Custom Staysail Schooner
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XPresented For Sale By:
Crow's Nest Yachts
United States
| Make | Custom |
|---|---|
| Model | Staysail Schooner |
| Year | 1926 |
| Condition | Used |
| Price | US$595,000 |
| Type | Sail |
| Class | Schooner |
| Length | 81 ft |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Hull Material | Wood |
| Location | Dana Point , California |
| LOA | 81 ft 6 in |
|---|---|
| Length at Water Line | 47 ft |
| Beam | 14 ft 8 in |
| Max Draft | 9 ft |
| Keel Type | Other |
| Displacement | 84000 lb |
| Engine Type | Inboard |
|---|---|
| Engine Make | Perkins |
| Engine Model | M125 |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Direct Drive |
| Designer | John G. Alden |
|---|---|
| Guest Cabins | 3 |
| Guest Heads | 1 |
| Fuel Tanks | 2 x 360 gal |
| Fresh Water Tanks | 4 x 100 gal |
| Holding Tanks | 1 x 20 gal |
| Hull Shape | Monohull |
Description
Curlew, John G. Alden Design #273B, is a classic wooden staysail schooner launched in 1926 by master builder Fred F. Pendleton in Wiscasset, Maine. Originally commissioned by Charles Lee Andrews of the New York Yacht Club, she was designed as a fast cruising yacht and soon proved herself as a formidable offshore racing schooner, competing in prestigious events such as the Newport–Bermuda Race alongside legendary yachts including Teragram, Nina, and Mistral.
In 1937, her new owner William Jay Schieffelin Jr. commissioned John Alden to refit Curlew from a gaff-rigged schooner to a staysail schooner, an advanced configuration that kept her competitive with the leading offshore racing yachts of her era.
Crafted from yellow-pine planking on white-oak frames and later re-planked with vertical-grain Douglas fir using Monel and galvanized fastenings, Curlew exemplifies the craftsmanship and heritage of early Maine yachtbuilding. Her teak decks, butterfly hatches, and varnished deckhouses preserve the timeless beauty and elegance of her original design.
With her Alden pedigree, proven racing history, and meticulously maintained wooden construction, Curlew stands as a remarkable and seaworthy icon of American yachting history—a rare opportunity for discerning buyers and collectors seeking a true classic yacht of distinction.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Curlew’s interior displays fine joinery, a teak-and-holly cabin sole, and warm varnished surfaces throughout.
- Sleeps seven in four cabins: one main salon, two forward cabins, and one aft.
- Main salon amidships with port and starboard settees and a fold-down dining table.
- Owner’s stateroom to starboard with double berth, cabinetry, and hanging locker.
- Forward cabin with single berths port and starboard, plus storage and a workbench in the forepeak.
- Enclosed head to port with Corian-top vanity and separate shower.
- Lighting throughout by DC LED fixtures, with GFCI-protected AC outlets.
GALLEY
Located to port of the companionway, the U-shaped galley is designed for sea-going use.
- Three-burner LPG stove with oven
- Double stainless-steel sink with Corian counters
- Refrigerator/freezer, approx. 12 cu ft total
- Pressure hot/cold water with 6-gal Kuuma water heater
- Ample drawer and locker storage
TANKAGE
- Fuel: 360 gal (2 × 180 gal Monel tanks)
- Fresh Water: 100 gal (4 poly & stainless tanks)
- Holding: 20 gal poly tank with macerator pump & Y-valve
- Water heater: Kuuma 6 gal pressurized system
ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION
- (2) Garmin 7” touchscreen multifunction displays (Radar/Depth/GPS/Plotter)
- Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS VHF with Command Mic and remote cockpit speaker
- Comnav 1420 Autopilot
- Fusion AM/FM/MP3 stereo with satellite radio
- Magnetic Danforth 6" compass
ELECTRICAL
- 12 V DC / 110 V AC systems
- (3) 8D house batteries + (1) start battery
- Xantrex inverter/charger with remote panel
- Lifeline charger & isolation transformer
- 50 A shore-power inlet
- AC/DC panels at chart table with volt/amp meters
- GFCI AC outlets and DC outlets throughout
PROPULSION & MACHINERY
- Engine: Perkins M125 120 HP 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, fresh-water-cooled diesel
- Drive: Direct-drive transmission to stainless-steel shaft with dripless seal
- Propeller: Fixed 3-blade bronze
- Steering: Edson worm gear helm with wood spoked wheel
- Controls: Morse Red-Jaket type
- Cruising speed: ≈ 8 knots
- Engine space ventilation by blowers and natural draft; sound insulated
SAILS AND RIGGING
- Rig: Staysail schooner (1937 Alden conversion from original gaff fore-sail)
- (2) Keel-stepped wooden masts, each with double spreaders
- 1 × 19 stainless-steel standing rigging with synthetic running rigging
- Staysail & jib with booms; spinnaker track on mainmast
- Barlow winches: (2) #32, (2) #26, (2) #24
- Running backstays, inner forestay, boomkin, wood bowsprit with safety net
- Ratlines on mainmast rigging; canvas sail covers
DECK & HARDWARE
- Decks: Teak over oak deck beams
- Windlass: Maxwell 3500
- Ground tackle: CQR anchor with galvanized chain
- Pulpits/Lifelines: Stainless bow and stern pulpits with triple-wire lifelines
- Hatches: Butterfly style and deck prisms for light below
- Cockpit: Aft helm with wood spoked wheel, pedestal guard, and table
- Additional gear: Tender with wood chocks, canvas covers, stainless rails, and safety netting at bowsprit
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
- (5) Type ABC dry chemical extinguishers + CO? and Halon fixed systems (all certified)
- (40) adult and (7) youth Type I PFDs plus spares (Type II/III)
- (2) 20″ life rings and 30-person rescue platform (certificate valid through 2021; re-certification due)
- Electric bilge pumps (3) + high-water alarm
- Air horn, flares, CO monitor & smoke detectors, Waste Management plan and Nav Rules aboard
SUMMARY
Curlew stands as one of the finest surviving Alden staysail schooners—an authentic 1920s ocean-racing design brought forward through thoughtful restoration. With her handsome proportions, teak decks, and dependable modern systems, she combines vintage grace with practical reliability. Now based in Dana Point, California, Curlew operates as a certified historic charter vessel while continuing to sail actively along the Pacific Coast. She offers her next steward a rare opportunity to own and operate a living piece of American maritime history.
Disclaimer
The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
Presented For Sale By:
Crow's Nest Yachts
United States
Presented For Sale By:
Crow's Nest Yachts
United States
