TomBettle]

Hi Tom,
in my opinion for your purpose the Pursuit is the better boat.
Quality, fit and finish of Pursuits are excellent, and they are a little less "hardcore" fishing than the Albes.
The older Albemarles, although very heavy, seaworthy boats had some sever gelcoat issues.
One or two years ago Albemarle was purchased by Brunswick, and now - just a couple of weeks ago, Brunswick sold it again to a NC businessman.
Because of that I would wait and see, what direction the brand will be heading (if you are considering to buy new)

I didn't think it would be long before one or two of you International boys would spot the post.
Thanks Maguro.

Truth is, I've been talking to Ted Haigler the sales director at Albemarle for a number of weeks. I like the Jackshaft on the smaller boats and the fact that the bigger ones are all diesel.
Weights, specs, fuel capacity, diesel power etc all seem fractionally better in the Albemarle, but you are right, they do look look a little hardcore to persuade the wife or girlfriend that you have just invested in a nice "Family Cruiser".

Whilst negotiating with Albemarle, we have just offered marina space to the importers of Pursuit Boats in the UK. Really nice guys who recognise the UK market will be very small if the boats are marketted as angling craft. They are aiming first as very purposeful cruisers, fishing second. And, I admit, the boats look fabulous and go very very well with the big outboards on the back.

I haven't given up on the idea that was being discussed in the Autumn, in fact it's ticking away in the back ground and I've got a couple of semi interested investors. So, of course, I have a double barrelled reason for my interest. Diesel would be preferrable away from home as the fuel bunker would be my own and I would only need one washing system for it.....

Lots to think about.

Thanks for your input and if any of the other usual suspects want to offer theirs it would be gratefully received.

Tom

[maguro]

For Marlin fishing I would go with an Albemarle though!

[Captain Spike]

For Marlin fishing I would go with an Albemarle though!

Me too but there aren't too many marlin in the English channel.

[TomBettle]

Me too but there aren't too many marlin in the English channel.

...I've had a bottle of grape juice and watchng the fun part at the end of "Hot Fuzz".

There's a far bigger world out there than the English Channel (said in a gruff, salty sea dog kind of way).

[maguro]

Me too but there aren't too many marlin in the English channel.

:clap:
Read the initial post! I don't think Tom was exclusively talking about English waters! "Wiring granders" sounds like Marlin fishing to me

[TomBettle]

:clap:
Read the initial post! I don't think Tom was exclusively talking about English waters! "Wiring granders" sounds like Marlin fishing to me

A you saying the Albemarle would be better due to the lack of engines getting in the way at the transom or for another reason?

[Captain Spike]

:clap:
Read the initial post! I don't think Tom was exclusively talking about English waters! "Wiring granders" sounds like Marlin fishing to me

I was having a joke at Tom's expense.

[TomBettle]

I was having a joke at Tom's expense.

I know, hence my response.
Possibly time for bed. I am getting wound up by idiots on other sections of the site now......

"How t make my tea tray go "light speed", put even more Hp in it!"

Are there really people so stupid in the world?

Sorry back to the topic....

Albemarle V Pursuit?

Tom

[maguro]

Sorry, sometimes I am a littke slow:yawn:!!
Concerning the fishability for Marlin, I generally don't like to fish around outboards so much.
Ok from center consoles you can fish from the bow, and follow your fish around the boat, provided that you are fishing stand up.
On the other hand, if I assume that the Marlinfishing you're talking about will be on the Cape Verde Islands, were the sea conditions are quite rough year round. Fishing from the bow, with heavy drag, standing up, can be quite challenging, since the bow will have the most violent movements!
Fishing out of the cockpit, were the boat moves alot less, you will need longer rods to clear the engines safely. If you are fishing short strokers, of around 5ft in length, your rod tip will barely extend to the middle of your engine cowling!
Furthermore, aint nothing like the hum of a couple of diesels to tease em up

[TomBettle]

Sorry, sometimes I am a littke slow:yawn:!!
Concerning the fishability for Marlin, I generally don't like to fish around outboards so much.
Ok from center consoles you can fish from the bow, and follow your fish around the boat, provided that you are fishing stand up.
On the other hand, if I assume that the Marlinfishing you're talking about will be on the Cape Verde Islands, were the sea conditions are quite rough year round. Fishing from the bow, with heavy drag, standing up, can be quite challenging, since the bow will have the most violent movements!
Fishing out of the cockpit, were the boat moves alot less, you will need longer rods to clear the engines safely. If you are fishing short strokers, of around 5ft in length, your rod tip will barely extend to the middle of your engine cowling!
Furthermore, aint nothing like the hum of a couple of diesels to tease em up

Good answer with some great tips hidden in their.

Thanks Maguro!

Tom

[Patudo]

You need to ask about on the US forums and also get comparisons between specific models from each manufacturer Tom. Looking at their websites Albemarle have a bigger range, as Pursuit seem to have discontinued their larger inboard sportfishers. The little I know of both makes leads me to believe that if I was going to run that channel between Sao Antao and Sao Vicente on a regular basis I'd rather have an inboard Albemarle for an equal length but, that's a moot point if bringing that part of the range in isn't in your plans. Marketing any of that kind of boat as pure cruisers could be tough because the wife is probably going to look at the lack of accomodation and not like it. They are essentially sportfishers with some level of creature comfort.

Re fishability if we are talking about the outboard models a center console beats the cuddy style, no question about it, BUT the cuddy style can still be fished if managed effectively. As with a lot of boating the experience of the skipper can make a big difference and as with a lot of boating the principles are fairly commonsense but need to be developed by instruction and practice. I personally dislike cuddy styles on smaller vessels ie sub 25ft as the cuddy tends to get mouldy, smelly and is almost always too cramped to offer meaningful living space. I'd prefer the center console, but add clears for some protection when running and I'd really like to see sportfishing development of the Botnia Targa style deck plan which seems to offer decent weather protection whilst having the walkaround advantage of a center console and a hardtop to mount your riggers, electronics, etc. All that it needs is for the skipper to have easier access into the cockpit, maybe via a sliding door. Incidentally there's no need for the angler to go all the way to the bow all the time on a walkaround type vessel. You can have your angler situated a little ahead of the console if he's a shortar$e or standing beside you as you run down the fish. As the fight develops a walkaround gives you lots of options in how to play the fish, just so long as you remember to keep the line away from the outboards. It's counter-intuitive to a standard sportfisher because the area where it's best to play the fish from in that kind of vessel is exactly where you want to avoid in an outboard vessel, but with a bit of experience you'll manage. OK, it may not be as easy to orchestrate ultra-quick catch and releases as what you probably experienced with Zak on the Amelia with an outboard boat, especially a cuddy style, but done right you'll still be able to get them in reasonable time.

[Roddy Hays]

You'll sell more Pursuits in the UK than you will Albemarles, but if you're looking to sell overseas to Europe and using them for the "proper" purpose that they should really be used for, then go with the Albemarles. That's the easy answer, but there's more to it than that, of course.......grin

On a different tack, what happened to the Landau 20 ? Are they still made ? Amazing little craft they were........lots of good qualities they had.

[TomBettle]

On a different tack, what happened to the Landau 20 ? Are they still made ? Amazing little craft they were........lots of good qualities they had.

Roddy

Nice to see you back! Not a lot happening on the CV front apart from one tentative offer of finance for the mothership idea if matched by other investors. Quite encouraging really.

The Landau 20?
You have to be joking.
The nastiest little boat I've had the displeasure of trying to drive.
The centre console / open version was OK. Approaching catamaran style handling due to that very odd tunnel arrangement.
But, the cruiser!!!!
Did you ever try to drive one?
You couldn't see over the cabin roof to drive so you ended up having to try and peer through the cabin and out of the forward screen.
Horrid!

Anyway, I think they went bust? Weren't they built by the same guys that built the Cornish Crabber????? Can't remember.

[Roddy Hays]

Hi Tom,

I was talking about the CC version; I rode one with a 90 Honda on the back in the Solent (down Chichester way) and was impressed with the handling and thought it would have made a nice little day boat for a 2-man team. Not necessarily big-game, but for UK waters (and the Channel Islands) I thought it had plenty of scope. Maybe my memory has dimmed somewhat ?

Motherships - call me when you want someone to come with you on the recce. I can pack a bag really quickly nowadays !

[TomBettle]

Maybe my memory has dimmed somewhat ?



Senility setting in? :wheelchai

[Roddy Hays]

Probably, Tim.

[TomBettle]

Probably, Tim.

Very good :laugh: