Albemarle 30 Express

The 30 Express was originally released in 2021, but Albemarle has been steadily refining it. Express cruisers are Albemarle’s forte, and the 30 keeps true to these roots with a modern flair. General manager Burch Perry revealed that Mercury outboards were recently added as a new ­power option. 

The results are impressive. With twin 400 hp Mercury Verado V-10 outboards, three aboard and a quarter-tank of fuel, we clicked off a 63 mph top speed. For a company that spent most of its life building inboard- and sterndrive-­powered hulls, Albemarle has shown it can rig and set up big outboards with the best. Acceleration from an in-gear idle to 30 mph came up in 7.7 seconds. It felt like a jet ­airliner lifting off, with smooth yet insistent power. 

The hull stays on plane even down to 15 mph. Best fuel efficiency is achieved at a fast clip. At 4,500 rpm and 42 mph, we saw 1.4 mpg. That adds up to just under 400 miles of range leaving 10 percent of fuel in reserve. It’ll take a few days of deepwater angling and cruising to empty the 320-gallon tank.

Perry stressed that the deep-V hull is designed for a smooth and stable ride, even in heavy seas. It’s no wonder. With a 24-degree deadrise, the hull is designed to slice. While our testing was done in relatively calm water, it’s clear that the 30 Express can run in the rough, with the Carolina flared sheerline keeping crew dry. The hull turns smoothly and as sharp as you dare, with no skipping or chine-catching.  

The hull is built with solid hand-laid fiberglass, with no coring. A stringer grid built from closed-cell foam is encapsulated in fiberglass, set and tabbed into the hull and fully glassed in. This provides the structure. The transom is Coosa-cored. There’s no wood in the boat to rot. The white gel is free of blemishes and ripples. Construction is clean and well-executed. The wiring, plumbing and attachments are all installed at a level expected in this style of hull.

The 30’s most unique feature is the huge, clear-as-day rigid acrylic wraparound windshield/enclosure. At 150 mils (about 0.15 inch) thick in front and 80 mils on the sides, it ­allows for a 180-degree unobstructed view while presenting a sleek, windswept look to the 30’s topside. The result is a very clean appearance, with no windshield structure to block your view and detract from the boat’s lines. The downside is that, of course, the windscreen does not open, so the Express’ 8,000 Btu cabin and 12,000 Btu helm deck air conditioning are welcome on a hot day. A 4 kW generator keeps everything powered up. 

The forward cabin is laid out in traditional fashion, with a V-berth forward with ­filler cushion to make up a bed that will comfortably accommodate two. Optional folding side bunks can accommodate the kids, making the 30 Express a cozy ­family overnighter. An optional dinette table is available. Just forward and starboard of the ­cabin door is a generously sized enclosed head with a porcelain head and open shower. A small galley occupies the portside space. With a microwave, small fridge/freezer, sink and storage, it’s well-equipped for a day offshore.

The bridge features a starboard helm, with ergonomic helm seating with flip-up bolster behind a fully featured dash that can accommodate twin 12- or 16-inch MFDs, or just a single 22-inch MFD. There is also a Mercury joystick control. Switches are traditional rocker style; The raised helm deck features underfloor storage with slide-out drawers for tackle and tools. A hatch in the sole between the helm stations opens to reveal a large mechanical room. On the starboard side under the helm station is the generator, and on the port side is an optional Seakeeper 2 unit. These are solidly mounted using machine bolts tapped into steel plates that are laminated into the stringer grid.     

The port side features double-­wide bolster seating atop more enclosed storage. The back side of that seating station is an aft-facing twin couch angled sharply to keep butts seated instead of bumping out over rough waves. Under that seat base is an insulated cooler. A larger starboard-side cabinet features more slide-out drawer storage under a freshwater sink, with an optional electric cooktop and refrigerator available.   

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Aft, there’s twin 56-gallon macerated transom fish/storage boxes port and starboard. That’s huge for a 30-footer. These are separated by an access hatch big enough for a technician to climb inside and under the sole for easy access to the wiring, pumps and plumbing. A flip-down aft twin seat is engineered to flip up and store almost invisibly, so it’s not in the way of anglers fighting fish at the transom. Just aft of that, built into the transom, is a ­30-gallon livewell with calming blue gelcoat finish to keep bait happy. A full transom door with a gate is built into the starboard side, providing access to the Armstrong engine bracket with a full-width dive/swim platform. 

Albemarle’s forte is in engineering and building ocean-capable fishing craft that last a lifetime. Adding comfort and convenience amenities to please the ­family, plus smooth, quiet Mercury power just makes them better and better. While built with hardcore anglers in mind, families will enjoy the boats more than ever. 

Specifications

Albemarle Boats – Edenton, North Carolina; albemarleboats.com

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