A Tough, Carolina-Style Fisher, the Albemarle 290XF Offers Powerful Diesels and an Ocean-Going Hull

Who among us fishermen has not paused with envy as some monster battlewagon thunders by on its way to the deep blue? For those looking to follow that wake – albeit on a smaller scale – Abermarle is offering its new 290XF, a broad-shouldered, deep-chested 30-foot fish-chaser that appears well suited to charge the rollers at the inlet and gallop to the canyons.

Albemarle, the Edenton, N.C., builder of an extensive line of fishing boats, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The company found itself looking for a way to lure skippers from brands like Triton and Grady-White into the "Carolina fold." It needed a boat that was beefy enough to spend most of its time offshore, but also had the flexibility – and shallow draft – to come in close, and follow the baitfish to the reef.

Perhaps most important, the company was seeking a replacement for the venerable but tired 280XF, which it had been building for 28 years. According to Burch Perry, Albemarle's general manager, the company wanted "a modern, upgraded and roomier evolution."

The 290XF (for Express Fisherman) seems on track to fill that order. It is a hard-working, no-nonsense fishing boat that is well constructed and offers reasonable fuel economy at a base cost of about $235,000. A sea trial on Hull No. 4 in challenging weather conditions raised questions about the high angle of the bow while on plane, which can limit visability, and arguably excessive amounts of spray and engine noise. But the company had answers, and the 290XF performed well, presenting a boat that is worthy of consideration by serious anglers.

REEL DEAL

The Carolina tradition is one of hardcore fishing boats built in a part of the country where the fishing is fantastic but the conditions can be wild. Centered on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this legacy includes many hand-crafted, custom fishing boats built by people who have lived with the sea. It has manifested itself in certain design characteristics. The well-known "Carolina flare" at the bow of a boat describes the broad, convex curve of the fore section as it rises from the waterline of the hull. This curve neatly deflects spray and provids tremendous reserve buoyancy when running into steep headseas.

The 290 is one of these hardcore fishing machines; a stout, tough express-style boat that is designed to sleep four in a relatively-roomy cabin. It has a Length Overall of 30 feet, 6 inches; a beam of 10 feet, 9 inches; and it draws 32 inches. It will carry 265 gallons of fuel and 28 gallons of fresh water. The height to the top of the windshield is 8 feet.

The boat can be ordered with three different power options. There is a gas engine choice, with twin Mercruiser 8.1 liter Horizon 370 HP motors, but truly this boat may be better suited to one of the two diesel options, either the Yanmar 6LPA-STP 315 HP motors or the twin Cummins QSD4.2 350 HP motors.

It features a simple galley, with sink, microwave and refrigerator, and a compact but fully-equipped wet head. Its exterior appearance shouts its classic Albemarle lineage, with a tall bow section, fine entry and dramatically curving sheer that nearly flattens from the front of the cockpit to the transom. A tall windshield with dramatically curving side panels that nearly match the drop of the sheer protects the helmsman and crew from wind and spray. The optional hardtop and high-quality canvas and clear panels, all on neat track-mounting, combine to weatherproof the helm deck. The hull shows off another Albemarle design trademark: the deeply-cut gill vents in the hull sides that feed air to the engine room. You can pick out almost any of the larger Albemarles in a crowded harbor just by those distinctive air vents.

Interestingly, the sturdy bow rails and thick support tubes for the hardtop are anodized aluminum instead of steel. The hardtop can carry a full tower and the sturdy support structure ensures you will feel secure when driving from that perch. Another advantage to the aluminum is that it puts less weight on deck than comparable rails and stanchions in stainless steel. It's also considerably more "stainless" than stainless.

The midships bridge deck, which is up two shallow steps from the cockpit, is roomy and comfortable. Dedicated high-end chairs to starboard and port for helmsman and navigator, and L-shaped corner seats behind those for companions. The foredeck is reached via the side decks and is broad and nicely crowned to shed water. There is a hatch in the middle that serves the forward section of the interior and a molded sprit on the bow with an integrated roller for the anchor. The chain locker is just to port of the windlass and there are sturdy cleats on either side.

The hull is built the same way all Albemarles are – hand-laid fiberglass; solid for the hull bottom and sides. The 330 up through the 410s have a cored hull side above the waterline. Albemarle uses fir stringers for the hull structural reinforcement, but they're completely fiberglass-encapsulated before being glassed and bonded into the hull. Decks and hulls are mated via a shoebox joint that features 316L stainless steel bolts and 3M™ sealants. Sealed plywood backing is used at stress joints, such as cleat, bow rail and tower attachment points. Models from the 290 on up have an aluminum backing plate incorporated into the cockpit sole for mounting an optional fighting chair.

HELM, COCKPIT AND ENGINE ROOM

The 62-square-foot cockpit is big enough for four to fish comfortably. The gunwales have an interior overhang that eliminates the need for a toe rail. You never feel unsafe when standing up against the coaming because your feet are tucked under that overhang and the cockpit depth is such that the coaming pads reach thigh-high on a six-footer. The pads are optional, but they do make life a little softer when you're leaning hard on them, trying to elevate some leviathan.

The cockpit is full of fishing-friendly features, including fresh and saltwater washdowns; a 21-gallon livewell behind the helmdeck's portside aft corner seat; and two large fish boxes, with one 43-gallon box in the center of the transom and one 49-gallon tub in the cockpit sole below it. Both are drained and macerated, and you can lift out the box in the sole for access to the steering gear, although it takes two people because is is so wide. There is also a large storage compartment for tackle and other gear on the forward starboard side, behind the other aft corner seat. An optional transom door can be added on the starboard side.

There is no swim platform, as befits a hardcore fishing boat, so you'll probably come aboard over the gunwale, which is convenient enough when tied to a floating dock. As you walk forward through the cockpit, you take two shallow steps up onto the separate bridge deck.

The starboard-side helm is a pod-style affair, with one long, electronic engine-control lever on each side of the pod and Smartcraft engine gauges on a flat just forward of the steering wheel. The dash is sized to comfortably handle a single 12-inch monitor or perhaps two 10-inch screens and some other small instruments.

The VHF radio(s) will likely be located up above in the electronics box on models with the hardtop, which also offers spreader lights and side-mounted rocket launchers. Both helmsman and navigator get Pompanette helm chairs.

The windshield reaches well above eye level and all three panels have a substantial wiper on them. The windshield frames are powder-coated aluminum and the glass is thick and heavy. Visibility through them is excellent and the wipers work well, easily sweeping aside the spray we encountered on an exceptionally-windy test day.On the helm deck sole is the "day hatch" to the engine compartment. It is through this hatch that owners will do their daily oil and filter checks. But when it's time to change the oil or filters, or perform any more significant maintenance, the helm deck must be cleared to activate a deck lift, which raises the entire deck via hydraulics with gas-assisted struts. With the helm deck raised, engine access is simple if a tad tight. Our test boat had the optional Cummins QSD4.2 350HP engines. The engine hatch, while nicely gasketed and drained, did not have any noise insulation, which we would notice later during the sea trial. While this is how all models come, we did not have a chance to test noise levels on a Yanmar-powered boat, which could be different

If you're changing oil or filters and you want to start 'em up to make sure there aren't any leaks, you'll have to climb out of the engine compartment, lower the helm deck and then open the day hatch – a cumbersome procedure, but safer, Albemarle believes, than putting a remote start panel in the engine room.

CABIN

As you step down a fairly steep ladder into the cabin, you find the mini-galley immediately to port, while the head is opposite to starboard. Forward is the v-berth-like arrangement of cushions and table. In a fashion that would suit four fishermen offshore, the seatbacks fold up and are braced to become the upper bunks of a four-bunk set. It's an efficient, if somewhat cozy, way to accommodate four adults in a relatively small cabin. If it's not your turn to re-bait and watch the light sticks while overnighting offshore, you'll have to deal with the wet head – but only if yu want a shower.

Speaking of the head, I noticed an oddly-shaped intrusion coming down from the overhead in that compartment. Two stainless latches opened to reveal the underside of the helm dash , with complete access to all the wiring for the instruments and controls. A short owner might have to stand on something to reach everything, but a taller person would have much of it just above eye level and within reach. It takes a little bit of room out of the shower, but it's a clever way to access important wiring runs and connections.

Our test boat had the optional teak and holly sole in the cabin, which is a nice touch and easier to clean if you're coming in wet. Also installed is a water heater, which of course, would make that shower a bit more comfortable. The company offers reverse-cycle air conditioning as an option, part of a convenience package that also includes a 4-kilowatt generator.

There are several small storage lockers in the cabin, with a great deal more space below the seat cushions – plenty of room to lock up expensive reels and other gear.

THE SEA TRIAL

Our sea trial was conducted on a boat loaned to us for the purpose by Mattituck Inlet Marina Shipyard and Yacht Sales, located on Mattituck Inlet, a small protected waterway that leads south into the North Fork of Long Island from Long Island Sound. Our captain was Steve Libretto, who is the general manager at the dealership.

Libretto started the diesels while I unpacked a portable GPS receiver and noise level meter. We left the dock shortly after 8 a.m. under bright skies with the sun already starting to steam Long Island. The smooth, quiet ride down the waterway to the inlet turned out to be the only calm we would get. Outside the inlet, the Sound had a full-blown washing-machine chop, blown up by the 20 knot southwesterly winds. Libretto estimated the seas at three to four feet, but there were several occasions where we ran into five foot waves. The chop was also set with the typical short-frequency of the Sound, which can make it a bit hard to catch your breath if you have to run directly into it for any stretch of time. In other words, it was a great day to test an offshore fishing boat.

The aim of our test was to see how the boat handled, particularly in these sea conditions, and to get a sense of fuel economy, running speeds and noise levels. Our plan was to run the boat into the seas and wind while making our measurements and then average those with results from a reciprocal course, downsea and downwind (we took the fuel-burn numbers from the Smartcraft system monitors). We also wanted to see how the boat handled while trolling on all compass points and in all seas.

Powered by the twin Cummins diesels, the 290 accelerates reasonably quickly, particularly through the mid-range of the RPM levels where this particular diesel develops its highest torque rating. We didn't measure a time-to-speed because it isn't relevant to most fishermen, so long as the boat can accelerate quickly enough to match sea and traffic conditions. This boat certainly does.

At a fast-idle speed of just under 1,500 RPM, we ran well over 7 knots and burned less than 5 gallons per hour. At 2,550 RPM, we were on plane and running at more than 17 knots, while still burning only 16.4 GPH. We ran the boat up to Wide Open Throttle at 3,800 RPM and saw nearly 28 knots on the GPS. If conditions were even slightly calmer, I believe the top speed would have been well above 30 knots. In fact, performance data provided by Albemarle shows flat-water speeds between 30 and 32 knots with throttles wide open. Our fuel-burn numbers with the throttles pegged showed the boat was burning just more than 38 GPH, which is consistent with the Albemarle test data. The bottom line on fuel-burn is that the 290 will get you to the canyons and back with fuel to spare. Running at 3,000 RPM and 23 knots will take you more than 270 nautical miles.

Remember, this is a heavy boat – easily 15,000 pounds or more when loaded – and its deep-vee hull with 21 degrees of deadrise at the transom is not going to produce trawler-type mileage. It's not designed to. Rather, the goal is to safely and comfortably take a dedicated offshore fisherman through real seas and back. A burn rate of 1 nautical mile per gallon is impressive, a testiment to the electronic, common-rail diesels and the hull design.

PROP TUNNELS

Albemarle was able to achieve better fuel efficiency and shallower draft by incorporating prop tunnels into the aft of the hull. These reduce the shaft angle, flattening the angler of the propeller's thrust and increasing efficiency. Obviously, they also allow the props to be tucked up closer to the hull bottom, which reduces draft.

There are tradeoffs to prop tunnels, or "pockets" as they are sometimes called, as there are to almost every design parameter on a boat. On the Albemarle 290, the tradeoff for these tunnels may be a higher degree of bow rise. We did not explicitly measure the running angles in our test. Fishing boats, particularly rough-water, offshore boats, typically run "proud," as their designers say, with bows often high and out of the water at cruising speeds. On the 290, this relatively-normal condition seemed exaggerated by a lack of lift from the aft section of the hull.

I discussed this phenomenon with Albemarle's engineers and they confirmed that less stern lift is one consequence of the tunnels, but they did not believe the effect was of concern. I won't dispute that. I will only say that it was noticeable. Also noticeable were the benefits of the tunnels – namely, the improved efficiency and the shallow draft. The boat draws significantly less than three feet; as little as 32 inches in lighter weight configurations.

One other hull configuration was a subject of some discussion with Albemarle. In addition to the "proud" running angle, we did take some significant water over the foredeck and onto the windshield during our up-sea running. I believe most of this was due to the wind whipping the tops off the whitecaps, particularly if we ran at any angle to the sea. Albemarle engineers have devised a hull modification that involves adding two extra strakes on the forward hull bottom. Referred to as "interceptors," these are built into all new boats, beginning with hull number 8. All hulls before that are having them retrofitted at the dealers. Our boat, was scheduled to receive the retrofit but had not had them installed before our test.

One effect of the interceptors is to inject more air into the flow stream under the bottom, which will reduce the drag and further improve efficiency. Albemarle also said the modification would have some effect on reducing spray as well, although that is not their primary purpose. (The additional air under the hull may also contribute slight lift of the aft section.) To be sure, the 290 is not a "wet" boat. The forward sections of the hull do exhibit some of the "Carolina flare" these kind of offshore boats are known for. On the 290, however, it is less exaggerated than on some larger boats, due to the full-width cabin in that foreword section.

Noise levels were high throughout the RPM and speed range. Two significant factors contributed to this, one of which was not the fault of the boat. During our test, we were running nearly 30 knots in wind of more than 20 knots, which would make a heck of a racket in any vessel. In addition, there was the engine hatch in the helm deck sole that I mentioned earlier, which had no noise insulation whatsoever. That, combined with an especially-noticeable turbo whine from the diesels, made for a noisy environment. Because insulation should damp high frequencies effectively, I'm confident that this would be a simple thing to fix. Albemarle agreed with that conclusion, though the company did not release noise-level data for the Cummins diesel configuration on the 290. Buyers may want to request insulation.

PERFORMANCE

The 290 exhibited very good handling characteristics in all regimes. While trolling beam-to in those rough waters, we did experience some significant rolling – typical of deep-vee hulls -- but the rolls stopped almost instantly once the external force was removed. This is a sign of a boat with good transverse stability characteristics. The motion was not sudden or violent and, although we were beam-to in some 5-foot seas, we never put a rail under and nobody felt unsafe. Had we taken green water, large scuppers at the corners of the crowned cockpit sole would have taken care of it.

Running downwind at full speed we put the helm hard over and managed a 360-degree turn in about 4 boat lengths. The steering wheel required about two and a half turns lock-to-lock. With a following sea, the boat tracked well and didn't require any panic-steering to stay on course – a characteristic that many boats lack. Further, the exceedingly-smooth electronic engine controls made it easy to match the speed of the following seas as we made a simulated inlet entry under those conditions. The engine controls featured a single-lever synchronized mode that made throttling up and down simple, just one more advantage of electronic engine controls.

Slow-speed handling characteristics were nearly perfect, both at sea and on the quiet waterway heading home. Docking the 290 was a simple exercise. I never felt the lack of a bow thruster. With the torque of the big diesels, just a light touch was needed to spin the 290 and maneuver it side-to back at the dealer's floating docks.

I spent some time after the sea-trial photographing the boat and got a chance to look more closely at the workmanship. Simply put, it is first rate. This boat is meant to be a hard-working, no-nonsense fishing boat, but the woodwork showed superior craftmanship; interior compartments were gel-coated; and wiring and plumbing were aircraft-grade, far beyond basic industry standards. It should go without saying in these days of widespread NMMA certification, that all boats should have tinned, stranded copper wiring that is properly connected, dressed and labeled. But it is still not universal and this type of superior construction represents another stand-out feature of the 290XF.

Albemarle doesn't build cheap boats – in any sense of the word. The list price on our test boat, with its options, was $262,500. The base price was $234,995 with the Cummins engines. Completely loaded, with a full tower, generator, electronics and outriggers, it would be possible to push the price closer to $300,000.

But if you want to step up from an outboard-powered center console or walkaround into a serious offshore fishing machine with modern, powerful diesels and a hull built to take some of the worst the ocean can deliver, the Albemarle 290XF is worth considering. It's well-made, offers good value and comes with the Albemarle reputation for building tough, Carolina-style ocean-going boats.

Tom Tripp is a freelance writer specializing in technology and marine science, whose work has appeared in publications such as Northeast Boating and Chesapeake Bay Magazine. In addition to contributing features on new boats and technology, Tom writes a blog here on Mad Mariner.