The Refitted Royalty

1987 Albin 48 North Sea Trawler - $295,000

The typical 40-year-old trawler market is a minefield of “deferred maintenance” masquerading as “classic charm.” Usually, when you buy a boat from 1987, you aren’t just buying a hull; you’re adopting a full-time job as a part-time marine mechanic. You spend your nights wondering which original 80s cooling hose is about to retire mid-crossing. This boat, however, is the rare exception where someone else did the heavy lifting (and spent the heavy money) for you.

“WEJON” is Hull #9, the final act of this specific model and arguably the most refined. While most boats in this class are effectively “floating bricks” with engines, this one sits on a Ray Hunt-designed deep-V hull. That means when the weather turns sour on a Great Lakes crossing, you aren’t just surviving; you’re actually making progress while the other “loopers” are tied up to a pier praying for calm seas. It’s a “fast trawler” that can actually get out of its own way when a storm decides to join the party.

The “Unicorn” factor here is the mechanical heart. In 2020, the previous owner decided that “reliable” wasn’t enough and dropped in brand new twin Caterpillar C7.1 diesels. With only ~320 hours on them, you are essentially getting a brand-new drivetrain inside a legendary, overbuilt hull. Combined with a modern lithium battery bank, this boat isn’t just a classic—it’s a modern executive suite with a hull that can handle the North Sea. If you have $300k and want to actually cruise the Loop instead of fixing it, this is the smart play.