Design and Construction
Magnusson gave the hull a raked stem, raised counter, and reverse transom. Underwater, it has a fixed fin keel and a skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller. Construction is predominantly solid fibreglass laminate rather than a cored layup, with wood trim.
The Albin 79 displaces 4,200 lb, including 1,653 lb of lead ballast. Beam is 8.75 feet, waterline length is 20 feet, and the standard keel draws 4.58 feet. The calculated hull speed is 5.99 knots. Within its rating rule, the design reads as a light-displacement candidate for planing.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Handling
The Albin 79 carries a deck-stepped masthead sloop rig, with aluminum spars, wire standing rigging, and a single set of unswept spreaders in a Bermuda configuration.
The foretriangle measures 30.78 feet in hoist on a 10.17-foot base. The mainsail has a 26.63-foot luff and a 7.83-foot foot. Sail area is listed as 121 square feet for the main and 138 square feet for the jib, with a total upwind area of 379 square feet.
For downwind sailing, the boat may be equipped with either a 517-square-foot symmetrical spinnaker or a 258-square-foot gennaker, raising the downwind sail area to 637 square feet.
Auxiliary power comes from a 10 hp Volvo Penta MD5 diesel. It is sized for docking and manoeuvring rather than sustained propulsion, consistent with a quarter-tonner intended to be driven by sail.
Accommodations
Below deck, the single-cabin layout sleeps four to six people and includes one head. The accommodation is compact but functional for a 25.92-foot hull, while the wood trim carried through the structure softens the fibreglass shell.
The number of berths is ambitious for a boat of this length, reflecting the quarter-ton emphasis on rating efficiency rather than interior volume.
Verdict
The Albin 79 is a purpose-built mid-1970s quarter-ton cruiser-racer with a modest production run but a coherent design. Its light construction, high ballast ratio, and rule-driven sail plan make it a responsive club racer and an economical coastal cruiser. The trade-off is the limited living space of its small hull.
Pros
- Designed by Rolf Magnusson to the International Offshore Rule Quarter Ton specification
- 1,653 lb of lead ballast against 4,200 lb displacement provides stiffness
- Deck-stepped masthead sloop rig with generous downwind spinnaker options
Cons
- At only 25.92 feet overall, the single-cabin layout limits cruising accommodation
- The 10 hp diesel is intended for manoeuvring, not auxiliary passage-making
- The short 1974–1977 production run means a limited fleet and less familiarity with spares
