Design and Construction
At 50.33 feet overall with a 37.08-foot waterline, the Alden 50 displaces 38,000 pounds and carries 16,300 pounds of lead ballast, a 42.9 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio that anchors her firmly in heavy-displacement cruising territory. Her 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, while a capsize screening value of 1.6 sits within the range associated with seaworthy cruising designs. The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and beneath the waterline she runs a stub keel with a centerboard that gives a variable draft between 5.5 and 10.33 feet. That arrangement trades a little extra drag with the board lowered against the ability to skim into shallow anchorages, a compromise typical of the cruising centerboard genre stub keel with a centerboard.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Alden 50 is rigged as a masthead sloop with a total sail area of 1,092 square feet, split between a 515-square-foot mainsail and a 577-square-foot 100 percent foretriangle. The foretriangle stands 59.80 feet high on a 19.30-foot base, while the main luff runs 51.50 feet on a 20.00-foot foot. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.5, her canvas is moderate for her weight — enough 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 built to be handled by a short crew on long passages rather than driven hard in regattas.
Accommodations
The available record provides no interior arrangement, berth count, or joinery detail for the Alden 50. What can be said with confidence is that her 13.5-foot beam and 170-gallon water capacity, paired with 150 gallons of diesel, speak to a yacht provisioned for extended independent cruising rather than weekend coast-hopping.
The Verdict
The Alden 50 is a scarce, purpose-built offshore cruiser whose limited production and in-house Alden design make her a distinctive choice for the sailor who values a heavy-displacement centerboarder over a mass-market alternative. Her numbers describe a steady, well-ballasted passage-maker; the trade-off is the centerboard's added drag and the scarcity of boats to choose from.
Pros
- Heavy 38,000-pound displacement with 42.9 percent lead ballast for offshore steadiness
- Centerboard stub-keel layout gives shallow-draft access with deep-draft stability
- Generous 150-gallon fuel and 170-gallon water capacity for long-range cruising
Cons
- Centerboard may introduce more drag than a fixed fin keel when lowered
- Only three hulls built, limiting choice on the used market
- Moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio favors passage comfort over light-air acceleration
