Sailing Magazine : The Beauty of Sail

Southern Cross 31, Originally reviewed October 1975

Cutter In the early 1970s, the world of offshore cruising boats was dominated by double-ended types reflecting the designs of William Atkin. Atkin’s double-enders were Americanizations of the Scottish designer Colin Archer’s work in offshore lifeboats in Europe. The most famous of these American varieties is of course the Westsail 32, based on an early Atkin design, Eric. The general agreement at the time was that the best bluewater boats were double-enders with full keels. The Southern Cross 31 designed by Tom Gilmer is a good example of the type. Gilmer was a great designer. He had the eye. In a nutshell that’s why I chose this design. It’s a very good-looking boat with shapely ends and a nicely balanced and springy sheer. Gilmer took the Colin Archer type and flattened the buttocks, firmed up the bilges to add initial stability and added volume in the ends. The idea was to improve boat speed and reduce the Archer/Atkin type’s tendency to hobbyhorse. Gilmer kept the trademark outboard rudder, an essential part of this aesthetic. The full keel is pulled back from the bow slightly but it still is a true full keel with a hefty D/L of 388 and a L/B of 3.26. Keep in mind when you look at a design like Southern Cross that this was a time when “speed” was not a word associated with offshore cruising boats. There was a huge performance gap between the offshore boat of the day and the latest IOR “freak.” The IOR boats were fast but they were considered dangerous by cruisers and not fit for offshore work. Heck, the IOR boats had fin keels and spade or skeg-hung rudders. That would never do. Of course, my Valiant 40 design changed that. It was essentially a hybrid design that bridged the gap between racers and cruisers. Someone called it a “performance-cruiser” and the term stuck. I remember an angry John Neale coming to my office with a “how dare you” attitude. John sails a nice Halberg-Rassy today with a spade rudder and fin keel. Times change. At the beginning of the 1970s the ketch rig was considered the ultimate for most bluewater boats. But the cutter rig soon replaced the ketch as the standard rig for offshore work. The Southern Cross shows a well-proportioned cutter rig with a short, plank type bowsprit and a boomkin off the stern to get the backstay clear of the outboard rudder. It’s not a big rig. The SA/D is only 12.57, so it would be very slow going in light air. The interior layout is as simple as it could be and near perfect to my eye today. For pure functionality it’s hard to beat these old orthogonal layouts. They don’t make them like this anymore but we sure made a lot of them like this back in the 1970s and 1980s. Read the original review at: http://www.sailingmagazine.net/boats/3-perry-on-design/1096-southern-cross LOA 31; LWL 25; Beam 9’6”; Draft 4’7”; Displacement 13,6000 lbs.; Ballast 4,100 lbs.; Sail area 496 Original sailaway price $54,900

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 | Print | PDF |  Email

40 Years of Used Boats

November 2006 The marketplace is overflowing with great buys I’ve been doing a lot of sailing and a lot of traveling lately. In the past few months I have meandered through the Chesapeake Bay, crossed Lake Michigan a couple of times and drifted out to Catalina Island. I’ve chartered in French Polynesia and taken Quetzal, my Kaufman 47 cutter, down to Panama and back. And everywhere I go I check out sailboats. Less charitable types, a.k.a. landlubbers, might call it an obsession bordering on addiction. I confess I’m a marina, mooring field and anchorage junkie. As soon as my boat is secure, I launch the dink and row around the harbor. I tell my crew that it’s my professional responsibility. After all, I write boat reviews for a living. But they know it has nothing to do with writing, it’s all about the boats, something you either understand or never will. And what have I discovered out there? A lot of used boats. Sadly, but not surprisingly, you don’t see many new boats. The few new boats tend to be either relatively affordable production boats, or a handful of tricked-out world cruisers, preparing to, well, cruise the world. You see some new small boats, but not as many as you should. Statistics don’t lie, the new sailboat industry is flat. How flat? According to figures from National Marine Manufacturers Association, 14,400 sailboats were sold in the United States in 2005, up ever so slightly from 2004. However, it was 4,000 fewer than in 2001. Sailboats represented a tiny fraction, around 2 percent of the 864,000 new boats sold in 2005. This figure includes anything that floats, from houseboats to personal watercraft. The average price of a sailboat, and this includes all makes and models, from an 8-foot Optimist to the new Hylas 66 pilothouse, was more than $44,000. To put that in perspective, the average price of a sailboat in 2001 was $34,000. That’s a 25-percent price increase in four years. If you had a sense that boats are getting more expensive, you’re right. It’s almost impossible to find a new 30-footer for less than $100,000, and you can spend nearly twice that. And when you factor in other costs, including sales tax, dockage, insurance, and maintenance, the picture becomes sadder still. However, there are a few statistics that work to the average working stiff/sailor’s advantage. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were nearly as many sailboats afloat in U.S. waters as any other type of boat, more than 1.5 million. Sailboats, unlike small powerboats and other more fragile watercraft, never seem to die. A 40-year old Pearson Ensign is just as much fun to sail today as it was when new, back when SAILING Magazine was a black-and-white regional magazine hitting the newsstands for the first time. This huge inventory of boats supports what is an obvious statistic, for every new sailboat sold, eight used boats change hands. The secondhand market is what really drives the sailing industry. And, it’s a buyer’s market and always has been. If you really want a sailboat you can find one that you can afford. It’s actually a great time to be looking for a used boat. Not only is the market soft but used boat buyers are equipped with more tools than ever to help make informed decisions. There is a lot of good information out there. SAILING Magazine was one of the first publications to seriously review used boats. The Used Boat Notebook has been a monthly or bimonthly feature for 10 years and close to 100 boats have been profiled. Other magazines have followed our lead, and offer occasional used boat reviews. The Internet not only provides current, wide-ranging information on boats for sale through a variety of Web sites but also allows prospective buyers to thoroughly research boats they’re considering. Online owner’s associations make it easy to find detailed information and chat with other owners. Another great advantage of the Internet is that it allows used boat owners to track down long out of production parts and fittings to help them retrofit their old boats. New boat prices have also had an impact on how many of us care for our older boats. Realizing that new boats may be out of our purchasing league, we take better care of our current boats. I have no statistics to back this up but my casual observations and gut instincts tell me that older boats are better maintained than ever before. There’s a certain responsibility that goes with keeping your old boat in good sailing condition. An old, abandoned fiberglass sailboat is an environmental nuisance. Also, you never know how much pleasure that old boat sitting on a trailer behind the garage just might give you if you take the time to get it back in shape. Remember Spray, Joshua Slocum’s famous sloop? She was propped up in a field when a friend gave her to him. “The ship proved to be a very antiquated sloop called the Spray, that the neighbors declared had been built in year 1.” Slocum rebuilt her and became the first man to sail solo around the world. Spray may be the most famous used boat of all. During my recent travels, three different used boats caught my eye. At Marina Carenero in Bocas des Toro, Panama, I tied up next to an old but immaculate Peterson 44. A handsome center-cockpit cruiser, the boat was a 1978 model that looked brand new. I was shocked to find out that the boat was just finishing up a six-year circumnavigation. Unfortunately the owners were not around, having returned to the states for a brief visit home. However, Mac, the marina owner, gave me the details. The boat was owned by a couple in their 60s, who had left San Diego and headed across the South Pacific. They spent a season down under before crossing the Indian Ocean. They then angled up the Red Sea into the Mediterranean where they tarried for a couple of years. Then they crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean. In Panama, they were making plans to transit the canal and head for home. And their boat looked no worse for the wear. The Peterson 44 is a well-known, affordable bluewater boat. The hull has a soft sheer, the deck house profile is low, the fin keel and skeg hung rudder have moderate proportions and a generous sailplan keeps the boat moving in light air. About 200 44s were built during a short six-year production run in late 1970s and early 1980s. Later, the Kelly Peterson 44 and 46 replaced and updated the original design. A quick survey of www.yachtworld.com, one of the best Internet sites for used boat listings, shows six Peterson 44s for sale, ranging from $110,000 to $130,000. Most models have already been retrofitted once, and documented problems like leaking water tanks and the faulty heel on the rudder bearing have already been dealt with. The interior features an aft cabin that is accessed through a cockpit hatch or a stooped walkthrough from the saloon. The galley is well set up for cooking underway and a dinette to port is a practical arrangement for cruising. That couple has probably finished their circumnavigation by now, and I suspect their boat still looks like new. At the docks of Milwaukee’s South Shore Yacht Club I spied a squeaky clean Tartan 37. Another great old boat, this Sparkman & Stevens design had to be at least 30 years old. Admiring it from the dock, I took in the measure of a modern classic. Relatively low and sleek, the T-37 has modest sheer and a proud reverse transom. The teak toerail was freshly varnished. I couldn’t see the keel, but I knew that the long fin was shallow because I could see the centerboard winch in the cockpit. Board up draft is just 4 feet, 2 inches. The rudder is hung on a skeg. A sloop rig with a short boom, the T-37 was designed during the days when huge genoas ruled the waves. The T-shaped cockpit is a study in function nicely fused with comfort. The side decks are wide and the chainplates are well inboard making for a friendly and safe foredeck. The boat was not fit out for racing or cruising, just for sailing. And it was scrubbed to an extent that you needed sunglasses to look at. The Tartan 37 is a fine example of a quality used boat at an affordable price. Nearly 500 of the older S&S 37s were built during a 13-year production run that ended in 1989. Prices vary, but with a bit of legwork you can find a nicely maintained and equipped Tartan 37 for less than $60,000. Sure the interior may be dark by today’s standards and not quite as roomy as those glitzy new boats at the show. But few boats sail any better through a range of conditions, and that dark teak interior sure seems more palatable when you compare what $60,000 buys on the new boat market. Cruising around the mooring field in Two Harbors, Catalina, I spied a pale blue-hulled Rawson 30. This was one of the old ones, probably built in the mid to late 1960s and it was a little rough around the edges. But it was set up for cruising, California style. It had solar panels all over the deck, a huge wind generator, a monster TV antenna and floating alongside, a super slide. I only saw one crewmember, a three- or four-year-old blond kid scooting around the deck naked. The boat was obviously his home. The Rawson 30 is better known on the West Coast, where hard-core cruisers know it as an affordable bluewater boat. A heavy, full-keeled cruiser designed by William Garden, they were built by Ron Rawson in Redmond, Washington. Plenty of freeboard and a boxy cabintrunk resulted in a lot of room below for a 30-footer. Interior quality varied dramatically as most were kit boats, meaning that owners bought the hull and deck and finished the interior themselves. This was a West Coast trend in the 1960s and 1970s, when cruising first evolved as a lifestyle and it was cool to a have a funky boat. Four Rawson 30s are listed on yachtworld.com. A 1964 model, which has completed a circumnavigation but looks tired, can be had for less than $10,000. A refurbished pilothouse model with a new diesel is asking $27,000. At either end of this range, you are looking at a very affordable and capable boat. Your bluewater cruising dreams don’t have to be derailed by a lack of money. So forget that tired excuse that sailing is too expensive. The used market is vast, there are boats to fit every sailor’s needs. And no matter how much or how little you spend on a boat, the dynamics of wind, water and sail are the same. The power, the peace and sense of fulfillment that only sailing can offer is defined not by the price of the boat, but by the measure of a sailor’s spirit. And if you see someone rowing around the anchorage checking out your boat, say hello.

Monday, 10 November 2008 | Print | PDF |  Email

45-year-old charmers

Three great used boats first launched in 1966 are still sailing strong 45-year-old charmers Three great used boats first launched in 1966 are still sailing strong In 1966 John Lennon infamously announced that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus. “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” aired on television for the first time with Boris Karloff narrating.� There were 250,000 American soldiers slogging through the jungles of Vietnam with no end in sight, and President Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, officially regulating daylight savings time. At least we had an extra hour of light for sailing. And of course, SAILING Magazine was launched.� Sailing was a natural tonic for those turbulent times, and not surprisingly the magazine and the industry blossomed. Fiberglass production boats were affordable and easy to maintain. Waterfronts were accessible to middle-class sailors in those pre-condominium, pre-luxury marina days. People were sailing and reading about sailing in record numbers. They needed reliable information, and yes, inspiring pictures. SAILING Magazine delivered then, and still does today. I have been writing for SAILING for 25 years and I am proud to be associated with America’s best, and best-loved, sailing magazine. This month’s column will be a little different. Instead of reviewing a single boat, I will look at three enduring models that were also launched in 1966. Sadly, the three manufacturers are no longer in business, yet their boats sail on, a legacy that plays out on rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. Representing the class of 1966 are the Ericson 30, Morgan 34 and Bristol 39/40. Ericson 30 The Ericson 26 and 30 were this fledgling California company’s first production boats in 1966.These boats set a high standard that Ericson maintained for more than 30 years through good times and bad. Although a few boats were designed as pure cruisers or racers, the vast majority of Ericson models were quintessential racer-cruisers. Designed by Bruce King, 150 Ericson 30s were launched from 1966 through 1970. This was actually a small production run for the times, although builders today would rejoice if they knew they were going to sell 150 copies of a new model. King remained Ericson’s chief designer for many years and it’s interesting to see how his designs evolved, from the relatively conventional 30 to the flush-deck Ericson 39 and 46, to the classic Ericson 35 and 38. Still, if you look closely you can see the Ericson pedigree in the 30; the light bearing in the water and the graceful profile. I won’t deny that the Ericson 30 has a 1960s look, at least above the waterline. It’s narrow with a pronounced sheerline, short ends and a classic stern. Below the water, King was more daring. He was fond of swept-back fin keels and the rudder has a partial skeg, which was a modern underbody for its time. Three thousand pounds of lead ballast is encapsulated in the keel and the total displacement is just less than 8,000 pounds. The 30 was successful as a CCA racer and the rig reflected the rule. The mast is stubby, the boom long and big overlapping genoas were the order of the day.�� The fact that most Ericson 30s are still sailing today clearly attests to the high quality of construction. The hull is solid fiberglass and the deck balsa-cored. The deck edges are solid glass and the joint glassed over to prevent leaking. Most though-deck fittings are mounted in solid glass, which was a rare foresight that surely helped prevent delamination.�� Down below the boat is surprisingly bright. There is a fiberglass headliner and 10 portlights, but unless they’ve been converted to opening portlights, there is not much ventilation, despite a good-sized forward hatch. The layout is conventional, with a V-berth forward followed by a small head. The saloon has a dinette, dating the boat like rings on a tree, and the galley is tucked right below the companionway. For those unaccustomed to the skinny boats of the 1960s, the lack of space is stunning. The Catalina 27, launched just five years later, seems twice as big below. But you don’t buy an Ericson 30 to live aboard. You buy an Ericson 30 to sail. The cockpit features abrupt mahogany coaming boards and tiller steering. Under sail, the 30 heels easily, stretching out the waterline, then stiffens up and finds its stride. There’s a degree of weather helm, but less than the full-keel boats of the time, and the performance is impressive. Most owners report speeds in excess of 6 knots beam reaching in a moderate breeze. The soft hull shape also ensures a sweet ride in lumpy seas. Off the wind, with a big genoa pulling, the 30 racks up the miles. The boat originally fit with an Atomic 4 engine, although many have been converted to small diesels. The prop exits the hull just below the waterline, and maneuvering in close quarters is not the 30’s strong suit. Ericson came out with a 30 II in 1977 and a 30 Plus a few years after that. But there’s no reason not to consider an original 30, especially when you can buy one for less than $15,000.     LOA 30’3” LWL 23’4” Beam 9’6” Draft 4’10” Sail Area 425 sq. ft. Displacement 7,800 lbs. Ballast� 3,000 lbs. SAILING CHARACTERISTICS:� This early Bruce King design had traditional 1960’s looks above the waterline but a modern fin underbody. There can be a lot of weather helm, but it has a sweet ride in lumpy seas. QUALITY:� The fact that most are still sailing today speaks of the quality, and Ericson was careful to reinforce with fiberglass areas that are prone to leaks. SUPPORT:� There is an active group of Ericson owners at www.ericsonyachts.org run by Sean Engle. The site connects owners of all models, and has a resource page with downloads of original brochures and parts suppliers. PRICE AND AVAILABILITY:� As with any boat this age, prices vary, for as little as $3,000 for a beater to just over $20,000 for a boat in good shape. They can be hard to find, with only 150 built, and are scattered across the United States.   Morgan 34 Charley Morgan is one of the key players in the history of fiberglass sailboats. He founded Morgan Yachts in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1962, and designed and built a wide assortment of boats. Cruising sailors tend to associate Morgan with the Out Island series. These husky, shallow-draft liveaboard cruisers are much maligned and much loved, but they’re not known for stellar performance under sail. However, Morgan was a racer at heart. He designed, built and skippered the 12-Meter sloop Heritage, an America’s Cup contender in 1970. He actually delivered her to Newport for the trials on her own bottom—can you imagine? Although he didn’t win, losing to Intrepid, he garnered wide respect from the entire yachting community. Whether racing or cruising, Morgan preferred a shoal-draft centerboarder that rated well under the CCA rule. The Morgan 34 is an excellent example, and it remained in production until 1972 when the rule was phased out. The replacement IOR was less favorable to centerboard boats, and the 34 was replaced by the beamier 35.� Morgan 34s gracefully evolved into cruising boats, and the 3-foot, 3-inch board-up draft was enticing to shallow-water sailors everywhere.� Numbers tell the story as well as adjectives: LOA 34 feet; LWL 24 feet, 9 inches; beam 10 feet. You don’t need to be a naval architect to see a skinny hull with long overhangs. Although long out of date, this equation and this shape are not to be despised. In fact, aesthetically the low-slung Morgan 34 is quite handsome. Like the Ericson 30 of the same year, the Morgan 34 has a relatively short masthead rig with a long boom. The full-keel underbody is ideal for housing the centerboard, and of course protecting the rudder and prop.�� Morgan’s construction was robust and practical, but not always finished to the highest standards. The hull was heavily laid up solid fiberglass and the deck was balsa cored. Lead ballast was internal, fitted into the keel cavity and glassed over. The original bronze centerboard weighed in at 250 pounds, which made it problematic to lift and prone to corrosion. Later in the production run the board was changed to fiberglass.�� The interior finish usually included fake wood-grain Formica on the bulkheads, a touch that gives a sailboat that homey mobile-home feel. However, there is a bit of hardwood trim, either teak or walnut, and many 34s on the used market feature painted white bulkheads accented with varnished trim. It looks fresh and definitely brightens up the boat. There were a couple of different interior plans available. The most common arrangement features quarterberths to port and starboard, with the galley along the starboard side. The U-shaped dinette is opposite. A galley-aft plan was also available, and probably preferred because working in a “side” galley is nearly impossible underway, especially if the boat is heeled to port. Moving forward the small head is off to port with a hanging locker opposite. The V-berth cabin is fairly roomy and the berths are actually long enough to stretch out in.� Most 34s came with tiller steering that keeps the cockpit uncluttered. A tiller on a cruising boat seems odd these days, but it is nice to sail with a tiller; you can feel the boat in a way the mechanical advantage of a wheel does not allow. Also, you can push it up and out of the way at anchor or at the dock. The mainsheet traveler runs across the transom, not an ideal arrangement, and the original winches were single speed and quite small. However, it’s rare to find a 34 in original condition. Most have been upgraded with modern travelers, self-tailing winches, furling systems and new electronics. That’s the impressive thing about these early boats, you can incorporate new technologies that make them more user-friendly and you can buy them for a fraction of the cost of a more recently built boat. Another thing about the tiller on the Morgan 34 is that you won’t need that P90X workout program, at least not while sailing upwind. The weather helm will keep your biceps pumped. However, when you drop the board down, the long-keeled 34 tracks quite well, and off the wind, with the board up, the hull can get up and surf. The Morgan 34 did well in the early SORC races, especially on the longer legs.� A Floridian by birth, Charley Morgan also loved the Bahamas, those alluring islands that lie just 50 miles away across the Gulf Stream. The Morgan 34 is as well suited for exploring these turquoise waters today as it was 45 years ago.       LOA 34’ LWL 25’9’’ (24’8’’) Beam 10’ Draft board down 7’9’’ (8’’) Draft board up 3’3’’ Sail Area� 545 sq. ft. Displacement 12,500 lbs. Ballast 5,000 lbs. SAILING CHARACTERISTICS:� This Charley Morgan tiller design can be a brute to steer upwind in a blow, but off the wind with the board up it really flies. QUALITY:� The construction was robust and practical, but not always finished to the highest standards, and the heavy centerboard can be prone to corrosion. The original fake-wood Formica interior has a homey mobile home feel if not updated. SUPPORT:� Morgan owners connect through several active sites. At Charley Morgan’s website, www.charleymorgan.com, you’ll find useful links and information on the annual Morgan Invasion held in April at Treasure Island, Florida . PRICE AND AVAILABILITY:� There seems to be plenty of Morgan 34s on the market across the country, and prices seem steady in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.   Bristol 39 and 40 I recently conducted one of my cruising boat buyer’s workshops and one of the attendees, Mark Mesone, was determined to buy a used Bristol 39 or 40. I say 39 or 40 because they are essentially the same boat, taken from the same mold. The 39 was launched in 1966 with 58 boats built before it became the 40 in 1970, and remained in production until 1986. Mesone had concluded that the Bristol was the boat for him because it was beautiful, well built, large enough to live aboard with style, and when compared to more modern boats, quite affordable. He also loved the idea of owning a “classic.” I couldn’t find fault with any of his arguments. The Bristol 40 was designed by Ted Hood and Dieter Empacher, and in many ways it is similar to the Morgan 34 with a shallow draft, long keel, centerboard and attached rudder. The difference is in the styling and the pedigree. It’s fair to say that the Bristol 40, Hinckley B40, Block Island 40 and others were inspired by Carlton Mitchell’s famous centerboard yawl Finnisterre. Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, Mitchell raced and cruised Finnesterre all over the Atlantic in the 1950s and early 1960s and wrote countless articles and several charming books. This shape, which was a bit radical when introduced, is now, ironically, considered classic Down East boatbuilding.� Like the other two boats in this column, the Bristol 40 has long overhangs, and by today’s standards, a narrow beam. In its day, the 40 was considered a wide body with a whopping 10-foot, 9-inch beam. The 6,000 pounds of ballast and 17,580 pounds of displacement are moderate even by today’s standards and certainly were in 1966. The boat is not a heavy displacement tub by any means—it displaces 2,000 pounds less than the B40. The standard rig was a masthead sloop with just less than 700 square feet of sail area. A yawl was optional and I confess, as impractical as a yawl is, they sure are beautiful. The yawl, like the centerboard, was favored by the CCA rule because sail area aft of the rudder post was not counted in your rating. And there’s no better place to mount a radar dome anyway.� Bristol Yachts went through many changes in reputation. Founded by Clint Pearson, Everett’s brother, the company was not considered a top-quality builder at first. However, the company evolved into one of the country’s best sailboat manufacturers and owning a Bristol was something to aspire to, especially in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Finally, as the company struggled financially in the late 1980s, its reputation took a hit, but that didn’t make the company unique in the sailboat business.� The Bristol 40 was built over a long period of at least 20 years, but the construction was consistently good. The hull is solid fiberglass, the deck has plywood reinforcing where necessary and the coachroof is balsa cored. The hull and deck are joined on an inward flange, which, according to some reports, has been known to leak occasionally. The bulkheads are well tabbed to the hull and the ballast is internal lead. Deck hardware and fittings were upgraded over the years. The interior plan is straightforward. The galley is off to port when you drop below, with the nav station or freezer opposite. The saloon usually featured a dinette to port and a settee with a pilot berth above to starboard. The port side head is quite large and can be accessed from the V-berth cabin. The V-berth itself is more like two singles but with a filler piece, and it can be made into a fairly large bunk. The fit and finish is nice, in either mahogany or teak. Bristol did not rely on molded pieces or liners and the wood interior is warm and friendly. The interior plan is really ideal for a cruising couple. It offers privacy, sea berths and just enough elbowroom. Another nice feature of the Bristol 40 is that most have been well maintained and upgraded—these boats tended to be owned by folks who could afford them. The cockpit is large, and for a 1966 design, comfortable. The seats are nearly eight feet long, and you can support yourself when heeled. And that’s a good thing because the 40 is tender, at least initially. Most boats have wheel steering and a traveler running forward of the pedestal.� Some owners have retrofitted midboom sheeting that allows the traveler to be moved into a less efficient but more convenient position above the companionway.� The boat sails quite well in moderate conditions, especially off the wind. The hull shape is designed for reaching and the 40 has won its class in the Marion to Bermuda race twice. Owners report that reefing early is the best way to deal with the initial tenderness and keep the boat on its lines. Upwind, the centerboard helps the boat track, and while it is not particularly close winded, it doesn’t make a lot of leeway and the motion is soft. A Perkins 4108 was the standard diesel, the workhorse of the industry in those days, and it carries plenty of power. One of the best aspects of fiberglass sailboats is that you can still buy with confidence a boat that was built in 1966. And while that makes it hard for builders of new boats to compete, it speaks to the healthy ethos of sailing and sailors. We love sailboats, new and old, and respect them for what they are. I’d happily spend a day sailing on a 1966 Ericson 30. I’d love to cruise the Bahamas in an old Morgan 34, and it would be terrific to sail from Marblehead to Halifax in a classic Bristol 40.� These boat, just like SAILING Magazine that has chronicled them, are 45 and going strong.   LOA 39’ 8.5” LWL 27’ 6.5” Beam 10’ 9” Draft standard 5’4” Draft centerboard up 4’ Draft centerboard down 7’10” Sail Area� sq. ft. 694 Displacement lbs. 17,580 Ballast 6,500 lbs. SAILING CHARACTERISTICS:� The boat sails quite will in moderate conditions, especially off the wind. The boat continues to win offshore races like the Marion to Bermuda. QUALITY:� The model was built over a long period of at least 20 years, but construction remained consistent. The company evolved into a top-notch builder. SUPPORT:� There is an active owners’ association at www.bristolowners.org. Although no longer building boats, Bristol Marine in Bristol, Rhode Island, (www.bristolmarine.com) still specializes in parts and service. PRICE AND AVAILABILITY:� There are always a few on the market, and prices vary greatly considering the large age range. For the most part, these boats have been treated well and that is reflected in the price.

Thursday, 01 September 2011 | Print | PDF |  Email

46-Meter Training Ship

Bluewater Cruiser Here's another concept that crosses the line from yacht to workboat. Designed by the Dutch firm of Olivier van Meer Design, this 151-foot vessel is intended for a German organization involved with the counseling and education of "young people with social-pedagogic problems." (I had to look that one up.) This will include everything from "handicaps to difficulties in adaptation." In the old days "difficulties in adaptation" were handled with the cat-o'-nine-tails. Times change. The big topsail schooner will be worked by the crew and capable of offshore passages where survival training will be part of the curriculum. There are no footropes shown on the sailplan so I would guess that the square sails will be furled mechanically around their yards. The long bowsprit allows for a flying jib, outer jib, inner jib and forestaysail to be carried. Both masts carry triangular topsails with small gaffs at their head. If you took these topsails off you would say the rig was "bald headed." Note the way the masts are extended with topmasts that are doubled over the main spar section. This is an impressive rig that will give everyone on board a string to pull. Remember, it takes braces to trim the yards in addition to the sheets used for trimming the square sails. Certainly getting all these sails trimmed properly will be like tuning a 12-string guitar. It will be very photogenic when it's done right. The hull is very traditional, and the comments accompanying the drawings say the hull has "tumblehome, an Olivier van Meer Design signature." Phooey! Tumblehome goes back hundreds of years and was used recently and extensively in the early days of the IOR. It can also be seen on all the Valiant 40s, 42s and Hinckley Picnic boats! Tumblehome rolls the topsides inward and looks very appropriate on vintage-type designs. The sheerline is attractive but flattens off a little too much aft for my eye. Still, the computer-generated perspective views of the hull show an exceptionally handsome vessel with a beautiful heart-shaped transom. The keel is full length and there is no salient fin. I suspect that "on the wind" for this vessel will mean apparent wind angles around 50 degrees or more. I've never sailed a vessel like this. Presumably the square sails will be furled when the boat is on the wind, allowing it to point higher. The D/L is 138. I'm not sure it's relevant, but for fun I calculated the following ratios for SA/D. Using only the fore and aft sails, the on-the-wind rig, I get an SA/D of 18.4 and that's using a displacement of a million pounds! If I use the sail-area figure provided by the designer (all the sails shown) I get an SA/D of 25.83. Both of these numbers indicate a serious sailing vessel capable of good performance. Stability will be enhanced by water ballast tanks located below the DWL. The accommodations are ar-ranged around a huge main saloon and lecture room, which is itself flanked with 10 pilot berths. There is a "hospital" aft and a large workshop for student projects. The crew's messes are forward, and the officers' mess and accommodations appear to be in the deckhouse aft. Given the size of this ship, the accommodation plan is complex and artfully wrought and deserves a larger scale drawing if it is to be better understood. With its deep bulwarks and flush deck, this design will have the look of an authentic vintage schooner. The main deck is broken by a raised foredeck and raised quarterdeck aft. The person at the helm will have an obstructed, sweeping view of the entire ship. That's got to give you a real sense of power and responsibility. "Pay attention kid!" I'm pretty adaptable but I think I could fake a "difficulty in adaptation" if it would get me a ride on this spectacular sailing vessel, sans the "cat."

Sunday, 06 February 2000 | Print | PDF |  Email

63-foot ALCA

Talk about different flavors. About 25 years ago the door to my small office flew open and in burst George Buehler looking wild and woolly smoking a pipe with a broken stem repaired with a wad of black electrical tape. Under his arm was a large can of Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco. After brief introductions George launched into a tirade based upon the premise that “your boats are silly. My boats are sensible.” I was new in business, not tremendously secure and genetically a little on the combative side, but we managed to end our meeting before coming to blows. George harangued and puffed on his crippled pipe while I puffed on one of my cherished, immaculate Dunhills probably packed with imported Escudo cut navy plug. Yep, we certainly were two different flavors.

Sunday, 06 January 2002 | Print | PDF |  Email | Read more

70-foot Research Vessel

Bluewater Cruiser But let's say you don't want to fly around the warm bay in your catamaran. Instead you want to join the International Fund For Animal Welfare and go to sea on various research projects. Simon Rogers has designed a vessel for this group, and it's being built with a steel hull and composite superstructure. This is one of the few dedicated marine mammal research vessels in the world, and it's based on experience with the group's current 46-foot fiberglass sloop. This hull displaces 101,200 pounds. That sounds very heavy, but remember, we have a 70-foot boat here with an approximate DWL of 58 feet, so that works out to a D/L of 257, which is textbook medium. Also consider that this boat will be loaded with gear and tankage and needs displacement for both volume and weight considerations. The transom is cut off vertically. This is not the prettiest way to deal with the stern, but it is the most practical. The vertical transom ensures the maximum sailing length and the maximum length on deck. This vertical transom has no camber, making it easy to install the big, flop-down boarding and working platform. Given the tough life this vessel will lead, I find it interesting that the designer has chosen a short, partial skeg preceding the rudder. I don't disagree at all with this feature. It will give the rudder good foils, some balance area and the support of a three-bearing system. Note the location of this rudder. It's been pushed forward. I think rudders work best well aft, but in this case the rudder was moved forward to open up the volume of the lazarette. The drawings show Whitlock steering. The keel also appears to be well forward, and this would be indicative of the amount of weight this vessel will carry aft. The accommodation plan is unique and again conveys the working nature of this vessel. Galley and dinette are aft. The galley is big with an athwartships stove. The dinette is immense and designed to allow the entire crew to dine and socialize together. This is very important. We see so many designs where there are too many berths relative to the dining area. There are two heads and five staterooms, including the pipe berths in the fo'c'sle. There is also a laboratory area aft of the galley. The pilothouse has an enclosed computer room, a huge navigation station, a large wet locker, a pilot berth tucked under the side deck and a mystery bench seat. I have to blame the computer drafting for this confusion. If this drawing were done by the hand of man it might be capable of conveying exactly what this athwartships bench seat and the three "boxes" in front of it are for. Cryptically drafted by a machine, however, it leaves me wondering. I'm going to assume this is some type of inside steering position. Despite the intention of this design, it would make a great cruising boat for a family of 10. The rig is pure sloop with two headsails, and the headstay is pulled aft of the stem. The staysail, as drawn, shows a head angle of only 14 degrees, which will provide a shape challenge for the sailmaker. I would prefer to see a head angle closer to 20 degrees. I like to get a good sailmaker involved in the very early stages of a custom design. The short boom obviously works well with the observation tower aft of the cockpit. Using the sail area figures supplied, I get an SA/D of 17.28, but I suspect if we had I,J,E and P dimensions, this number might be lower. Note the crow's nest above the lower spreaders and the outriggers for towing hydrophones. I'm sure this was a fun project for the designer. When the intended use of a vessel is pinpointed, the designer can focus on specific solutions. This design crosses the line from yacht to workboat and does so with grace and panache.

Sunday, 06 February 2000 | Print | PDF |  Email

A31

T he Archambault boats are quickly making a name for themselves as quality-built race winners in Europe. The new A31 should also be a very fast boat and it is interesting to note the similarities between this design and that of the 9.5-meter Nacira. In this case the target is the IRC racer-cruiser class. This means that the A31, designed by Joubert, Nivelt and Mercier, will have accommodations designed to make it fit into that category, ensuring that it will be a dual-purpose boat. In profile the hull is pretty normal. There is plenty of freeboard and quite a bit of overhang aft when you compare it to the zero-overhang Nacira. I don’t have a DWL length but I estimate it to be 27 feet, 10 inches. With a displacement of 6,710 pounds the D/L is 139, and this is in keeping with the heavier displacement favored by the IRC. Beam is 10 feet, 7 inches for an L/B of 2.95. Like the Nacira, the max beam is carried aft, resulting in an extremely broad transom. With this type of D/L planing performance is not a primary goal, so there are no chines on this hull. For low and moderate speed, chines add wetted surface. The A31 shows a relatively soft turn to the bilge aft with plenty of flare to the topsides. Draft is 6 feet, 3 inches with a cast iron fin with a lead bulb. The layout for the A31 has the head aft and to starboard. To port there is a double quarterberth. The galley to port is small with the icebox on the starboard side next to the chart table. There is only one hanging locker on this boat. It’s not a bad layout for a 32-footer. If you look at the outboard edge of the quarterberth you can get an idea of just how much flare there is to the hull aft. The deck design shows a large cockpit for racing with the helmsman sitting well forward and the carbon tiller ahead, being forward of the mainsheet traveler. There are molded-in foot Bensons to help you maintain your footing when the boat is heeled. Seat backs appear to be a comfortable height. There is a well aft for the life raft. The cabintrunk is very narrow as it goes forward but that is to allow for an 11-degree sheeting angle to the jib tracks. This results in nice, wide side decks. I can’t tell from the drawings but I presume the chainplates are well outboard. Looking at this deck layout, i.e. winch placement, I am struck with how we have come to this one basic layout for both racing and cruising boats. In 1974 I raced on a 40-footer with all lines led aft, but we had a total of 10 winches. It was quite efficient in terms of line handling but heavy and expensive. With line clutches and line organizers the same job today is done with four winches. The fractional rig with double swept spreaders features an aluminum mast and boom with Dyform rigging. Using the listed numbers for mainsail and genoa areas I get an SA/D of 23.43. If I had and used I, J, E and P, I suspect the number would be closer to 22.3. Compare that to the 43.02 of the Nacira. The drawings show no provision for a bowsprit and a standard spinnaker pole is shown with a masthead chute. I like the look of this boat, although the bend in the bottom of the big window seems to imply a kink in the sheerline. In fact, I thought that was the case until I covered up with window. I suspect this is an artifact of the 2D drawing and it will not show up on the real boat. Construction uses the resin infusion method. The auxiliary is a Nanni diesel with a saildrive. There is an eight-gallon fuel tank and a 27-gallon water tank. The A31 will make a good all-around family race boat and I think it will do well under any handicapping system. LOA 31’4”; LWL 27’10”; Beam 10’7”; Draft 7’10”; Displacement 6,710 lbs.; Ballast 2,684 lbs.; Sail area 538 sq. ft.; SA/D 23.43; D/L 139; L/B 2.95; Auxiliary Nanni 14-hp; Fuel 8 gals.; Water 27 gals. Archambault Boats, 234 Spinnaker Dr., Halifax NS, B3N 3C6, Canada, (902) 476-5200, www.archambault-boats.ca. OBE: $176,500 Our Best Estimate of the sailaway price

Monday, 04 May 2009 | Print | PDF |  Email

Aerodyne 38

Racer-Cruiserr Here’s a very interesting boat designed in America and built in South Africa. Rodger Martin brings an eclectic approach to yacht design and seems to excel in very fast, handsome yachts. (After working with Martin for about four years, Steve Koopman has been added to the firm’s masthead.) The builder has been active in the aerospace industry and offers extensive experience in high-tech composite construction techniques. The new 38 is built with epoxy and directional E-glass, vacuum-bagged and cooked at elevated temperatures. All bulkheads are composite panels, and interior structures are all bonded to the hull to increase structural stiffness. The keel fits into a pocket recess in the hull and is then horizontally through-fastened. The displacement of 11,250 pounds on a 38-footer is evidence of the care taken to keep this boat light and strong. Aesthetically I like the springy sheer of this design. It adds character. The snubbed-off ends are certainly fashionable and produce a boat that’s all effective sailing length. You could find plenty of 50-footers that don’t have the effective sailing length of this 38-footer. Early race results show the designer’s ideas to be working quite well. The sectional shape of this boat is rounded and soft, very arclike. BWL is narrow and the topsides are gently flared. Just for fun, I put my circle template on the midsection and I can almost make it fit. Then I tried a 60-degree ellipse template and that’s almost a perfect match. I like hulls like this. There are no surprises for the water. The heeled hull is nearly as symmetrical as the upright hull. This can produce a boat with beautiful manners and steering characteristics. Cruisers often assume that all race boats are bears to handle, but I’ve found it’s usually the other way around. The broad stern and low-wetted-surface shape of this design will help it surf and scoot past the competition off the wind. Of course, you need horsepower to get the most out of any hull, and the 38’s rig is on the big side for a cruising boat. The SA/D is 30.5. The mast is stepped well aft, and the mainsail shows a lot of roach, clearly overlapping the backstay by almost 2 feet. The spreaders are swept 15 degrees and no runners are carried. This is a three-sail rig; no genoas will be used. The chainplates are out on the deck edge. This is better for sheeting the jib and keeps the side decks clear, while also reducing the loads on the mast. A watertight, retractable, carbon fiber pole will carry the big asymmetrical chute. The jib furling drum is nestled below the foredeck in a well that also holds the anchor. This is a good interior layout. The berths are not pointed at the toe end. The galley is big and efficiently wrapped around. The nav area is generous. It looks to me like the designers have put just as much attention into the comfort components as they have into the performance components. How can you lose? This boat is a real hybrid. The hull form is derived from racing types but owes its form to no specific limiting rule. The deck is a real sailor’s deck with a big cockpit shaped for both sail-handling efficiency and cruising comfort. One of my old bosses accused me of having "a pink-slip mentality." He’s right. I’m always racing. It’s the only way I know to sail. Boat speed is fun and it’s really fun when you don’t have to bust your fanny to get it. The Aerodyne 38 appeals to me.

Wednesday, 06 January 1999 | Print | PDF |  Email

Aerodyne 47

Performance Cruiser This is a very well-thought-out boat, and I really don’t have the space here to do it justice, so if you find it interesting why don’t you write for Aerodyne’s substantial and informative promotional package. I’ll focus on the elements of this Rodger Martin-Steve Koopman design that I find interesting. The idea behind this boat was an “ultimate cruising boat” for a couple. We could sure argue over the definition of ultimate, but let’s just acknowledge that it’s a very subjective term. Aesthetically this is not a classically beautiful design. The ends are truncated, the sheer is flat and the transom goes on forever. Then again we don’t see too many classically beautiful boats anymore. Just look at the boats in this month’s reviews. Overhangs are a thing of the past. Every designer wants to maximize sailing length for a given LOA. While we can wax on about the contribution that overhangs make or do not make to sailing length there is no argument over the benefits of waterline length. The photos of the Aerodyne 47 show it to be a very handsome if not beautiful boat. I’m certain the owners of this boat will find it beautiful. The 47 is moderately beamy with an L/B of 3.25, and the beam is carried aft. The bow does not appear to be very fine, at least not on deck, and that will help keep the boat dry. Fore and aft rocker is flat and the D/L is 152. We could have a long and drawn out argument over “ideal” D/Ls for cruising boats, but it all comes down to sailing style and individual approach. Heavier boats have their advantages as do lighter boats. In most conditions the lighter boat will be the faster boat while the heavier boat will be the most comfortable. It takes a skilled builder with a dedicated approach to lightweight construction to produce an offshore cruising boat with a D/L as low as this one. The cruiser needs to balance weight against durability. Lightweight structures can be extremely strong, although strength and durability are not necessarily synonymous. The rudder is huge and the long fin has a bulb. Draft is only 6 feet. Martin likes nearly circular hull sections with a fairly narrow BWL. The 47 is laid out for a couple with another couple as guests. It’s a good layout with a huge galley and lots of counter space. Remember the cook is the most important crewmember. It’s better to be lost and well fed than it is to know where you are and be hungry. You are going to be very comfortable on this boat. The rig is unusual in that it combines a big main with the mast set well forward with a nonoverlapping, self-tacking jib on a Gary Hoyt-type jib club. This type of club is far better than other types of self-tending jib arrangements. With this club you don’t need to vang the club or move sheet leads or adjust clew boards to maintain proper trim as you bear off. Of course, you do have this thing obstructing the foredeck, but I suppose you could swing it to one side when you are anchored or at the dock. It’s not a pretty feature, but having a boat with this style of club myself, I can assure you that it is very efficient. The promotional material goes to great lengths to prove the point that a moderate SA/D is better than either a low one or an overly ambitious higher number, and I would agree. It’s great to have a big rig when everything is nice, but on a boat like the 47 you should be able to see at least 20 knots apparent before you are forced to reef. With the forward mast location of this design you can probably sail it effectively under main alone. A unique track system allows the self-tacking jib to be reefed while staying on the club. Drawings and photos show a loose-footed main and about 15 inches of roach overlap on the split backstay. This deck style is the exact opposite of the deck on the C&C 99. This deck is all soft shapes and radii. This does reduce windage. The hard dodger covers about half the cockpit. Halyards are all led aft and the photos show sissy bars at the mast. There is deck access to the huge lazarette and forepeak areas. The self-tacking jib club wipes the deck clean of genoa tracks and associated gear. A short, pipe frame-type bowsprit gets the anchor away from the nearly plumb stem. The transom opens to the large swim step.

Wednesday, 06 February 2002 | Print | PDF |  Email

Akilaria Class 40

Racer Here is another Class 40 design. This time the designer is Marc Lombard. The Akilaria is built as a stock, production boat and available in both “standard” and “race” versions. I assume that there is a difference in the two versions in the interior accommodations but I do not have interior drawings for the standard version. From the specs the race version has a more exotic deck layout, more complex electronics package and a carbon boom. We have already discussed the why of chines in the Antrim review. The Lombard design also has chines aft but I see no indication of a forward chine below the DWL. The sectional shape at the transom is very similar to that of the Antrim boat but not quite so slack in the bilge. The design is also at the class limit for beam at 14 feet, 8 inches, and the transom beam is 93 percent of beam max. These boats are bizarre looking in plan view. They are so beamy and so broad aft, but there is a distinct difference between the two 40s in plan view. If you look at the deck plan of both boats you will see the Antrim boat is much finer forward. At the deck, the half angle of “entry” for the Antrim boat is 20.5 degrees, while the Lombard boat is fuller at 26.5 degrees. One thing I noticed about both designs is that they both have rather attractive sheers for all-out racing boats. Most rules dictate minimum freeboards at certain locations so sheers tend to be functions of the rule. The Class 40 rule is different. It gives an average freeboard of 1.1 meters. It’s up to the designer to determine how he is going to get that average. The Akilaria has a very handsome sheer spring. Note that in both designs the mast is quite far aft. The rule dictates the max upwind sail area, mast height and prod length, but does not limit downwind sail area. So it pays to have as big a foretriangle as possible so your spinnakers can be bigger. The Akilaria’s asymmetrical chute is 2,052 square feet, while the Antrim has an asymmetric area of 1,889 square feet. By using the fat-head main shape the mainsail can be a more effective off-the-wind sail. If you took the fat head off the mainsail and added area to the jib you would be reducing the downwind sail area. The chainplates are right at the sheer and, in fact, are external. These designs are not about accommodations, they are about huge rigs and very carefully thought-out deck plans. The cross-linked twin rudders are small so they don’t require long tillers. With the rudders well outboard the two tillers are also well outboard, making it easy for the driver to sit high on the weather side. The Antrim 40 has a single, centerline tiller. On centerline aft, between the two tillers, is a tall console where the mainsheet and traveler controls are located. Primary and secondary winches are located very close to the helmsman. Halyard winches flank the companionway hatch. I really like the jib sheeting arrangement on this design. It comes from the Volvo 60s. It uses three widely spaced pad eyes with blocks arranged in a triangle: two on the deck and one on the housetop. Control lines lead from these pad eyes to a titanium rig that the jib sheet passes through. This way you have total freedom of positioning the clew on the jib without any track at all. It’s effective and it’s very light. The Akilaria is built on the coast of Tunisia by MC-TEC. The hull, as per Class 40 rules, is low-tech with a balsa core and laid-up with the infusion method. The deck is PVC foam cored with hardwood inserts in high-load areas. Vinylester resin is used throughout. The keel fin is steel. Again, in keeping with the “no exotic materials” part of the rule, the rudders have solid stainless steel stocks. Even with the “full cruise interior” version you may not think this is a cruising boat. I know the racers out there will recognize the race potential of the Akilaria. I have always thought a “cruising boat” was a boat you went cruising in. But I recognize room for argument there. If you value boat speed above creature comforts the Akilaria should be on your short list. I would certainly like to take a test sail. LOA 40’; LWL 40’; Beam 14’8”; Draft 9’11”; Displacement 10,628 lbs.; Ballast 4,594 lbs.; Water ballast 1,650 lbs.; Sail area 1,242 sq. ft.; SA/D 41.11; D/L 74.14; L/B 2.72; Auxiliary Nanni 3.100; Fuel 23 gals.; Water 13 gals. Maine Yacht Center, 100 Kensington St., Portland, ME 04103, (207) 842-9000, www.akilaria.com. OBE: $560,000 Our Best Estimate of the sailaway price

Sunday, 01 March 2009 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alberg 30

April 2002 Forgiving yet capable of crossing oceans, this traditional cruiser has built an avid following When Canadian builder Kurt Hansen commissioned Carl Alberg to design a 30-foot sloop for his Whitby Boat Works back in 1962 few would have predicted that the boat would stay in production for more than 20 years. By the time Whitby finally closed its doors in 1988, more than 700 Alberg 30s had been built. The Alberg 30 was inspired by a handful of Folkboat sailors from Toronto. They approached Hansen to build a suitable boat for one-design racing but also capable of extended cruising. In essence they wanted a larger Folkboat. When word of the new Alberg 30 reached the Chesapeake Bay area sailing clubs, two different groups of sailors turned up on Hansen’s doorstep. They placed more than two dozen orders before retreating back across the border. Thus the Alberg 30 sprang to life in a flourish. By the end of the first year, a completed boat was rolling off the production line every three days. While many older boats have a quiet following, nurtured by a few dedicated owners, Alberg 30 owners can be defined as a full-blown cult. They love their boats and maintain several active class associations. The Chesapeake Bay Alberg 30 Association boasts 250 boats on its registry and publishes an informative monthly newsletter, a maintenance manual and hosts well-attended seminars every February. There are other active classes, including a Great Lakes fleet based in Toronto. Every year, the Chesapeake and Great Lakes groups race, alternating host countries in this international competition. Very few significant changes were made during the long production run, and an early 1960s boat can sail boat-for-boat with an early 1980s boat, making the Alberg 30 one of the largest keelboat one-design fleets anywhere. First impressions The Alberg 30 bears the unmistakable signature of Carl Alberg, a look evident in so many boats from this period, including the Pearson Triton, Bristol 27 and Alberg 37. The look, which was modern in its day, is now considered traditional, at least when defined in terms of fiberglass boats. The long overhangs, springy sheer, low freeboard, cutaway full keel with an attached rudder, narrow beam, stair-stepped cabintrunk and moderate sailplan are trademark Alberg. It is safe to say that the Alberg 30 traces its roots to the Scandinavian Folkboat, as most of Alberg’s designs do, and the hull shape represents the transition that was taking place as builders switched from wood to fiberglass construction. The Alberg 30 may not be the quickest boat afloat, especially in light air, but don’t be misled by the specs. With slack bilges and just 8 feet, 9 inches of beam, the boat is initially tender. The short waterline increases as the boat heels and the Alberg 30 finds its stride when other boats are being overpowered. The boat has a seakindly motion, although it can hobbyhorse in a seaway. The Alberg 30 is a proven blue water cruiser; indeed, Yves Gelinas circumnavigated in one by way of Cape Horn in his Alberg 30 Jean de Sud. Construction Most Alberg 30s have held up very well over the years, a tribute to Whitby’s solid construction. There was nothing fancy about the building process, but like other early fiberglass boats, there was no shortage of material used in the 30’s hull and deck. The hull is hand-laid, solid fiberglass bonded with polyester resin. Early decks and cabintrunks were partially cored with Masonite, while those built after 1970 used more common balsa coring. Early boats used a laminated wood beam to support the mast, while later boats were fitted with an aluminum beam encased in a fiberglass liner. Later boats also incorporated a fiberglass pan for the cabin sole and as a base for the furniture. Whitby made similar changes in its other successful Alberg design, the 37. The ballast is iron, encapsulated in the keel cavity. According to some reports, Alberg specified lead ballast and a few of the earliest boats were quite tender until extra ballast was added. What to look for Like any boat, there are a few items to watch for when inspecting used Alberg 30s. Unlike other boats, however, the Alberg 30’s flaws have not only been well documented by respective class associations over the years, but solutions to the problems are just as well documented. If you are looking at a pre-1970 boat, for example, be sure to check the wooden mast support beam. The beam may well be cracked after years of flexing under load, and it is not unusual to find a retrofitted aluminum plate to beef up the support. Be sure to probe around on deck to see if depressions are evident around the maststep. Deck delamination is another problem to watch for, so carefully sound the decks, listening for the telltale creaking sounds that reveal rot in the core. Again, this seems more common in older boats, and don’t overreact to a bit of deck delamination as almost every old boat has it to some degree. Another common problem is the attachment of the forward lower chainplates, which are not well supported belowdecks. In fact, Jean de Sud lost her mast in the Pacific when a chainplate pulled out. Naturally, be sure to inspect all the components of the standing rigging, including the chainplates themselves, which can be bent and fatigued after years of hard use. The type of engine may influence your buying decision since the need to repower the boat will certainly skew your budget. In fact, adding a new diesel can cost almost as much as the boat itself when you include the cost of installation. The earliest boats were fitted with 22-horsepower Gray Marine gas engines. Most Alberg 30s, however, came standard with a 30-horsepower Universal Atomic 4 gas engine, the workhorse of the industry for many years. Some of the later boats came with diesels, either a single cylinder Bukh or a two-cylinder Volvo. On deck The Alberg 30’s cockpit is fairly large and the seats are long enough to stretch out on. There is good leg support on either tack, but the mahogany coaming board does get you in the small of the back after a while. Tiller steering was standard, and while there must be some wheel-steered 30s, I haven’t seen one. There is a stout bridgedeck, typical of all Alberg designs. Circumnavigator Gelinas notes that he can fit two folding bikes in the cockpit lockers. There is also a lazarette astern. The boat can be wet when sailing upwind and a spray dodger is a useful addition. Like many CCA-influenced designs, the Alberg 30 has a long boom and the mainsheet features end-boom sheeting, usually led to a traveler aft of the cockpit. It’s likely the sheet winches have been upgraded, although it isn’t necessary as the headsail loads are not overly heavy. The 30 is not a close-winded boat and the headsail tracks are on the rail to clear the shrouds. The single-spreader sloop rig carries 410 square feet of sail, with more than half of that area in the mainsail. The lifelines and low stanchions are not designed to keep an adult from going overboard, but there are teak handrails on the raised portion of the cabintrunk. The nonskid may be worn, and if the decks have been painted they may be slick when wet. The mooring hardware is more than adequate. Down below The Alberg 30’s interior seems incredibly small by modern standards—it isn’t much of a stretch to say that there is more room in a new Hunter 260, heck maybe even the 240. But then of course, the comparison is absurd, since the Alberg 30 is a completely different animal. The interior arrangement is straightforward, and nobody will ever accuse Alberg of resorting to gimmicks. There is a V-berth forward with an enclosed head aft to port with a hanging locker opposite. The saloon has settees port and starboard and a clever portable dining table mounted on an aluminum Z-shaped leg. When not in use, the table stows over the V-berth. A small galley is to starboard, usually with a single sink facing aft and a two-burner stove next to it. A good-sized icebox is located to port and early boats had an access hatch from the cockpit. The interior may be small, but the workmanship is good, and it has a snug feeling to it. The large saloon ports keep it well lit although the ventilation usually consists of only the forward-opening deck hatch, which of course is usually secured when under way. There is a lot of storage, with drawers and lockers throughout. Engine As mentioned earlier, the first boats were equipped with a 22-horsepower Gray Marine gas engines (the infamous Sea Scout). Early on, however, the standard engine became the Universal Atomic 4, which can still be found in many boats. Bukh and Volvo diesels were used late in the production run. Efficient motoring and engine access were not priorities in most Alberg designs, and the 30 is no exception. The engine is accessible from behind the companionway, although not particularly friendly to work on. The stuffing box, on the other hand, takes a contortionist and a special set of wrenches to change the packing, making the 30 a prime candidate for a dripless stuffing box. I would push a boat with a newer, refit diesel to the top of my list when searching for a used Alberg 30. Under way Older boats that maintain loyal and active followings invariably share one key trait—they sail well. The Alberg 30 is easy to handle, will stand up to a blow and has a nice motion. The boat balances well with the main and working jib, although weather helm can be an issue when flying a genoa. All owners agree that the 30 sails best when the main is reefed early because of the initial tenderness. A rule of thumb is change or furl the headsail to keep the decks clear of water and then hold on for the ride. The Alberg 30 is designed to sail on its ear, yet the boat feels incredibly solid in the water. The old line about sailing on rails is most apropos. Gelinas, who by the way is the manufacturer of the well-respected Cape Horn self-steering vane, has owned Jean du Sud for 27 years and has logged some 50,000 miles. He notes that the boat’s hull shape has a great motion at sea, although he too suggests that you reef the main early. Gelinas dispensed with his Atomic 4 engine to free up storage space, and even today only uses an outboard perched on the stern for the rare times he finds powering necessary. Conclusion With prices ranging from just over $10,000 to around $25,000, it’s easy to see why the Alberg 30 is an enduring favorite. It’s an ideal boat for families wanting to test the waters of sailing, or for singlehanders and couples looking for an inexpensive but capable boat for cruising. Another alluring feature of the Alberg 30 is that with the right trailer and SUV it can be hauled by road to out-of-the-way cruising grounds. “To me the Alberg 30 is very close to the ideal boat: solid enough to sail around Cape Horn but small enough to carried on the road to the cruising ground of my choice,” Gelinas said.

Monday, 10 November 2008 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alden 55

Bill Cook designed this Alden 55. It’s actually five inches shorter than the Hallberg-Rassy. We don’t see much work from Bill Cook these days but there was a time when he designed some very fast race boats. Mr. Cook’s new design is leaner, lither, than Hood’s Little Harbors but with the same controlled, conservative styling that I guess has become the earmark of the American Northeast school of yacht design. I love classic styling. I also like styling that challenges the eye to accommodate what the composer Robert Schumann used to call a “Sphinx,” a surprise element that stretches the observer to rethink traditional solutions without abandoning them.

Wednesday, 01 October 2008 | Print | PDF |  Email | Read more

Alden 59

Auxiliary cruiser Here's a design from the Alden design office that is the styling antithesis of the Rondo. This boat is pure American classic yacht styling and beautifully done. The boat was designed for a Great Lakes client and is currently being built by the Hinckley yard. The combination of Alden design and Hinckley execution should result in a spectacular goldplater.

Wednesday, 06 November 1996 | Print | PDF |  Email | Read more

Alerion Express 28, Originally reviewed July 1992

Coastal cruiser As I look back through all the volumes of SAILING Designs one of the thoughts that strikes me is where are all these designers today? Some, like my old drinking buddy Gary Mull, are dead. I didn’t know Carl Schumacher well but I knew him and I was saddened when I heard he had died at such a young age. Carl had a good eye and he knew how to draw a fine sailing boat. His Express 37 remains one of my all-time favorite boats. I have no idea where some of the other designers went. I know where German Frers went. It seems that many of those confident yacht designers that were going to set the world on fire and show us how it’s really done have just gone quietly away. Maybe they found real jobs. In the mid-1990s the typical small family cruiser-racer or racer-cruiser had become a complex boat. Vendors were convincing sailors that they had to have everything in order to be happy and enjoy sailing. Ralph Schacter had another idea. He knew that most sailors went out for a day, sometimes just an afternoon or evening, and did not need things like shower stalls, refrigeration, windlasses with all-chain rode and hot-and-cold running water. But they did need a head and a place to sleep on weekend overnighters. Picking the name of Nate Herreshoff’s own daysailer, Alerion, the Alerion Express was born with pretty hull lines drawn by Carl Schumacher. The era of the big, comfy daysailer had begun. I say “big” because at that time my own idea of a daysailer was a Thistle class or any number of small dinghy one-designs. Schacter’s idea was that these new daysailers would be big enough to be keelboats with near the level of comfort found on the majority of production cruiser/racer types. The look of the new daysailer would be traditional, with low freeboard, some overhangs, a svelte cabintrunk that gave slightly less than full standing headroom and a long cockpit. But below the DWL this traditional appearing boat would be modern with flat rocker, a moderate aspect ratio fin keel and a partially balanced spade rudder. The D/L of the Alerion Express 28 is 168 and the L/B is 3.46, putting it on the narrow side of “medium.” The focus on this design was the cockpit and the laying out of the running rigging so that one person could easily sail the boat. There is nothing revolutionary here except the fact that most cruiser/racer types put more emphasis on interior comfort and this resulted usually in tight, cramped cockpits. The Alerion would be tiller steered with the mainsheet led to a barney post in the center of the cockpit. The rig is fractional with swept spreaders and a self-tacking jib. In 1994 Garry Hoyt became involved with the project at the invitation of Everett Pearson, president of TPI. Hoyt worked to refine the boat, adding his Hoyt jib boom. I really like the Hoyt boom. It is a huge improvement over the self-tacking track just so long as you don’t mind this big pipe living on your foredeck. I could live with it. The SA/D is 20.97 and that’s enough to keep you ghosting along in the light stuff. Hoyt also changed the keel to a fin and bulb. I couldn’t begin to tell you the boats that this design inspired. In fact, I think the Alerion Express gave birth to a type—daysailers—that today is well established and does not mean what it meant 30 years ago. Read the original review at: http://www.sailingmagazine.net/component/content/article/3-perry-on-design/1097-alerion-express?directory=138 LOA 28’3”; LWL 22’10”; Beam 8’2”; Drat 4’6”; Ballast 2,000 lbs.; Sail area 352 sq. ft. Original sailaway price $60,000

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion Express 33

May 2007 A sweet mix of simplicity and sailability make this a desirable daysailer I have had the privilege of sailing a wide array of boats for SAILING Magazine Boat Test. From nimble dinghies and daysailers, to custom-built rocketships and world cruisers, to productions boats of every ilk, I have conducted more than 100 boat tests during the past 18 years. And like Lothario, I find something to admire in just about every boat I sail. I understand that I am paid to critically review boats for the benefits of our readers, to point out the good, the not so good and occasionally the bad, but you must be driven by a profound respect of sailing and sailboats to bring the proper perspective to the job. And while sailing any new boat is intriguing, every now and then I am simply blown away by the combination of form, function and romance that only a sailboat can define. Such was the case with the new Alerion Express 33. It was a docile February morning as we slipped our lines at Miami’s Bayside Marina the day after the boat show. Our plan was to ease into the Intracoastal Waterway and head south toward Biscayne Bay. This would provide photographer Walter Cooper with a nice backdrop, the glass menagerie of high rises that shadow the waterway, before the real test sailing would begin in the bay. The wind was light and I suspected we might have to power to negotiate the narrow channel and to get enough way on to fill the sails for the photos. Not so. No sooner had we cleared the marina markers, than we quieted the diesel and rounded up onto the light southeasterly breeze. The full-roach main went up without a hitch thanks to the electric winch and the lack of a backstay. We jibed, gaining way promptly, and then unfurled the small fractional jib controlled by a self-vanging Hoyt jib boom. Shifting from a close reach to a beat and back again, we happily negotiated the narrow, twisting channel. The only problem was that we were going too fast, speeding past our photo backdrop. No problem, hauling in the main we promptly tacked. This maneuver required a simple turn of the wheel and not much more of the waterway than the Express 33’s LOA. I doubt one of the obnoxious powerboats crowding the channel with us could have turned any quicker. It took a few seconds to trim up the self-tending sails and then we accelerated north. The details The Alerion Express 33 is the latest model from the crew at Newport R&D. From a design perspective, the 33 is a scaled-down version of the handsome Alerion 38. From a practical perspective, the Express 33 blends the daysailing mindset of the popular Alerion 28 with the interior elbowroom of the 38. This sweet mix of simplicity and accommodation makes the 33 perfect for a weekend escape. Of course the Express 33, with its ease of handling ethos is also ideal for an hour’s sail after work. And I confess, although the interior is pared down, I’d be rather content cruising for a week, greedily spending hours at the helm of this exquisite sailboat. Alerion’s Garry Hoyt has coined the phrase, “select sailing,” which he sums up as “sailing on your own terms, when it best suits your schedule, your mood, the weather, etc.” I like that concept. The new Alerion Express 33 is all about sailing, pure sailing, there is no secret agenda. When you feel the need for an attitude adjustment just hop aboard, slip the lines and get underway. The sleek hull shape combines low freeboard, just the right touch of sheer and a slightly raked bow entry. The short cabintrunk, with two oval ports on each side, blends naturally into the linear flow of the boat. The term “nice lines” fits the Alerion 33 like a sailing glove. Below the water there is not much wetted surface. The keel section has an integral bulb to keep the center of gravity low. The keel is a one-piece lead casting alloyed with antimony for hardness, and externally fastened to a molded keel stub. The spade rudder blade has an elliptical profile and is a composite construction with a stainless steel stock. The Alerion Express 33 is built by Pearson Composites, employing its patented SCRIMP infusion molding process. This is the company that also builds J/Boats, and there are similarities between Js and the Alerions. The composite hull consists of fiberglass with both biaxial and unidirectional E-glass fibers, end grain balsa as a core, and vinylester resin as the active agent. The hull and deck are joined on a flange and bonded with Plexus MA 550. The joint is covered by a full-length teak toerail. Bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and deck. The elegant appearance might suggest that the Alerion Express 33 is on the fragile side. Not so, this winsome boat is a solidly built yacht. On deck With a separate helm station in the cockpit the Alerion Express 33 is designed for ease of handling and can be singlehanded without a lot fuss. You won’t need to round up a crew when you go sailing. The electric sheet winches, such as they are, and the mainsheet controls are perched on coamings just forward of the helm. You can sail quite efficiently without shifting from the comfortable perch behind the wheel. In fact, as we zipped about the waterway the crew forward of the binnacle simply lounged about as the helmsman steered and trimmed. It takes a moment to get used to the utterly clean deck layout. The standard boat comes without stanchions and lifelines, and although you can order them as options, they would alter the sleek profile. And really, there’s not much reason to leave the cockpit while underway. Hoyt notes that the absence of lifelines makes it much easier to dock the boat when sailing alone. Our test boat, hull No. 1, was fitted with optional teak decks. And yes, they are expensive, a $22,000-plus add-on, but they sure glistened and provided secure footing. Hoyt expects less than half of the boats will leave the factory with teak decks. All new 33s will have a carbon mast by Hall Spars along with an aluminum boom. The standing rigging is continuous rod. As noted earlier the fractionally rigged 33 is set up without a backstay. This allows for a full-roach, almost catamaranlike main, and it really powers the boat. Hoyt calls it the “turbo rig.” Running backstays would help stabilize the rig when running before a stiff breeze with big seas. Our test boat was fitted with a Harken mainsheet traveler and roller furling headsail system. Down below The interior of the 33 is spartan by design but tastefully appointed just the same. The practical mix of mica and solid teak trim gives the boat a Down East feel. The plan is basic. There is a V-berth double cabin forward with an enclosed head just aft. The main cabin includes settees port and starboard with shelves behind. Ventilation is provided by a deck hatch forward and opening stainless steel portlights. The galley is tucked along the main bulkhead and includes a small single burner stove, a single sink and 12-volt refrigeration compartment. Manual water pumps are standard. I like the overall simplicity of the systems, the Alerion 33 is built for sailing, not for sitting below dockside. There is good access to the 20-horsepower Yanmar diesel with a saildrive. A two-bladed folding prop is standard. The aluminum tank holds 18 gallons, which is probably about a year’s worth of fuel. The electrical system includes an isolated starting battery and a single house battery. The panel is behind the port side settee. Under sail I was reluctant to give up the helm and yield the boat to writers from other magazines, who were so anxious to the test the new Alerion Express 33 they were buzzing around us like vultures in their photo boats. I lingered and put the boat through a series of jibes and tacks, we were showing off as most of the new sailboats heading out of the marina were still under power. Then the wind perked up a bit, to around 10 knots true, and we took one last long tack south. Trimming for maximum speed on a close reach we touched 7 knots, then 7.5. The ride was silky smooth. There was just a slight heel. With each puff you could feel the acceleration in the seat of your pants and on the rudder, translated through the finely tuned Edson steering system. The Alerion Express 33 talks to you, and if you listen the message comes through loud and clear, “It’s all about sailing.”

Monday, 07 May 2007 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion Express 38

Performance cruiserr Carl Schumacher is on a roll with these Alerions. I was lucky enough to see this boat at SailExpo at Atlantic City this year. It is indeed a handsome boat and it's fun to see the yawl rig being used. "What's with the yawl rig?" Yawls came into prominence under the CCA rating rule in the 1950s because the CCA rule did not measure the sail area carried between the main and the mizzen. This meant that the added sail area of the mizzen staysails and mizzen spinnakers was free of any rating penalty. In that light, you could consider the ultra-traditional-looking yawl rig as a simple aberration of a rating rule. Yawls did dominate the racing scene. Do you remember Ondine, Figaro, Maruffa, Escapade, Dorade, Sabre and my all-time favorite Carina II? All yawls. Bill Luders created a yawl that had no mainsail and sailed under genoas and mizzen flying sails. It was called Storm and, without a mainsail, she had a very low rating and won everything in sight. This upset the rule makers, so they changed the rule to require a mainsail. Next season Luders showed up with Storm--at 44 feet LOA--sporting a mainsail the size of a Laser's. He won again. Today we tend to look at yawls as very traditional rigs. There are two very distinct advantages to yawls. The mizzen mast is a great place to locate the radar, and a fully battened mizzen sail can be left up at anchor as a riding sail, keeping the boat head to wind. I don't think the Alerion will see much drive out of its 66-square-foot mizzen. After all, it is operating in the mainsail's dirty air. I can almost hear it gasping for breath. Note that this mizzen is unstayed. If you put your finger over the mizzen, the boat looks like a well-proportioned sloop. The fractional rig has an SA/D of 21.76 even without the mizzen. So this will be a sprightly sailer in light to moderate air. The working jib is set on a Garry Hoyt-designed pivoting jib club. This arrangement keeps the clew of the jib from rising as you ease the sheet, maintaining good sail shape. The hull shape is clean and modern with a traditional transom. The D/L is 170. Beam is on the low side at 10 feet, 9 inches. I like boats on the narrow side. If all else is equal, the narrow boat is the better boat. Narrow boats may give up a little in initial form stability but they feel better, steer better and, in general, have better handling characteristics than the fatsos. This design has a generous beam at the waterline and very little flare to the topsides, resulting in excellent initial form stability. The interior is a pure "basic A" layout and is close to ideal. Don't let the overall simplicity and 90-degree angles fool you. This layout is versatile and comfortable for a couple with kids. I would prefer to see a sit-down chart table, however. Why not sit on the head of the quarter berth and turn the chart table 90 degrees? I'm not crazy about the galley, but a boat of this size does have its limitations. TPI builds these boats and the one I saw at Atlantic City was a dark blue sparkling gem. It sure is nice to see boats that buck the Euro-styling trend. It's also nice to see a designer who isn't afraid to buck the maxi-beam trend.  

Saturday, 06 May 2006 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion Express 38

An elegant hybrid that joins modern performance and traditional beauty Out there, in the fog, Block Island beckoned. We didn't mind that it beckoned from a point directly upwind. We had a weatherly boat and all day to sail from Newport to the island. We didn't mind, that is, as long as the wind stayed in the comfortable 12- to 15-knot range. When it breezed up suddenly, the dense air whacking us in the face like a sodden, hard-thrown sponge, it was another story. In 28 knots of wind, the boat was rail-down and my sailing companion was fighting an ornery helm. Obviously, this called for a sail adjustment. On most boats, there would have been two choices, neither attractive: Roll up some of the headsail and be left with a distorted, inefficient sailplan; or reef the main, always a hassle. Because we were sailing an Alerion Express 38, we had a third alternative. We dropped the mainsail. With the sail nested securely in its lazy jacks, the boat rose to her sailing lines and, perfectly balanced, resumed making spritely progress upwind, riding the steepening seas like a gull. The boat was balanced because she was sailing with a jib and jigger. Jib and what? A few readers not of a certain age may be puzzled. Jigger is old sailors' slang for mizzen. The Alerion 38 is a yawl. You know, two masts, the aft one small and stepped behind the rudder post. The ability to sail with just a headsail and a mizzen is one of several advantages of the yawl rig, which is seldom seen in new boats today and has never been seen before in an incarnation as highly evolved as that of the Alerion. The mizzen mast, for example, is carbon fiber, an elegantly tapered spar free-standing on the Alerion's spacious after deck sans the rigging clutter that conventional yawls bring to the back of the boat. The tapered aluminum, double-spreader mainmast supports a large mainsail that, with a fractional, nonoverlapping headsail, provides plenty of power upwind. The combination is effective off the wind as well, thanks to a nifty invention of Garry Hoyt, who worked with Everett Pearson, CEO of TPI, Inc., and designer Carl Schumacher in developing the 38. The racing test Hoyt's patented carbon fiber Jib Boom vangs the jib to an efficient shape on all points of sail. Broad reaching, when conventional overlapping headsails twist off and lose their efficiency, the Jib-Boomed sail keeps a powerful shape. Running, the sail poles itself out, and easily flips to a wing-and-wing mode. Sheeted hard for a beat, it makes tacking a totally hands-free operation. We put this innovative cruising rig to a test in a racing environment in the New York Yacht Club Spring Regatta at Newport, Rhode Island, with eye-opening results. With a crew of only three-Hoyt and my wife Jean and I-the Alerion tied for second in our jib and main class, beating all but one of the conventional masthead-rigged, genoa-powered, fully crewed cruiser-racers in the division. Even with only three of us aboard, it was a singularly untaxing jaunt around the buoys. It would be a disservice to Carl Schumacher, though, to credit all of the Alerion's alacrity under sail to its innovative rig. Schumacher, known for his California-style light-displacement racers, de-signed the blend of a high-performance underbody with a traditional-appearing hull above the water that gives the Alerion its stealthy speed. That combination will be familiar to readers who know the Alerion Express 20 and 28, earlier Schumacher efforts that successfully melded classic sailboat beauty with contemporary performance. While the 28, the first in the series, closely follows the above-water lines of Nathanael Herreshoff's legendary sloop Alerion, the 38 does not replicate a specific design but has a generically traditional look. With its perky counter stern, gracefully overhanging bow and springy sheer, it may suggest a Concordia yawl. Whatever it suggests, the look drives aficionados of sailboat aesthetics wild. We learned that when we moored the Alerion in Great Salt Pond during Block Island Race Week. A spectacular assemblage of grand prix racing boats filled the anchorage and surrounding marinas, but it was the modestly proportioned yawl with the classic lines that brought a steady stream of compliments and queries from sailors passing in the daily parade of launches. No wonder. The looks of the Alerion are irresistible. The boat we tested flaunted gleaming navy blue topsides set off by a red boottop and a stripe of white bottom showing above the water. Varnished teak brightwork framed her white, oval-portholed cabinhouse. With her ensign standing out in a snappy breeze, it was hard to resist the impulse to salute. On deck, the boat sports a plethora of modern accoutrements-Harken furler, Hall Quik Vang, Lewmar self-tailing winches and the aforementioned Jib Boom-but the feeling is all traditional sailing yacht. The cockpit sets the tone. A long, narrow rectangle, it's flanked by full-length bench seats backed by teak coamings. Rising from the exposed rudder post at the aft end of the cockpit is ... a gracefully curved teak tiller. A tiller on a 38-foot cruising boat is a lot like a yawl rig-rare. Besides adding an exclamation point to the Alerion's statement of yachting tradition, the tiller offered a nice, sensitive feel to the helm steering upwind. Still, I can see some owners opting for the available wheel-steering system, which counts among its advantages the opportunity to mount a big central compass on a binnacle. With the tiller, the best choice would be a pair of bulkhead-mounted compasses. Down below, the Alerion offers the basic arrangement of berths, galley and head that has served sailors so well for so long, but seldom has this so-called "plan A" been executed in more handsome fashion. The gorgeously varnished teak and holly sole, Port Orford cedar ceilings, white Formica surfaces detailed with teak trim and, on our test boat, navy cushions with red piping present a symphony of hues and textures that bespeak the practical elegance of a traditional sailing yacht. Cedar closet and wine locker The owner's cabin forward is cozy and private. Aft, up to four guests can be accommodated by settee berths and a double quarter berth. The head and galley are large; the latter offers more than ample storage for extended cruising. A nifty touch in the main cabin hanging locker is a cedar lining that gives it the aroma of a cedar closet. The chart table is a stand-up design that saves on cabin space. That apparently is also the reason the dining table is a fold-up affair. It's a beautiful piece of teak furniture that reveals a wine locker when it's in place, but stowing it against the bulkhead and unstowing it is a chore, an unnecessary one, it would seem. When it's unfolded, the cabin seems warmer and more inviting and the table offers a good handhold when under way. Why not just make it a fixed table? Besides the other advantages, this would keep the ship's wine stock on permanent display, a civilizing touch. The Alerion's jewel boxlike finishing below speaks well for the care taken by TPI, the builder. Clive Dent, project engineer for the Alerion, explained that the flawless finish of the varnish below was achieved by spraying four coats on individual pieces of the ceilings and sole before assembly. The hull is molded by the SCRIMP system, the resin infusion process that has proven successful at producing hulls that have great strength without great weight. The Alerion, a substantial 38-footer with a waterline length of more than 30 feet, weighs only 10,400 pounds. Hull materials are E-glass with balsa core and vinylester resin. Reinforcing for the keel floors, engine bed and maststep are molded in during the SCRIMP process. The lead keel is bolted to the molded keel sump. In keeping with the imperative to blend high-tech with high tradition, the rudder is carbon fiber composite attached to a carbon rudder post and turned by a wooden tiller. The Alerion makes good speed under auxiliary power provided by a Yanmar three-cylinder, 27-horsepower diesel, turns on a dime and steers well in reverse. That's a byproduct of the boat's racy, low wetted-surface underbody that features a whale's-tail fin keel and elliptical rudder. It is that combination, of course, along with a powerful sail area-to-displacement ratio, that gives the Alerion the superior performance characteristics under sail that were evident in our test. In that uncommonly thorough test, which included two days of racing and three days of cruising in all manner of weather, the Alerion 38 proved itself to be exactly what Schumacher had intended: an elegant hybrid that wraps the improvements that have invigorated contemporary sailboat design and building in a traditional look that will never need improvement. Why a yawl rig? Some might say equipping the boat with a yawl rig is playing the tradition card a bit too boldly. But not to worry-it's an option. You can get the Alerion 38 as a sloop, but then you would miss out on the advantages of life under two sticks, which Hoyt is happy to enumerate: Jib and jigger sailing not just in a blow but whenever you want to take a spin with minimum fuss; using the mizzen as a riding sail to avoid having the boat sail round the anchorage on its anchor rode; having the ability to harness the reaching power of a mizzen staysail; using the mizzen boom to hoist your dinghy to the deck. I'll add one of my own-the opportunity to stand out in a crowd of look-alike sloop rigs. I hesitate to use the word to describe something as drenched in tradition as the yawl rig, but it's cool. A complete Alerion 38 costs about $187,000, including sails and electronics-and the yawl rig. LOA 38'5"; LWL 30'1"; Beam 10'9"; Draft 5'10"; Displacement 10,400 lbs.; Ballast lbs.; Sail Area (yawl) 712 sq. ft. Base price $149,900 Newport R&D, Inc.; 1 Maritime Drive; Portsmouth, RI 02871 (401) 683-9450, fax (401) 683-5890

Saturday, 10 November 2007 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion Express Cat

Daysailer Garry Hoyt and the Alerion team bring us this updated version of the traditional Cape Cod catboat. Catboats are older than Bill Wyman and may be an acquired taste. Certainly the styling, with its snubbed-off ends and superbroad transom, gives the catboat its distinct look. However, we are seeing more boats today with minimal overhangs and broad sterns, so the catboat does not look as foreign as it did to me in the early '60s. Garry Hoyt can't leave anything alone. The catboat came with a number of genetic weaknesses or "personal idiosyncracies" and Garry attacked these with his typical innovative attitude. Catboats have too much weather helm. Catboats don't go to weather. The solution to this was to renovate the rig using a free-standing, carbon-fiber mast and the independent, deck-mounted, patented, Hoyt free-standing self-vanging boom, known as the PHFSSVB. The beauty of this rig-and I do own a boat with this rig-is that you can roll the mainsail up around the mast. This allows you to reef effortlessly to any increment of mainsail area and it also allows you to get rid of the main quickly when you get to the dock. You put this boat to bed in 30 seconds. You get under way in 30 seconds. This is good. It allows for those impulse sails when half an hour of presail preparation might be enough to convince you to stay home. Consider that this squatty little boat has an SA/D of 34. This hull looks remarkably like that of any other catboat. Even some of the old cats had hollowed entries. The Hoyt catboat pushes this hollow farther and reduces volume forward. I suppose the turn of the bilge aft might be tighter than the older models, but I don't have hull lines so that's just a guess. Traditional catboats had big, triangular, flat-plate centerboards. These workedÑsomewhat. Garry's board is a higher-aspect-ratio board that is shown with two different shapes depending upon the drawing. Note how far aft the board is. This will help with weather helm. The Express Cat's rudder is quite unusual. Catboats traditionally had big, barn-door rudders, long in chord and short in span. Moving the center of pressure of the rudder exacerbated the cat's proclivity for weather helm. Heel an old catboat over and this rudder blade acted like a speed-brake drag device. Excessive chord length was intended to make up for lack of span, as shoal draft was a requisite of these boats. The basic catboat rudder has become a classic-looking shape and Garry retained that while using an innovative pivoting blade that drops out of the big rudder cheeks. This gives the cat a modern, high-aspect-ratio rudder blade. The rudder blade swings up when you bump the bottom. An important part of sailing for me is independence. I see this catboat as a way for the less-than-athletic sailor to get away by himself and to sail safe and dry in any weather. I hate outboards, so I'd give it a try without auxiliary power for a while. I'd just fit a tiller-operated autopilot, pack a generous lunch, take a few issues of The Audiophile Voice and enjoy a day of relaxing sailing and reading. If this sounds good, don't overlook Garry Hoyt's new catboat. Sailboats don't have to be complicated to be fun.

Monday, 06 July 1998 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion Sport 33

Back in the mid-1960s the Islander 36 set the standard for medium-sized boat interiors. Then the race was on to put more and more accommodations into production “racer-cruisers” or “cruiser-racers.” A quick look at today’s typical production 33-footer of that type will show you where that got us. All the comforts you had on shore were shoehorned into the boat—or at least tried. In the early 1990s the Alerion Express line was born with an idea to return us to simple boats designed for daysailing and short cruises with a minimum of complication and an optimization of performance. The trend was off and running. Today the term “daysailer” means more than a 17-foot Lightning class sloop. It generally means any boat under 50 feet designed to optimize comfort for afternoon sailing on protected or semi-protected waters. Building off their previous series of Alerion Express models the designers at Pearson Marine have come up with this new series called the Sport series. The first in this line is the new Alerion Sport 33. The hull is identical to that of the Alerion Express 33 but weight has been taken out of the build with the result being a lighter, faster boat. The keel and rudder are also identical to the Express 33 model. This is a very pretty boat. It looks good from every angle. The freeboard is low. There is shape in the ends coupled with modest overhangs. Beam is on the narrow side of moderate with an L/B of 3.57. Draft is modest with a fin and bulb keel drawing 5 feet. The D/L is 196, with 800 pounds taken off the original Alerion Express 33 displacement. This design has a nice spring to the sheer. The overall look reminds me of a few boats that I admired when I was young, including the Kettenburg 38, the Owens cutter and of course the Concordia yawls. The deck for the Sport 33 is totally different from the Express 33. The cockpit is long and features only tiller steering. I was talking to a lady about her next boat and I suggested a boat that came with a tiller. A week later I got a letter from her telling me that she thought I was the type that would tell her to buy a car with a manual transmission too. Tillers are great on small boats. You feel every nuance of the boat’s action through the tiller. It’s the thermometer on the health of the boat at any given time. And you can hinge it up and get it completely out of the cockpit when you don’t need it. The seats adjacent to the tiller are removable in this model, so someone could sit aft facing forward if they didn’t mind the tiller cracking their knees during tacks and jibes. There is a Barney post for the mainsheet in the cockpit and a traveler aft of the coaming. The mainsheet gross tune is at the Barney post and the Harken fine tune tackle is at the traveler. I have a similar arrangement on my own boat. I bought it because I thought the fine tune looked cool. I never use it. There is a well in the foredeck for ground tackle and a small hatch in the cabintop. The coamings wrap around forward along the cabin bulkhead to form line bins. This is a clever, useful and stylish detail and it will hide the lines that spill down from the cabintop winches. There is a self-tacking jib track just forward of the mast but you also have the option of getting standard jib tracks on the deck if you want the ability to fly a jib with some overlap. If that’s the case then you also get primary winches located on the coaming about halfway down the cockpit. The rig with an SA/D of 24.4 is pretty simple and this rig comes with a masthead asymmetrical chute and the option of overlapping headsails of small LP. The interior is very simple but does have an enclosed head. It would be nice to have a rudimentary galley but it is not standard. Given the semi-custom nature of this shop I’m sure a small galley could be devised if you insisted on one. With that small custom galley the Alerion Sport 33 would come pretty close to my ideal as the ultimate boat for me. LOA 33; LWL 26’4”; Beam 9’3”; Draft 5’; Displacement 8,000 lbs.; Ballast 3,300 lbs.; Sail area 609 sq. ft.; SA/D 24.4; D/L 196; L/B 3.57; Auxiliary Yanmar 20-hp; Fuel 10 gals.; Water 8 gals. Pearson Marine Group, P.O Box 328, 373 Market St., Warren, RI 02885, (401) 247-3000, www.alerionexp.com. OBE: $199,900 Our Best Estimate of the sailaway price

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 | Print | PDF |  Email

Alerion-Express

Yesterday’s romance, today’s performer I t is easy to get caught up in Mega yacht fever. Rare and exotic materials punctuated with gold fixtures and objects of art for ambiance work skillfully together to remove any feeling at all that you are on a boat. Wait a minute! I thought we wanted to feel like we were on a boat. I wonder what goes through the head of a mega yacht owner as he sits on the upper fantail and watches Russell Upsomerup zoom around the bay, singlehanded in his Alerion-Express. “Gosh, I wish I had one.” There’s a lot to say for the feeling of power and megalomania that comes with steering a huge yacht in a breeze, but the best way to appreciate the joys of sailing is to reduce it to its basic elements. If you are a beginner, an El Toro dinghy can do quite nicely. I have to drape myself across the little eight-footer with my feet usually dangling in the lee wash. Take it up a notch and you can tackle a Laser dinghy. You will get some wet lessons on how to jibe in a breeze and your tummy muscles will spring back to life. When the Laser begins to bore you I suggest a windsurfer. Now you are physically part of the hardware of sailing. The slightest change in body attitude will result in performance changes that you will feel from head to toe. These simple approaches to enjoying life under sail will reacquaint you with the basics that probably were responsible for your initial attraction to sailing, i.e., working with the elements, self-sufficiency and that strange feeling that comes� with having mastery over wind and wave. I’m going to try over the next few months to bring you some smaller boats and the Carl Schumacher-designed Alerion-Express is a great example. The general aesthetic model for this design is straight out of Nat Herreshoff’s 1916 design Alerion. The gentle sweep of the sheer is balanced by moderate overhangs and freeboard that is low by today’s standards. Beam is narrow, and the hull shape looks to be moderate in all aspects. The D/L ratio is 168. Below the waterline the design shows a modern fin keel and a semi-balanced spade rudder. To me this is the most exciting mix of design features. Take an attractive, dated topsides look and blend it with performance characteristics below the waterline. The result is a boat that has the romance of yesterday and the performance of today. You could cruise the Alerion-Express. The accommodations are quite spartan, but there is a w.c. tucked under the V-berth. The first step into the cabin is the top of the icebox and a camp stove would do nicely. A Yanmar diesel is available as an option. The rig is a fractional rig with self-tacking jib. The mainsheet leads forward from the Harken traveller to a barney post in the middle of the cockpit. The SA/D ratio is 20.97. I think that this sail area coupled with a healthy ballast-to-displacement ratio will result in a stiff and fast ride. The Alerion-Express is currently being built by Tillotson-Pearson in Rhode Island. All gear is first rate and the overall look is one of a sophisticated and refined small yacht. Tillotson-Pearson, Inc., Market St., Warren, RI 02885. LOA 28’3” LWL 22’10” Beam 8’2” Draft 4’6” Displacement 4,400 lbs. Ballast 2,000 lbs. Sail Area 352 SA/D 20.97 D/L 268 Auxiliary Yanmar JGM 10

Tuesday, 07 July 1992 | Print | PDF |  Email