1960 Alden 39'
11.89 m1960 Alden Challenger Yawl
39' (11.89 m) MUSKRAT
The Alden Challenger yawl MUSKRAT is a fine example of this classic design in good condition and offered at a reasonable price.
SOLD
Description
Designed by the offices of John G Alden Yacht design the Challenger Yawl was developed through a series of tank tests at the Stevens Institute model basin with the aim of producing a first-class seagoing sailing yacht to be built in the new FRP material, but in basic design and finish she was to retain the ‘style of the accepted first class sailing yacht’.
Halmatic Ltd of Portsmouth (UK) produced these hulls which were finished with mahogany superstructure to keep the feel of a classic yacht and fitted out below with varnished wooden joinery.
The result is a very elegant and sea kindly yacht, eminently capable offshore and with her center board lifted she has a draft of just 4’ enabling access to areas many boats her size cannot go. The split yawl rig is very easy to handle and with a relatively low aspect she does not get overpowered easily.
MUSKRAT is a fine example of this venerable Alden classic and should be afforded serious consideration by those looking to acquire a cruising yacht with proven capabilities and impeccable provenance.
LOA38'
LOA Inch6''
LOA11.73''
TypeSail
ConditionUsed
Specifications
MUSKRAT
38'6" (11.73 Meters)
Sail-Used
1960
Diesel
Fiberglass
Full Details
Principle Dimensions and Information
Designer: John G. Alden
Builder: Halmatic (U.K.)
Year Built: 1960
Hull Material: FRP
LOA: 38.50’
LWL: 27.25’
Beam: 11.00’
Draft (minimum): 4.00’
Draft (maximum): 8.00’
Displacement: 16,000 lbs.
Ballast (keel): 4,650 lbs. (lead)
Ballast (centerboard): 350 lbs. (bronze)
Rig Configuration: Masthead Yawl
Sail Area: 625 sq. ft.
Auxiliary Propulsion: Westerbeke Model 44B / 4-Cylinder / 44 HP diesel
Engine Hours: 939 Hours (07/10/2024)
Fuel Capacity: 20 Gallons (2 tanks)
Freshwater Capacity: 100 Gallons (2 tanks)
Blackwater / Holding Tank Capacity: 20 Gallons (1 tank)
Hull, Deck, House and Cockpit Construction
Full keel (with centerboard) with cut-away fore foot and keel hung rudder underwater configuration allowing for propellor to be protected in aperture between keel and rudder.
Solid FRP hull with painted exterior finish.
Decks are solid FRP construction with supporting deck beams glassed in place.
Deck bedded, bonded and bolted to hull at over-lapping deck to hull flange further fastened by thru-bolted mahogany toe rails and taff rail
Cabin house is traditional wooden construction with solid Mahogany structural members, varnished cabin sides, cabin front and aft bulkhead
Cabin top is marine plywood with an over lay of FRP cloth set in polyester resin with a painted exterior finish.
Cockpit is of traditional wooden construction with solid Mahogany structural members, varnished solid Mahogany cockpit coamings and varnished solid Mahogany cockpit well vertical sides.
Cockpit seating, bridge deck and cockpit sole are of marine plywood over laid with FRP cloth set in polyester resin and a final exterior teak deck under foot.
Exterior finishes are paint and varnish.
Bottom is Green anti-fouling paint
White boot stripe
Dark Blue topsides
Gold Cove stripe.
Off White decks and cabin top
Deck Hardware and Features
Cast Bronze bow stem iron with integral bow chocks
Bronze bow pulpit with navigation (port and starboard) lights
Bronze stanchions posts with single (coated wire) life line
Life line opening gate starboard side
Stainless steel stern pulpit with navigation (stern) light and teak outboard motor storage pad
Bronze diamond-shaped pad eye on center-line forward (staysail tack)
Cast Bronze bow cleats
Stainless steel bow anchor roller
Simpson Lawrence 555, 2-speed manual anchor windlass
Salt water anchor wash-down spigot forward
Varnished Mahogany toe rails port and starboard with varnished Mahogany taff rail aft
Bronze Genoa tracks with adjustable cars (port and starboard toe rails)
Varnished Mahongay dorade box with Bronze dorade cowl forward (vents fwd. cabin)
Bronze chain plates and chain plate covers for main and mizzen standing rigging (port and starboard side decks)
Bronze deck plates with threaded inserts for sail leads (port and starboard side decks)
Bronze deck fitting / fill “Waste” (port side deck)
Bronze deck fitting / fill “Water” (port side deck)
Bronze deck fitting / fill “Fuel” (port side deck)
Bronze deck plate for old galley stove Charlie Noble (port side deck)
Bronze deck fitting / fill “Water” (starboard side deck)
Bronze mizzen mast step
Cast bronze docking cleats aft (port and starboard)
Cast bronze docking line chocks on taff rail (port and starboard)
Bronze main mast backstay tang
Bronze diamond pad eye for mizzen sheet (aft on center line)
Bronze low-profile dorade cowl (vents lazarette)
Varnished Mahogany propane storage box (supplies fuel to galley stove / oven and cabin heater)
Cabin Top and House Hardware and Features
Varnished Mahogany cabin sides, front and back, varnished Mahogany cabin eye brow above cabin sides and front, marine plywood with FRP overlay and painted exterior finish
Large fixed portlights, 2ea for main saloon (port and starboard cabin sides)
Bronze opening ports (main saloon & head) and fixed portlight (forward cabin) in port cabin sides
Bronze opening ports (main saloon and forward cabin and fixed port (main saloon) in starboard cabin sides.
Fixed portlight (forward cabin) in cabin front on center line
Vanished Mahogany opening hatch forward (above forward cabin)
Fixed wood shell block and Bronze diamond pad eye forward (staysail sheet)
Bronze main mast partners
Bronze diamond pad eye just aft of mast partner (boom downhaul)
Varnished Mahogany dorade boxes with Bronze dorade cowls port and starboard on cabin top (vent main saloon and head compartment)
Winch handle holders (with Bronze winch handles) mounted on dorade boxes
Cabin heater chimney / Charle Noble port cabin top
Varnished Mahogany opening hatch (above main saloon)
Varnished handrails port and starboard on cabin top
Varnished Mahogany sliding companionway hatch and sea hood.
Varnished Mahogany boat hook storage chocks with varnished teak and bronze boat hook
Cockpit Hardware and Features
Self-bailing cockpit with scupper drains port, starboard, forward and aft
Laid teak overlay of FRP cockpit bridge deck, seat tops and cockpit sole.
Varnished Mahogany cabin back, cockpit coamings port, starboard and aft
Varnished Mahogany companionway drop boards and screens
Bronze winch and handle to centerboard up / down control
Horizon AWI, depth & speed instruments mounted on cabin back to starboard of companionway
Primary and secondary sheet winches mounted on Bronze pedestals port and starboard outboard of cockpit coamings
Cast Bronze sheet cleats mounted outboard of cockpit coamings port and starboard
Edson steering pedestal with stainless steel binnacle guard and engine controls
Bronze engine shut-off lever on aft face of cockpit well.
Stainless steel “Destroyer” steering wheel with elk hide covering
Raymarine wheel auto-pilot mounted on steering wheel
Winch handle holder with winch handle mounted on steering pedestal
Varnished Mahogany cup holder mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard
Westerbeke engine ignition panel on seat locker front to port of helm
Raymarine auto-pilot control on seat locker front to port of helm
Garmin GPS mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard
Bronze binnacle cover over Danforth Constellation helm compass.
Access to emergency steering under aft cockpit seat
Access to engine by way of Bronze water-tight hatch in cockpit sole.
Main sheet blocks and cast Bronze cleats mounted on aft cockpit coaming.
Interior Accommodations, Layout, Features and Equipment (bow to stern)
Interior spaces of MUSKRAT are nicely fitted out in the Herreshoff style of white painted hull interior, bulkheads and joinery fronts accented by varnished Mahogany trim, cabin sole, doors, drawers and locker fronts.
Natural light and ventilation well provided by both fixed and opening ports along with opening overhead hatches.
After dark interior spaces are nicely illuminated with well-placed area and reading lamps along with gimbaled kerosene lamps.
On cold evenings a Luke propane fired soapstone cabin heater takes off the chill allowing MUSKAT’s crew to enjoy cruising well into the shoulder seasons of early spring and late fall in not headed south for warmer climes.
Furthest forward is chain locker accessed by removable vented panel at forward bulkhead
Sleeping accommodations for two persons in (forward cabin) Vee-berth configuration with drawer and locker storage under berths, shelving for personal gear above and outboard of the berthing platform and a hanging locker aft of the starboard berth.
Next aft is the passageway aft to the main saloon area with hanging locker and drawer storage cabinet to starboard and the head area to port.
Head area is equipped with a manually operated marine toilet (plumbed for overboard and holding tank discharge), porcelain sink basing suppled with hot and cold pressure water, vanity mirror behind door, stainless steel towel racks and lots of storage capability in drawers and lockers.
Continuing aft one finds themselves in the main saloon area with settee’s and pilot berths to both port and starboard separated by a varnished Mahogany drop leak dining table on center line with drawer and locker storage under each pilot berths and additional drawer and locker storage space forward of the settee’s and pilot berths and the Luke soapstone cabin heater forward of the port settee which slides inboard to create a comfortable double berth.
Partial bulkheads aft of the main saloon settee’s separate the main saloon and the galley area which all the way aft using both port and starboard sides of this area with companionway ladder and engine access between with the ladder being slightly offset to starboard and engine access on center-line.
Galley equipment in addition to generous storage in drawers and lockers consists of a Luke gimbaled, 3-burner propane stove and oven (to starboard), a stainless steel sink basin supplied with hot and cold pressure water on aft counter slightly to port of center line and a well-insulated icebox to starboard.
Spars and Rigging
Masthead rigged yawl rig configuration
Varnished Sitka Spruce, hollow box construction, single spreader, main and mizzen masts
Solid Varnished Sitka Spruce main and mizzen booms.
Main boom as originally used was roller furling allowing for infinite reefing. Current boom set-up with lazy jacks so used as a standard (non-roller furling) boom with single reef for main sail. If desired lazy jacks can be removed to allow for original roller furling use.
Spinnaker pole
Stainless steel 1x19 wire standing rigging (shrouds and stays) with Bronze turnbuckle adjusters
All sheets are of modern, low-stretch yacht braid.
Halyards are all wire, rope to wire spliced or all rope (modern, low-stretch yacht braid) depending upon application.
Sail Trim, Handling and Control Equipment
Harken Mark II roller-furling headstay
Main sail last jack system
Barlow Bronze wire captured-reel, single-speed main halyard winch (main mast)
Barlow Bronze single-speed genoa halyard winch (main mast)
Barlow Bronze single-speed spinnaker & staysail halyard winch (main mast)
Bronze halyard cleats (main mast)
Varnished Teak shroud rollers, 6ea (main mast upper and lower shrouds)
Barlow Bronze wire captured-reel, single-speed mizzen halyard winch (mizzen mast)
Bronze halyard cleats (mizzen mast)
Winch handle holder and winch handle (mizzen mast)
Multi-purchase main and mizzen sheet arrangements with Bronze cleats
Primary Sheet Winches: Barient Bronze 27-48, 2-speed, self-tailing (2ea)
Secondary Sheet Winches: Barlow Bronze single-speed (2ea).
Bronze traveler for staysail (current removed)
Sails and Canvas
Main sail with single reef (Center Harbor Sails)
Roller furling Genoa, 130% (Aurora Sails, 2016)
Mizzen (Mike Bartles, 2023)
Storm Trysail
Roller furling Staysail
Mizzen Staysail
Gennaker / light weight cruising spinnaker
Main sail cover (Sunbrella, Toast)
Mizzen cover (Sunbrella, Toast)
Cockpit dodger (Sunbrella and isinglass, Toast)
Auxiliary Propulsion and Fuel Systems
Westerbeke Model 44B / 4-Cylinder / 44 HP / naturally aspirated diesel
Engine Hours: 939 Hours (07/10/2024)
Westerbeke ignition panel with tachometer, hour meter, voltage meter, water temperature & oil pressure gauges
Separate lever controls for throttle and transmission on Edson pedestal
Bronze lever engine shut-off on aft face of cockpit well
Traditional flax packing style stuffing box stuffing box
1 1/8” Bronze propellor shaft
Bronze fixed-blade, 3-blade propeller
Fuel Capacity: 20 Gallons (2 Aluminum tanks, 10 Gallons ea.)
Fuel Gauge located below by ship’s electrical panel
Racor fuel filter
Electrical System
Electrical Systems
12-Volt DC ship’s electrical system
Individual battery banks for ship’s lighting and engine start
Batteries stored in secured and covered battery boxes
Perko rotary style main battery selector switch
Nova 14 circuit electrical panel with battery condition meter
Battery charging by engine alternator.
12-Volt outlets
Freshwater Plumbing and Sanitation Systems
100 Gallons freshwater capacity (2 Stainless steel tanks, 50 Gallons ea.)
Hot and cold pressure water supplied to sink basins in galley and head
Jabsco pressure water pump
Engine heat exchange hot water.
Force 10 domestic hot water heater / storage tank
Wilcox and Crittenden manually operated marine toilet with varnished Mahogany seat and lid
Waste system plumbed to discharge overboard, discharge to holding tank, discharge from holding tank overboard and dockside holding tank pump out by way of deck fitting on port side deck
20 Gallons Blackwater Holding tank
Dometic Sealand 4 tank watch system for monitoring of blackwater / holding tank
Electronics, Communication and Navigational Equipment
Danforth Constellation helm compass
John E. Hand and Sons ship’s clock
Short and Mason Barometer
Garmin GPSmap XSV chart plotter / radar display mounted on swing-out bracket at companionay
Garmin GPS receiver / display mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard.
Garmin radar dome antenna on mizzen mast
Standard Horizon AWI
Standard Horizon depth sounder
Standard Horizon knot meter / log
Raymarine auto-pilot system
Standard Horizon Eclipse DSC+ VHF radio
Standard Horizon hand-held vhf radio
Ground Tackle Systems and Equipment
Dewatering Equipment
Whale Gusher manual bilge pump located in starboard sail locker
Rule electric / automatic bilge pump and float switch located in main bilge area
Safety Equipment
Navigational lighting (deck)
Navigational lighting (masthead tri-color light with anchor light)
Type II PFD’s / life jacket (5ea)
Type III PFD’s / life jacket (2ea)
Type IV PFD’s / cushions (8ea)
Lifesling mounted on starboard stern pulpit
Life ring buoy mounted of port stern rail
Handheld spot light
Flares Kit
First Aid Kit (2ea)
Kiddie ABC fire extinguishers in forward cabin & main saloon hanging locker
Fireboy engine room fire extinguisher
Xintex carbon monoxide fume detector
Fireboy Xintex S-2A propane fume detector
Engine room blower
Emergency tiller
Radar reflector
Additional Equipment
Dock lines
Fenders with fleece covers (3ea)
Step fender (1ea)
Galley Equipment: Pots & pans, dishware and glasses, cutlery and cooking tools
Rail mounted stainless steel propane BBG with spare sin-on style propane bottles
Binoculars
Folding boarding / swim ladder
Bosuns chair
Companionway screens (2ea)
Washdown hose and spray nozzle
Deck brush
Bucket
Miscellaneous cleaning supplies
Dive mask and fins
Miscellaneous drink holders
Contact
For more information about this yacht, please contact John Maxwell We look forward to working with you!
For more information about this yacht, please contact John Maxwell. We look forward to working with you!
For more information about this yacht, please contact John Maxwell.