Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition Reviewed

The Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition is designed to run far and fast and to fish hard for trophy pelagics in virtually any sea condition. Courtesy Albemarle Yachts

Imagine that a well-respected production boatbuilder of midsize sport-fishing boats wants to create a next-level flagship? Now imagine a renowned custom-sportfish builder with a multi-year backlog that wants to produce something more rapidly? And what if both shipyards are located in North Carolina just a few hours from each other. That’s exactly how the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition came to be. 

Albemarle Boats and Spencer Yachts have collaborated to design and build a semi-custom Carolina boat, with custom-sportfish design elements, styling and performance, but built in a production setting. This setup allows for faster build times, on the order of months rather than years. The plan has been several years in the making, but the result appears well worth the effort. 

As with the Spencer’s larger builds, the hull of the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition has a vacuum-infused hull with a composite core, making it bluewater strong and with less weight than conventional cold-molding techniques. 

The boat’s salon is spacious and comfortable, with stowage beneath each lounge and sofa. Courtesy Albemarle Yachts

The salon in Hull No. 1 is an inviting space with a white headliner, gray seating and warm, walnut veneers. An L-shaped dinette for four or five guests is forward and to port, while on the starboard side is an L-shaped sofa with customizable stowage below as well as an ottoman containing additional stowage, handy for tackle or accessories. 

The step-down galley is also to starboard. Features here include a pair of Vitrifrigo refrigerator/freezer drawer units, a microwave and an array of cabinets. The aft bi-level countertop overlooks the salon, with two bar stools providing an intimate atmosphere and the dark-tinted windows highlighting the outside views found throughout the salon.

Belowdecks, the 53 has a three-stateroom, two-head layout. To port and starboard are bunk rooms; the port stateroom also provides over-bunk rod stowage. Just forward is a shared head. All the way forward, the en suite master stateroom has a queen berth with two overhead cabinets that can be customized for clothing, additional rods or gear.

A central teak helm pod is a nod to the 53’s custom boat lineage, while the electronics flat has room for multifunction displays up to 22 inches. Engine displays and a 9-inch repeater are located in the overhead Courtesy Albemarle Yachts

The flybridge layout has an island helm console, allowing easy access around either side to the forward-facing lounge ahead of the console and outboard bench seating to either side. Just above the teak helm pod—a nod to the boat’s custom Carolina lineage—the electronics flat is designed to house a pair of 22-inch or three 16-inch multifunction displays. Caterpillar engine displays and a Garmin 9-inch repeater screen are overhead. A sliding hatch provides access to the Miya Epoch US-9 teaser reels.There are options for a custom Pipewelders half or full tower and a full acrylic enclosure and a pair of Release Marine helm chairs provide comfort and weather protection for the skipper.

The 160-square-foot cockpit is uncluttered and customizable for different styles of fishing, with an 80-gallon transom fish box and wide transom door with lift gate to facilitate boating trophy gamefish. L-shaped radiused doors that hide the shore power and washdown spigots are found under each gunwale. The mezzanine has engine room access and five fiberglass boxes, which can be set up as coolers, bait freezers, refrigerated drink boxes or an ice dump. The portside cabinet accommodates a sink or grill, plus additional tackle stowage. Other options here include teak decking and covering boards, a Release Marine fighting chair and rocket launchers.

Standard power is a pair of twin 1,1150 hp Caterpillar C18 diesels, with 1,600 hp MTU 10V1600 engines available. Mechanical highlights include a 21 kW Onan generator and an innovative pump room forward of the engine room bulkhead, which houses the sonar transducer and pump equipment, keeping the engine room uncluttered. Additional available mechanical options include a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, a watermaker and an ice chipper.

The en suite master stateroom has a queen berth, plus additional customizable stowage throughout the stateroom. Courtesy Albemarle Yachts

With the optional MTU engines, performance on Hull No. 1 proved to be impressive. At 1,750 rpm and burning 80 gallons per hour, the 53 hit an easy cruising speed of 30 knots. Bumping things up a bit, 1,950 rpm yielded a fast cruise of 35 knots and a fuel consumption of 112 gph—with the standard fuel capacity of 1,100 gallons, that’s nearly 10 hours of running time at that speed. Winding up the engines to their maximum of 2,450 rpm, the boat hit 43 knots. 

And rather than waiting years for a truly custom boat, the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition can be delivered in less than six months from start to finish.

Take the next step: albemarleboats.com

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