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Albin Express
Designer: Peter Norlin  ·  Builder: Albin Marine  ·  First built: 1978
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Albin Express
Photo: Johann-Nikolaus Andreae / CC BY-SA 2.0
About the Albin Express

Designed by renowned Swedish naval architect Peter Norlin, this compact 25-footer represents an excellent balance of performance and practicality from the late 1970s and early 1980s. With 1,100 units built during its seven-year production run, the Albin Express developed a solid reputation among sailors seeking an affordable yet capable coastal cruiser and club racer. The boat's fractional sloop rig and moderate displacement of 3,968 pounds deliver spirited sailing performance, while the generous sail area of 317 square feet ensures good light-air capabilities. The fin keel with transom-hung rudder configuration provides responsive handling and efficient upwind performance typical of Norlin's designs. A respectable ballast-to-displacement ratio contributes to the boat's stability and seaworthiness. Built by Sweden's Albin Marine using solid fiberglass construction, the Express features quality Scandinavian craftsmanship that has proven durable over decades. The comfortable 16.34 comfort ratio suggests reasonable accommodations for weekend cruising, while the low capsize screening value of 2.07 indicates good stability characteristics for coastal sailing. This makes the Albin Express well-suited for day sailing, weekend coastal cruising, and club racing, offering an attractive entry point into European sailing design philosophy.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 25.50 ft / 7.77 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 21.58 ft / 6.58 m
Beam 8.20 ft / 2.50 m
Max Draft 4.75 ft / 1.45 m
Displacement 3,968.00 lb / 1,800 kg
Ballast 1,764.00 lb / 800 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 317.00 ft² / 29.45 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/transom hung rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Peter Norlin
Builder Albin Marine
First Built 1978
Last Built 1985
Number Built 1100
Associations Express 26 (Albin)
Related Sailboats Ericson 25 1 · First Class 8 Beneteau · Contessa 26 · Hunter 255 · Cc 26
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 174
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 20.29
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 44.46
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 176.27
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 16.34
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.07
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.22 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.41
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 632.28 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 20.32
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 29.20 ft / 8.90 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 10.01 ft / 3.05 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 31.17 ft / 9.50 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.99 ft / 3.35 m
SA Fore 146.15 ft² / 13.58 m²
SA Main 171.28 ft² / 15.91 m²
SA Total (100%) 317.43 ft² / 29.49 m²
Est. Forestay Length 30.87 ft / 9.41 m
How It Compares

vs. Cc 26, Contessa 26, Ericson 25 1, First Class 8 Beneteau, Hunter 255

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Albin Express ★
25.5 ft
Cc 26
25.6 ft
Contessa 26
25.5 ft
Ericson 25 1
25.4 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
25.4 ft
Hunter 255
25.6 ft
LWL
Albin Express ★
21.6 ft
Cc 26
23.6 ft
Contessa 26
20.0 ft
Ericson 25 1
21.8 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
21.7 ft
Hunter 255
22.1 ft
Beam
Albin Express ★
8.2 ft
Cc 26
10.4 ft
Contessa 26
7.5 ft
Ericson 25 1
9.3 ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
8.2 ft
Hunter 255
9.1 ft
Displacement
Albin Express ★
3 lbs
Cc 26
5 lbs
Contessa 26
5 lbs
Ericson 25 1
5 lbs
First Class 8 Beneteau
3 lbs
Hunter 255
4 lbs
Ballast
Albin Express ★
1 lbs
Cc 26
2 lbs
Contessa 26
2 lbs
Ericson 25 1
2 lbs
First Class 8 Beneteau
1 lbs
Hunter 255
1 lbs
Sail Area
Albin Express ★
317 sq ft
Cc 26
331 sq ft
Contessa 26
233 sq ft
Ericson 25 1
325 sq ft
First Class 8 Beneteau
316 sq ft
Hunter 255
282 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Albin Express ★
174 s/nm
Cc 26
—
Contessa 26
219 s/nm
Ericson 25 1
234 s/nm
First Class 8 Beneteau
—
Hunter 255
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Albin Express ★
20.3
Cc 26
17.3
Contessa 26
12.2
Ericson 25 1
17.8
First Class 8 Beneteau
23.8
Hunter 255
16.6
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Albin Express ★
44.5 %
Cc 26
—
Contessa 26
—
Ericson 25 1
40.0 %
First Class 8 Beneteau
37.1 %
Hunter 255
40.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Albin Express ★
16.3
Cc 26
15.2
Contessa 26
26.3
Ericson 25 1
17.4
First Class 8 Beneteau
12.8
Hunter 255
15.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Albin Express ★
2.07
Cc 26
2.38
Contessa 26
1.71
Ericson 25 1
2.17
First Class 8 Beneteau
2.24
Hunter 255
2.20
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Albin Express ★
176
Cc 26
—
Contessa 26
—
Ericson 25 1
214
First Class 8 Beneteau
136
Hunter 255
186
Hull Speed
Albin Express ★
6.2 kts
Cc 26
6.5 kts
Contessa 26
6.0 kts
Ericson 25 1
6.3 kts
First Class 8 Beneteau
6.2 kts
Hunter 255
6.3 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Albin Express ★
3.4
Cc 26
2.9
Contessa 26
1.3
Ericson 25 1
2.6
First Class 8 Beneteau
4.5
Hunter 255
2.8
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