Alden 44

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
This is my 1978 Alden 44, Puffin, anchored off Tiburon Ca.

Are there any Alden 44 sailors lurking in this forum?
View attachment 134725
Hi Chris! Great boat you have.

We started this forum years ago with a small group of the earliest Fiberglass Alden's. But now we hope to expand and include any age of Alden boats. We're pretty new here and trying to channel participants interested in Alden boats. Join us and if you know other Alden owners, bring them in! We can set up an Alden 44 thread.

We're channeling participants from our Alden Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/aldenyachts/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
One of my all time favorite boats, the lines on the Aldens are absolutely beautiful, maybe someday, but I don't think I will live long enough to ever raise the capital.
 
Aug 30, 2014
10
Alden 44 Pt Richmond
Glad to see someone on the west coast has an Alden. It's getting too crowded on this coast
As far as I know, there are just a few Alden 44s in the San Francisco area. I'm in Pt Richmond. There is a Alden called Kismet that lives at the Encinal YC in Alameda. There was one listed for sale at a brokerage in Emeryville a few years back but I don't know where it ended up.
 
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CaravelaofExe

Alden Forum Moderator
Jan 24, 2006
221
Alden Caravelle 42 / Northern European waters
Great to have your input here. I was always surprised that during the life of the previous incarnation of this forum, 2004-2017, we did not receive any input from these fine 1970s-2000s Alden Yachts/ Tillertson Corp, Rhode Island-built Alden designs. However many of us experienced the pleasure of corresponding with their designer, the late and much missed Niels Helleberg.

When we were working through the forum's move to Sailboat Owners I cobbled together a list of the various versions. I hadn't realised how many length overall variations there were within the individual design numbers 1180, 1193 and 1215... How was that achieved I wonder...

1036 ~ Alden 44 ~ 1977-1991 ~ 38 built

1180 ~ Alden 50/54 ~ 1985-2002 ~ 16 built

1193 ~ Alden 46/50 ~ 1988-1997 ~ 12 built

1215 ~ Alden 43/45 ~ 1993-1997 ~ 8 built
 
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May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
the boat came with two stern options. long sterns like my boat and reverse tramsoms for the more modern look. our full sterns a more suseptable to being grabbed by following seas. i have never broached aeolus. in heavey weather i try and push back as hard as i can. i try and never check down. in a deep run i like sailing as fast as i can for control in a huge seaway.
 
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May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
ive been pooped once. filled the cockpit to the brim, didnot lose stearage. never had blue water over the bow. i love aldens
 
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May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
lots and lots of water over both ends, many times on the US1 design. different animal
 
May 20, 2019
2
Alden 44 Duluth, MN
So I am a couple of years late to this party....

I am about to make an offer on a 44 from 1977. Have any 44 owners had problems with the hull absorbing water? The boat I am looking at needs a complete refit which will include re-coring the decks. I am curious if this can be a problem with a vacuum bagged hull as well.
 
Nov 8, 2019
1
Alden Alden 44, MK 1 Kiel
So I am a couple of years late to this party....

I am about to make an offer on a 44 from 1977. Have any 44 owners had problems with the hull absorbing water? The boat I am looking at needs a complete refit which will include re-coring the decks. I am curious if this can be a problem with a vacuum bagged hull as well.
Hi Duluth,

Yes, water can be an issue. I went through the whole process of peeling (gelplaning), hotvaccing and refurbishing seven years ago (Hitch-Hike-Heidi.de | Lotterleben par excellence). It's quite a challenge, but in case you've got time and enough patience, you probably won't regret having bought an Alden. She is a beauty and an extremely sturdy boat, not to mention the quality wood inside.
Last year I re-cored parts of the deck, which was no problem at all (I've got no Teak decks. Two padeyes had been unprofessionally caulked and installed next to the shrouds, which absorbed water over the years.) Two areas of about 50x40cm were effected. I had to cut the GRP of the deck into small pieces as I had difficulties to tear it off, although the Balsa was rotten. The outer GRP layer is about 8mm thick followed by 2cm Balsa and another "inner" GRP skin of about 5mm. After thoroughly drying the inner GRP shell it's literally a pleasure to squeeze the foam into the Epoxy and get everything aligned again.
Since the Blasa cubes of the vaccum-bagged hull and deck are perfectly saturated and literally watertight encapsuled the water apparently doesn't spread too fast and too far. At least in my case the effected area was manageable.

Cheers,
Jim
 
Sep 26, 2022
19
Aldenn MKII Rock Hall
I am also late here. I bought a 1984 Alden 44 last summer (summer of 2021). I bought her in Connecticut and have since moved her to Rock Hall on the Chesapeake. Loving her so far. Looking to connect with other Alden 44 owners to exchange ideas and knowledge.
photo of 44' Alden 44 Mk II
 
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Jul 16, 2023
3
Alden 44 Harbor springs
Our family has owned a 44 since 1987. Built in 84. Was on eat coast, now in Harbor Springs MI.

Has anyone repowered their 44? How did you get the Perkins out? What did you put in?