Design and Construction
The Alden 50 measures 50.33 feet overall and 37.08 feet on the waterline, with a 13.5-foot beam. She displaces 38,000 pounds and carries 16,300 pounds of lead ballast, giving her a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 42.9 percent and placing her firmly in heavy-displacement cruising territory.
A displacement-length ratio of 333 and motion comfort ratio of 44.7 reinforce the picture of a yacht tuned for steadiness offshore rather than sprint speed. Her capsize screening value of 1.6 sits within the range associated with seaworthy cruising designs.
The hull and deck are solid fiberglass. Below the waterline, she has a stub keel with a centerboard, providing a variable draft from 5.5 to 10.33 feet. The arrangement trades a little extra drag when the board is lowered for the ability to enter shallow anchorages—a compromise typical of cruising centerboard designs.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Alden 50 carries a masthead sloop rig with 1,092 square feet of sail area. That total comprises a 515-square-foot mainsail and a 577-square-foot 100 percent foretriangle. The foretriangle measures 59.80 feet high on a 19.30-foot base, while the mainsail has a 51.50-foot luff and a 20.00-foot foot.
Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.5. That’s moderate for her weight: enough canvas to keep her moving in a breeze without overpowering the hull, and consistent with the theoretical behavior of a heavy-displacement offshore cruising boat. The numbers describe a rig intended for a short crew on long passages rather than hard regatta sailing.
Accommodations and Tankage
The available record provides no details about the Alden 50’s interior arrangement, berth count, or joinery. What can be said with confidence is that her 13.5-foot beam, 170-gallon water capacity, and 150-gallon diesel capacity suit a yacht provisioned for extended independent cruising rather than weekend coast-hopping.
The Verdict
The Alden 50 is a scarce, purpose-built offshore cruiser. Her limited production and in-house Alden design make her a distinctive choice for sailors who value a heavy-displacement centerboarder over a mass-market alternative. Her numbers describe a steady, well-ballasted passage-maker; the trade-offs are the centerboard’s added drag and the scarcity of boats on the used market.
Pros
- Heavy 38,000-pound displacement and 42.9 percent lead ballast for offshore steadiness
- Stub-keel and centerboard arrangement combines shallow-draft access with deep-draft stability
- Generous 150-gallon fuel and 170-gallon water capacities for long-range cruising
Cons
- The centerboard may create more drag than a fixed fin keel when lowered
- Only three hulls were built, limiting choice on the used market
- The moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio favors passage comfort over light-air acceleration
