Fall 2009 (Issue No. 45)

1939 ALDEN SCHOONER 581-B 47' HIAWATHA

FOR LARGER PICTURES, CLICK ON IMAGES:

OWNER FINDS 1939 ALDEN 47' ON BONE YARD BOATS:

Okay, the world is getting smaller all the time. New subscriber Peter from Sweden found HIAWATHA, his 1939 Alden Schooner 47', on the Bone Yard Boats site (Winter '09 issue, Page 12). The following has been slightly edited for language differences & readability: "Hi David, thank you for helping me; Hiawatha is my former boat. This boat was really a fantastic boat. I had Hiawatha for 10 years. But David, what happened to her; is it possible you can help me to find out some information since she left Sweden? The buyer told me he is sailing to Santa Barbara; he was working for an oil company in West Africa. I hear from England and later nothing. Do you know more exact where she is? Best Regards, Peter"

I was able to help put Peter in touch with HIAWATHA's current owner, who apparently acquired the Alden from the person that purchased the boat from Peter in Sweden. (Follow that?) The current owner writes: "I knew his name [Peter, that is] as the fourth owner of the boat. She is continuing in poor shape. There are two different interested parties who want to collect the usable parts and rebuild her new on the old keel, etc. I hope to have this begin this winter." Peter goes on to say, "But the owner sounds nice and it's like he really wants somebody to take care of Hiawatha. I can understand it's not easy to find that person, because it's like building a new boat on the keel." HIAWATHA had been stored under cover in Louisiana for years until hurricanes literally removed the roof of her storage building. The verticals in the photo appear to be the external beams of that building. (I hope to provide updates.)

The following is a supplement to Winter 2009 issue listing:

1939 ALDEN SCHOONER 581-B 47' HIAWATHA

1939 ALDEN SCHOONER 581-B 47' HIAWATHA. 12-foot beam. Owner says, "This boat is has been stored in Louisiana for the last 14 years. She was under cover until the last two hurricanes removed the roof. She was built in Estonia by J. Kiil Boatbuilding Workshop for a Latvian Oil Consul just before WWII. She was the largest yacht they built and they had to remove the end of the building to launch her. Escaping the Soviets in 1939 she made it to Sweden and from 1939 until 1983 she sailed the Stockholm Archipelago until she was sailed to Louisiana. The boat has a really great story. She is the only sister to Spirit (Discovery III) of Essex and Stonington , CT. She is documented in the album section of the Alden book as Dart. 

"The schooner is in poor shape but reasonably solid, built almost entirely of oak and riveted throughout. She is dried out, iron sick, rotten in places, and just plain worn out. She can be transported with a bit of shoring. She was well built with construction details true to the designer's specifications. While the boat is not usable in current shape, however, she is a solid form to rebuild on and systematically replacing just about everything save for some frames, deck beams, structural metal, some interior, lower spars, and unique deck hardware, etc. 581, a modification of Malabar IV?, is one of John Alden's loveliest schooners and this, only one of two, should be once again. Please contact me if there is any interest in a big but worthwhile project. I would happy to discuss a course for rebuilding her. I will also offer professional restoration services for the boat that I know very well and can no longer store." Asking: FREE.

[THIS BOAT LISTING IS OVER A YEAR OLD AND HAS "AGED" INTO BYB'S PUBLIC ARCHIVES AREA. OWNER CONTACT INFO HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE BOAT PROFILE. THE ORIGINAL BOAT LISTING STILL EXISTS IN THE "WHEELHOUSE" AREA OF THE BONE YARD BOATS WEBSITE UNDER THIS SAME NEWSLETTER ISSUE.]

KNOW OF A BOAT THAT NEEDS SAVING?

TELL BONE YARD BOATS!


 

LOOKING FOR A PROJECT BOAT?

YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!