Alden Sailboats Design

Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Hi there, I am looking at an Alden sailboat. One of the features that I review is the ratio of ballast to displacement. My current boat, a C&C 30, has a 42% B/D ratio, which makes it very stiff.
Beneteau's have 25-35%, that is why I have always stayed away from them. They derive their stability from their form (width).
I note the Alden Mistral has what I would call a very low ratio - scary low!
How can they cross the Atlantic and win the Bermuda race with such a low ratio? What is in the design that enables them to cross oceans safely?
Your comments would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Hi there, I am looking at an Alden sailboat. One of the features that I review is the ratio of ballast to displacement. My current boat, a C&C 30, has a 42% B/D ratio, which makes it very stiff.
Beneteau's have 25-35%, that is why I have always stayed away from them. They derive their stability from their form (width).
I note the Alden Mistral has what I would call a very low ratio - scary low!
How can they cross the Atlantic and win the Bermuda race with such a low ratio? What is in the design that enables them to cross oceans safely?
Your comments would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Hi, Welcome! Are you looking at a Mistral? This site is a little quiet but there are other connections to owners.

I can't address the B/D question comparison, other than to say I don't understand the 'scary low' ratio for the Mistral. Comparisons of older and newer designs should take in many aspects. Sometimes they don't work.

The Mistral is a seaworthy design with decades of sea miles to prove it. On design that enables a boat to cross oceans, I'd say that is more dependent on those sailing the boat to deal with adverse conditions, should they arise.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Ballast/Displacement doesn't nearly tell the whole story.. The righting moment generated by the ballast is what generates stiffness.. so the center of gravity of the ballast and its distance below the center of buoyancy along with hull shape is what "stiffness" is made of..
example: put 10 pounds in the palm of your hand and rotate your arm ... no problem.. now put 10 pounds on a stick attached to your hand such that the weight is a couple of feet below your palm.. now try to rotate.. MUCH stiffer.. Ballast weight is the same, "displacement" weight of hand and ballast is the same so the ballast to displacement is the same.. only the case where the GC of the ballast is below the axis is much stiffer to rotate
 
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