Alexia
Rig: Gaff
LOA: 54'
LOD: 42'
LWL: 33'
Beam: 11' 3"
Draft: 6' 6"
Sail Area:
Built/Launched: July 14, 1993
Designer: John Alden - Malabar II
Builder: Stephen Slaunwhite
Homeport: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Full NSSA Rating measurements are here.
I have had Schooner Fever as long as I can remember and even before that, according to my parents. I was drawing boats ever since I could hold a pencil and they were all two masters with the main higher than the fore with seagulls as V's amongst the clouds.
I visited the Bluenose 11 at Expo 67 and saw Atlantica being built by David Stevens and crew at the Nova Scotia Pavilion. Later in 1980, I saw 3 or 4 Newfoundland schooners awaiting the wreckers tied up at Point Edward, Cape Breton. A beautiful and yet sad sight indeed.
While attending the Coast Guard College in Cape Breton, one of my classmates knew of The Fever and invited me down to his home in Pleasantville when we had weekend leave. He had followed the Boat building course at the Technical College in Bridgewater. I spent several lovely afternoons with David Stevens and Stephen Slaunwhite, to name two.
I wasn't quite sure what style of schooner I wanted until I purchased the book "John Alden and his Yacht Designs". I fell in love with Malabar X. The curve of her bow and sheer was, well, sexy. No way could I afford this vessel and she would need crew. Her little sisters were more affordable, could be single-handed, and had close to the same curves. In 1985 I bought a set of plans with offsets of Malabar 11.
The dream lay dormant until I got a call in January 1990 from the same classmate saying that Stephen Slaunwhite and another boat builder were available. I had the weekend off from work so I rented a car and headed East. To be fair, I explored both options but nevertheless was glad that the second boat builder wasn't prepared for such a project.
That weekend at Stephen and Betty Slaunwhite's home, an agreement was made over tea and cookies. So started the reality of my dream. I was happy and scared !
Over that winter the wood for the keel and deadwood was ordered and the lofting done. On the last day in July 1990, the ballast was poured. It was a two-bathtub pour. I came down East at every opportunity to watch and learn. There were many decisions to be made over the next two years. Only I could make the decisions. I soon found out that when one asked five people's opinion there was at least six responses - all valid !Two of the major ones were to use the upper sheer as the lower sheer and so raise the hull one strake. This and raising the cabin a few inches gave me the headroom I needed. The cabin was also extended forward to eliminate a hatch on deck and so increase the cabin space. Another was to move the complete sail plan forward for balance. Stephen was a patient man!
The hull was pulled out of the shop in December 1992. The spring of 1993 was a busy time, as I wanted to launch that summer. Launch day was July 14th, 1993. The crane and flatbed arrived on schedule and that afternoon Alexia was christened as the water licked her keel . It did take a lot of tries (at least 10) to break the champagne, as my mother didn't like the idea of breaking a bottle on such a lovely being. July 14th was also Bastille Day, a Wednesday, several planets were in view and when launched Alexia was rotated clockwise with the sun. One can not be too careful when launching a vessel!
Rig: Gaff
LOA: 54'
LOD: 42'
LWL: 33'
Beam: 11' 3"
Draft: 6' 6"
Sail Area:
Built/Launched: July 14, 1993
Designer: John Alden - Malabar II
Builder: Stephen Slaunwhite
Homeport: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Full NSSA Rating measurements are here.
I have had Schooner Fever as long as I can remember and even before that, according to my parents. I was drawing boats ever since I could hold a pencil and they were all two masters with the main higher than the fore with seagulls as V's amongst the clouds.
I visited the Bluenose 11 at Expo 67 and saw Atlantica being built by David Stevens and crew at the Nova Scotia Pavilion. Later in 1980, I saw 3 or 4 Newfoundland schooners awaiting the wreckers tied up at Point Edward, Cape Breton. A beautiful and yet sad sight indeed.
While attending the Coast Guard College in Cape Breton, one of my classmates knew of The Fever and invited me down to his home in Pleasantville when we had weekend leave. He had followed the Boat building course at the Technical College in Bridgewater. I spent several lovely afternoons with David Stevens and Stephen Slaunwhite, to name two.
I wasn't quite sure what style of schooner I wanted until I purchased the book "John Alden and his Yacht Designs". I fell in love with Malabar X. The curve of her bow and sheer was, well, sexy. No way could I afford this vessel and she would need crew. Her little sisters were more affordable, could be single-handed, and had close to the same curves. In 1985 I bought a set of plans with offsets of Malabar 11.
The dream lay dormant until I got a call in January 1990 from the same classmate saying that Stephen Slaunwhite and another boat builder were available. I had the weekend off from work so I rented a car and headed East. To be fair, I explored both options but nevertheless was glad that the second boat builder wasn't prepared for such a project.
That weekend at Stephen and Betty Slaunwhite's home, an agreement was made over tea and cookies. So started the reality of my dream. I was happy and scared !
Over that winter the wood for the keel and deadwood was ordered and the lofting done. On the last day in July 1990, the ballast was poured. It was a two-bathtub pour. I came down East at every opportunity to watch and learn. There were many decisions to be made over the next two years. Only I could make the decisions. I soon found out that when one asked five people's opinion there was at least six responses - all valid !Two of the major ones were to use the upper sheer as the lower sheer and so raise the hull one strake. This and raising the cabin a few inches gave me the headroom I needed. The cabin was also extended forward to eliminate a hatch on deck and so increase the cabin space. Another was to move the complete sail plan forward for balance. Stephen was a patient man!
The hull was pulled out of the shop in December 1992. The spring of 1993 was a busy time, as I wanted to launch that summer. Launch day was July 14th, 1993. The crane and flatbed arrived on schedule and that afternoon Alexia was christened as the water licked her keel . It did take a lot of tries (at least 10) to break the champagne, as my mother didn't like the idea of breaking a bottle on such a lovely being. July 14th was also Bastille Day, a Wednesday, several planets were in view and when launched Alexia was rotated clockwise with the sun. One can not be too careful when launching a vessel!