Wooden Ships Comments on this John Alden Challenger Yawl
John Alden Challenger Yawl designed by John G. Alden & Co Inc. The hull and decks were moulded by Halmatic Ltd, Portsmouth then fitted out by Field Aircraft Services, Loughborough in 1962.
Built to Lloyds 100A1 standard.
This 38′ bermudan yawl design is noticeably American with greater beam and shallower draft than many comparable UK designs of the time. The benefit of this was to give the same interior volume and the same waterline length but for less overall length, making the vessel easier to handle and reducing running costs.
Purchased by the current owners father in 1999 and given a thorough refit, finishing in 2006. This period of work saw an overhaul of the interior, new rig and all new systems. In 2015 the hull and decks were refurbished by Berthons where the varnish work was renewed and the topsides re-painted using Awlgrip paint.
These attractive boats offer a lot of comfortable interior space and a large cockpit, easily handled by a small crew, or even single handed, and this yacht has been well maintained and upgraded over the years.
Length on Deck 38’6”
Length Waterline 27’
Beam 11’3”
Draft 4’ plate up
Thames Tonnage 15TM
Construction
GRP moulded hull stiffened with GRP frames.
The marine plywood bulkheads are bonded into the hull to add stiffness.
Underwater hull finished with Coppercoat and topsides finished with Awlgrip 2 pack paint.
External lead ballast keel fastened to the hull with bronze keel bolts.
Bronze centreplate hinged in the ballast keel with a 2” pivot bolt. Centreplate lifts into a GRP centreboard case under the cabin table.
GRP moulded decks bonded to the hull. Deck finished externally with a yacht laid teak deck glued to the GRP and joggled to a king plank.
Varnished teak toe rail all round. Stainless steel stemhead fitting, pushpit, pulpit and stanchions.
Varnished teak coachroof coamings with chromed bronze framed portlights. Coachroof deck is marine plywood sheathed in GRP.
Varnished teak grab rails, dorade vent boxes and forehatch frame on the coachroof.
Self draining cockpit with varnished teak thwarts and scrubbed teak cockpit sole. Wheel steering on a Whitlock pedestal with varnished teak wheel. Varnished teak cockpit table hinged on the pedestal.
Bridge deck to the sliding companion hatch .
Rig
Bermudan yawl rig on alloy masts.
Keel stepped Selden twin spreader main mast with in mast furling system. Anodised alloy boom with a Selden rod kicker.
Painted alloy mizzen mast with a varnished wooden mizzen boom.
Stainless steel 1×19 standing rigging with stainless rigging screws to internal stainless chain plates. Rigging approximately 15 years old.
Furlex 200S roller furling headsail system.
Pair of Anderson 46 self tailing primary cockpit sheet winches, electric powered.
Pair of Antal W16 self tailing secondary cockpit sheet winches.
1 x Antal W16 self tailing halyard winch on the coachroof.
Mainsail, mizzen, genoa and spinnaker in average condition, all date from 2006.
Machinery
Lister Petter Alpha PLWs4 40hp 4cyl fresh water cooled diesel installed new in 2006.
Mechanical gearbox to a 3 blade feathering bronze propeller.
Built in GRP fuel tank moulded into the hull below the cockpit sole
4 x 12 volt batteries for engine starting and domestic use. Separate 12 volt battery forward for bow thruster.
Charging from engine alternator controlled by a Sterling alternator charge regulator or through 240 volt Sterling battery charger.
2 x stainless steel water tanks under the saloon settee berths.
Sidepower bow thruster.
Accommodation
6 berths with 2 saloon settee berths, 2 saloon pilot berths and 2 single berths in the fore cabin.
Companion hatch offset to starboard with steps down into the cabin.
Chart desk to starboard faces outboard with chartplotter and electric panel under the side deck.
Galley to port with 2 stainless steel sinks with hot and cold pressurised water. Gas galley stove with 4 burners, oven and grill. 12 volt fridge under the worktop.
Main saloon cabin with a settee berth either side and a centreline dropleaf saloon table. The centreboard comes up into the GRP casing under the table. Each side is a pilot berth outboard under the deck head. Numerous storage lockers and drawers around the saloon.
Starboard side passage moving forward with heads compartment to port. Heads has a Jabsco manual sea toilet which discharges into a black waste tank. Hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.
Forward cabin with 2 single V-berths and forehatch above.
