Alden design help

[David Satter]

I'd like to find out a little more about this design. Alden 25' Keel - Centerboard (woodenboatstore.com) I can't seem to find a name or design #. Even on the Alden site.
Maybe none were built? Any help would be appreciated. I guess I could order the digital study plans and see if that has any more info.

[JimConlin]

The Alden design office has closed its doors and the plans have gone to the Hart Nautical Collection at MIT.
http://www.aldendesigns.com/

You might talk with the curator, Kurt Hasselbalch.

[David Satter]

Thanks Jim, I did look at the MIT site but didn't come up with anything. I'll try and contact Kurt. sailboat data has a lot of Alden designs listed but nothing 25 feet.

[Don Z.]

My book John G. Alden and his Yacht Designs (Robert W. Carrick and Richard Henderson, International Marine, 1995) lists design 436 as a "Centerboard sloop, 25' X 22' X 9'6" X 3', designed 1929. Not built."

[Wiley Baggins]

Thanks Jim, I did look at the MIT site but didn't come up with anything. I'll try and contact Kurt. sailboat data has a lot of Alden designs listed but nothing 25 feet.

When Niels Helleberg was still alive he could generally find plans so I’d be at least cautiously optimistic. The folks at MIT are also quite adept at providing what’s needed from the Alden collection.

If you plug in the design number Don Z. provided into the database at the MIT site, the design comes up - http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/detail.php?ID=687

Based on the posts above and the info on the MIT site, I imagine WoodenBoat has all the same information MIT has including the building specifications (the three “additional pages of notes from the designer” mentioned on the WB site).

[David Satter]

Thanks everybody That's it #436. a 1929 design. Adding it to my dream boats. Looks like none built though. Maybe I should be the first.

[Benson Gray]

You may also want to consider the Alden design number 544 as described at http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=819&s=1 which doesn't appear to have ever been built either. This was a sailing canoe designed for the Old Town Canoe Company. It was similar to the 16/30 as described at https://smallboatsmonthly.com/articl...sailing-canoe/ in more detail. Please let me know if you ever decide to build one.

Another alternative is the design number 512 as described at http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=777&s=1 which had many examples made. See http://www.stroudwater.biz/Alden/ for some pictures of the first one that shipped to John Alden in 1931 for testing.

Benson

[Edward Pearson]

I remember seeing a 21ft double ender in Alden's archive. There was a small black and white picture of a boat built when Alden's site was functional. It was a small keelboat. Can't remember if it also had a centreboard. It was a sweet looking boat. I think it was this one...it seems Fenwick Williams drew a few while working for Alden, so I guess it would be an 'Alden design'. Worth looking at too...



More here.

https://www.offcenterharbor.com/drea...en-knockabout/

Woodenboat store look like they have the plans for it.

[David Satter]

That's pretty cool Benson that Alden did design work for Old Town

[Benson Gray]

The Alden 544 design drawings are available at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.ph...10/#post-61249 if you are curious. The Alden database has six designs that were done for Old Town as shown in the list below.

Benson


http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=777&s=1
http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=778&s=1
http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=810&s=1
http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=819&s=1
http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=820&s=1
http://www.aldendesigns.com/99years/...php?ID=821&s=1