Info for scale model Alden Zephyr

[budrosco]

I am looking for detail views of cockpit layout, or anything that will help develop full plans for a 3/4" to the foot model.
I have lines drawings, pictures and blurb from Alden and a faulty memory of Orca which I used to own. As I get deeper into the plans, I know I'll need much more info than I have. Thanks for anything you may have.
Bud Rosenberg

 

[Bill Merrick]

Bud,

I have an Alden Mistral (981-A) built in 1964 that had the optional Zephyr deck. The cockpit was totally trashed when I bought the boat and it was finished by a different yard than the Zephyr so I'm not sure how much help I can be but I will try as best I can. What are the specifics you are interested in?

Bill Merrick
Seattle WA

 

[CaravelaofExe]

In my Alden Fiberglass Boats List you'll see that I haven't established who finished Zephyr 959G "Orca" (ex "Chipmunk"): LeComte? or Halmatic-Field? Anyone know?

Bill, when you say you have a Mistral with a Zephyr deck does that mean that your deck and house and cockpit are fiberglass? Or just deck and house? Or what? How much is fiberglass and how much is wood?

Good images that might help in model making at: http://reno2.com/alden/images/949/Orca/

 

[Bill Merrick]

Iain,

Alden Mistral 981-A has an all fiberglass deck, cockpit, and cabin top like the Zyphyr ( Design 959). When I ordered the drawing for the boat, Alden included the deck drawings ( drw #4 and 5) for the Zephyr detailing the deck and cabin top construction. Handwritten adjacent to the title block is a notation " Used on 981 (Deck only)". It was one of the many options they must have offered on these boats. Actually, my boat varies from the plan in that there are two back seat hatches which allows the boat to be yawl rigged though my boat is sloop rigged. The Zephyr drawings show a single hatch in the middle implying they were intended to be sloops.

Bill

 

[budrosco]

I am a previous owner of Orca, ex Chipmunk. Not certain, but she was fitted out in Britain either by Halmatic or a sub-contractor perhaps?????.Marine ?????. Rick Jendrysek of Fort Myers Beach is the present owner. Orca has fiberglass deck and cockpit with large hatches p & S and two small hatches aft.
Am contemplating building a model after the first of the year and am purchasing some of the extant drawings from Alden Started at 3/4 " to the foot, but my workshop won't hold that so am retreating to 1/2 " to the foot. Finishing up another model and will be starting on Orca when this one is done. Thanks all for replying and will keep in touch as things progress
Best!
Bud Rosenberg

 

[budrosco]

HI- thanks for the pictures. What a tremendous job. The cockpit redo looks great and the fixed glass in the doghouse looks fine with the wood trim removed. Boy, those wood trim pieces were fragile and leaky.
I remember, though I haven't found the documentation, that some of the finish work on Orca was done by Field Aircraft Services. Where Chipmunk lived when I bought her was Saybrook Marine who is also listed as a finishing source. Stuart Woodman, a principal at Saybrook Maarine told me he crewed for Mr. Baker. BTW in those days, Saybrook Marine was one of the white glove boatyards you don't often find. When I first looked at soon to be Orca, she was stored indoors in a bay where you could eat off the floor and had a parachute dust cover. Her finish was like a mirror. Stored next to her was Charley Morgan's "Paper Tiger". This kid was impressed! The boat even had fitted canvas covers for the side decks. Well, back to researching. Thanks all for your help
Best for the Holiday Season
Bud

 

[Orca]

Bud - you're correct about Field Aircraft finishing Orca and I hope you'll keep us posted on your modeling progress. If you require any particular detail photos let me know.

Rick

 

[TomY]

Beautiful boat Rick. The Zephyr design has a very nice over all scale.

 

[budrosco]

gress is made, Well, the work on little Orca has been begun. First, though, we must thank all who volunteered help and especially Rick for those fabulous pictures. We are in the midst of relearning drafting skills which have diminished over many years from a not so hot start. The first job was to design and fabricate a set of 3:2 proportional dividers--new ones were about 100 bucks. They came out accurate enough to use and we are pleased with them. A 1/8 to the foot lines drawing is in progress and materials purchased and mostly delivered. Still waiting for some neccessary prints from Alden, but the plate is pretty full for now.
I hope there will be pictures as we go along
Best!
and thanks again
Bud

 

[budrosco]

the hull of little OrcaMarch 23, 2008 1422 hrs

Hi-- Making progress on the hull of little Orca, at 1/2 IN. per foot, reread the posts and found that Orca must have the yawl deck because I seem to remember 2 small hatches in the rear cockpit seat. If anyone can provide seat dimensions and spacing, we can finish that detail.
Experimenting with cloth patches on deck surface to approximate the checkered non skid, but things are terribly small.

 

[budrosco]

the hull of little OrcaMarch 23, 2008 1422 hrs

Hi-- Making progress on the hull of little Orca, at 1/2 IN. per foot, reread the posts and found that Orca must have the yawl deck because I seem to remember 2 small hatches in the rear cockpit seat. If anyone can provide seat dimensions and spacing, we can finish that detail.
Experimenting with cloth patches on deck surface to approximate the checkered non skid, but things are terribly small.
Planked the hull in basswood and it faired in nicely. If things work out, (as they never do), the hull should be complete in a couple of months. Can't find teak in small sizes so am still searching the internet. Wouldn't like to fake the trim.
When a little more progress is made will upload photos.

Thanks again to everyone for your help

Bud

 

[Bill Merrick]

Bud,

Again I have a Mistral ( 981-A) that has a fiberglass Zephyr (959) deck. Mine has two rear hatches implying it is set up for a Yawl rig.

My hatches are 23-7/8 " wide by 14-5/8 " deep based on dimensions I used to remake mine. According to theMistral drawing 981 Drw No.7, the spacing is 12". That looks about right from my photos but Iwould have to measure my boat to be sure. I may be there in the next few evenings. I'd send a photo but can't seem to figure out how to attach one.

Bill Merrick

 

[CaravelaofExe]

Hi Bill,

In the "Post a reply" box, look down to the 2 tabs and click "Upload attachment". Click "Browse". Choose the image you want from your computer's directory (if using a PC, by clicking on it and then clicking "Open" in your PC's "File upload" window - not sure how it works with Mac). Back in the "Post a reply" page's "Upload attachment" section click "Add the file". You can write a caption in the "File comment" box. You don't seem to have to click the "Place inline" button. You can see how it looks by clicking on the "Preview" button at the bottom of the page, but make sure you use your browser's back arrow if you want to go back to adjust something, otherwise you might loose what you just did, including text. If happy, click "Submit".

Regarding sizing of images, Circa 225kB at c. 1024 x 768 seems to work well for size when enlarged, so you would want to size the image before going through the above procedure. Images straight out of digi cameras are often over large when opened in the larger option in the posting. I find the simplest way of doing this on a PC with Microsoft Office is to first copy the image (important! - or you can chose "save as" at the end of the process - but I prefer to copy first), open the copy image with Microsoft Office Picture Manager, click "Edit Pictures", click "Compress Pictures", choose "documents", click OK, SAVE.

Iain

 

[Orca]

the hull of little OrcaMarch 23, 2008 1422 hrs

Hi-- Making progress on the hull of little Orca, at 1/2 IN. per foot, reread the posts and found that Orca must have the yawl deck because I seem to remember 2 small hatches in the rear cockpit seat. If anyone can provide seat dimensions and spacing, we can finish that detail.
Bud

Bud -
I was at the boat yard yesterday and took some basic cockpit measurements of Orca. I've made some modifications to the cockpit by adding lockers, moving coamings inboard, moving controls, and extending the bridge deck, but these measurements should be helpful to your project.

distance original coaming to coaming aft - 60"
2 lazerette locker lids - 24" x 14"
distance cockpit fore to aft - 95"
distance original coaming to coaming forward - 80"
original bridge deck - 8"
length of cockpit locker lid - 55"

Rick

 

[stevens]

I have a '61 Alden Zephyr and restored the cockpit along original line have some photos if you want to send your e-mail
address.

 

[budrosco]

Stevens---
Thanks for your offer. I am right now working on the cockpit, but the Alden drawings are sketchy on small details and any info will help.
My Email url is budrosco@tampabay.rr.com and if I can ever help you as you are for me, be sure it'll be done.
Best!
Bud