63 ft John Alden Schooner 1939 - Sold

The iconic Alden schooner was built for General George S. Patton; intending to sail round the World on her – when and if he returned from World War II. He never fulfilled his dream but WHEN AND IF lived on. A strong deep short ended hull form offering security at sea, dry decks, easy motion but greater volume below than other yachts of this period. Of course a classic yacht – she has provenance and grace in spades but above all she is a true sailing boat as Alden intended and as at home offshore as she is a talking point at a classic regatta.

VAT has not been paid on this yacht

Although General George was to die; his dream unrealised, the yacht was sailed and much enjoyed by his family until the 1970s when she was donated to the Landmark School near Boston Mass. There she was to become an important element of the sail training programme for dyslexic children. It was in 1990 that she broke loose from her mooring in a gale and wrecked. Although assessed a total loss by her insurers, she was successfully salvaged and taken by barge to Martha’s Vineyard. There she was painstakingly restored by Gannon & Benjamin one of the best yards in New England to be re-launched in June 1994. Since then this fine schooner has been a familiar sight at East Coast classic yacht events, symbolising the survival of what had been thought to be a dying breed.

Her original construction was double planking (African mahogany over mahogany and cedar, bedded in white lead paste) over double sawn black locust frames, bronze fastenings throughout, on an oak backbone. She had bronze hanging knees, bronze sheet chain plates, bronze diagonal strapping, cast bronze floors (under the copper water tanks), and an oversized shelf, as well as sheer clamp. Her keel bolts appear to be naval bronze (during the rebuild two were replaced and subsequently two more in 1998 - all out of silicone bronze). Bronze helm wheel.

The doghouse with side windows and two portholes forward, which can only be accessed from the cockpit has short settee and longer settee berth with storage, chart table with drawers, navigation equipment, lockers, electrical panel and battery switches.

The main access to accommodation below is via companionway hatch and steps down and below; the cabins are painted off white with cypress bulkheads and mahogany trim. Upholstery is blue and white striped with numerous cushions.

The full beam master cabin aft has to port a double berth and to starboard a ¾ pilot berth with settee. There are bureau, settee and mirror on the aft bulkhead, book cases and a large hanging locker with shelves. The hatch overhead and 4 x opening bronze ports give ventilation and light – additionally by kerosene lamp and electric lights. Cabin sole is of teak and holly.

To port is a large head with double doors leading both to the corridor and the aft cabin. It has Wilcox manual WC, enclosed shower 12 gallon water heater, porcelain sinks and large locker under, medicine locker, linen lockers, vanity with mirror, deck prism for light, and ventilation through the accommodation hatch.

Moving forward between the head compartment and the foul weather gear locker to starboard is the accommodation hallway ladder and hatch.

The galley, athwart ships has stove and sinks - with large locker under to port with ice box and dish racks to starboard. There are lockers, bins, shelves and pots. A deck prism lights and there is ample ventilation from 7 opening ports. Equipment includes
- Tasco 3 burner propane stove with oven on port side
- Sea Frost engine driven mechanical refrigeration in SS ice box to starboard
- Double SS sink has pressure fresh and manual salt water and manual pump to empty sinks

In the saloon forward are single pilot berths (curtained ) and settees both sides, table with two leaves, leaded glass locker, numerous book cases, lockers and bins. The copper diesel heater (c 2002) is to port; a large butterfly skylight and opening portholes in the cabin trunk give ventilation and light. The saloon has both electrical and kerosene lamps.

A corridor leads forward with bosun\'s locker and work bench (with complete engine service kit) to port and small head compartment with WC, sink and vanity with mirror. A small double berth cabin has hanging locker, numerous drawers and lockers as well as storage and book cases beneath. A hatch over the hallway and cabin provides ventilation and light.

The foc’s’le has a single berth to port and double berth to starboard, 2 hanging lockers, 2 lockers, numerous drawers and under berth storage (for lines), scuttle to deck, deck prism over each bunk; the foc’s\'le is very nicely finished with linen white paint and mahogany joinery and can serve as a guest cabin if necessary. The windlass batteries are located under the berths and the cabin sole.

Schooner rig, Pine spars
Original main boom with bronze gooseneck fittings
Fore boom
Original gaff
Original staysail boom
Bowsprit; new and 2 x galvanized steel bobstay
Standing rigging new 2007
Running rigging new 2007
All sails new by Sperry in 2010, area of the four lowers is 1,770 square feet.
- Marconi main
- Gaff foresail
- Staysail
- Jib topsail
- Blade (low cut)
- Yankee
- Fisherman
- Old working suit by Nathaniel Wilson

WHEN AND IF has ample space on her laid and sprung teak deck for guests sitting in the self bailing cockpit, on the bridge deck, on cabin tops, etc. She has wide side decks and high bulwarks which provide an enormous sense of security at sea. The doghouse is accessed from the bridge deck.

The accommodation hatch and ladder access the aft end of the main cabin, with coach roof over, There is a forward scuttle, then two opening hatches and a butterfly skylight, plus numerous opening port lights in the cabin sides and the doghouse and several dorade vents. The bowsprit terminates at the forward Sampson post, windlass, anchor davit are to port where the large fisherman is stowed on deck; to starboard is the small fisherman. By the fore mast is the original halyard pin rail and the bell, the life raft and the gas bottles are abaft.

The wash down outlet and hoses are by the main mast which has a pin rail surrounding. There are manual shut off valves (required by the Coast Guard) on the side decks. Bronze dorade (engine room) ventilators are on either side, forward, of the dog house. Aft of the helmsman’s seat is a boom gallows, while forward of the seat is the binnacle. Engine controls are mounted on the steering box. The main access to the spacious engine room is by a hatch in the bridge deck. It can also be accessed by the Dog house and the aft master cabin. Ground tackle consists of:
- Ideal Rhode Island 24 V anchor windlass (rebuilt c 2001)
- Double chain gypsies with single rope gypsy
- 1 x 140 lb fisherman on 200 ft ½ in chain (anchor re galvanized, and chain new in 2000)
- 1 x 120 lb Fisherman on chain (chain sand blasted and re galvanized in 2000)
- 2 x Yachtsman anchors and 350 ft ½ in chain and 200 ft chain
- 80 lb CQR anchor and 100 ft ½ in chain
- Stern anchor and 200 ft warp
- Anchor davit
- Original bronze stanchions
- Oak cheek blocks
- 2 x large Barient primary winches
- Original Merriman running backstay winches
- Original Merriman main sheet winch
- Massive bronze compression horse
- Bronze horse for fore sail sheet
- Bronze boom gallows
- Bronze dorade vents over engine room
- 8 x deck prisms

- Lugger 110 HP Diesel (2008)
- 25 inch feathering Prowell propeller (Prop shaft & coupling new in 1999)
- Wheel (custom cast bronze wheel with name) and Edson worm gear
- 12 V House and starting systems with dedicated batteries
- 32 V Windlass dedicated batteries, all charged via engine driven alternators
- Electric / manual solenoid safety switch in galley
- Shore power 110 V
- Inverter
- 2 x 8 D standard lead acid house batteries 24 V
- 1 x 8 D standard lead acid engine start battery 12 V
- Jabsco electrical fresh water pump for high pressure water system
- Rule electric bilge pump (in engine room)
- Large bronze diaphragm manual pump
- Pump for holding tank
- Rule pump for sump tank
- Oberdorfer wash-down pump
- Hot water storage tank for engine heated water
- 5 x stainless steel water tanks (1994) total 200 gallons
- Sump tank
- 30 gallon black water holding tank
- Grey water tank
- 2 x Diesel tanks; total 200 gallons recently renewed
- 2 x 20 lb gas bottles on deck with regulator

- Kelvin and Wilford O white steering compass
- Radar
- Raymarine C80 GPS / plotter
- Chelsea quartz chronometer
- Chelsea barometer
- Standard Horizon VHF
- Depth Finder
- Hand held radio
- Sony CD player

- 12 man Zodiac life raft
- MOB light
- MOM system
- P F Ds CG inspected
- 2 Life rings
- 406 EPIRB deck mounted with hydrostatic release
- 6 x Safety harnesses
- 23 Life jackets
- Double life line above bulwarks
- Netting for full length of side decks (not currently in place)
- CO2 fire suppression system for engine room
- 4 x Large hand held fire extinguishers; doghouse, aft, saloon and fore cabins
- Manual bilge pump (to port of main mast, on deck)

The original construction was immensely strong, hence her survival after the 1990 wreck. As she had maintained her shape, her rebuilders Gannon & Benjamin of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts were able to make patterns for the double sawn frames from the corresponding frame on the starboard side rather than lofting the boat\'s lines full size.

During the rebuild, which took place between 1990 and 1994, about 70% of the planking on the port side was replaced with African mahogany (Khaya) over cedar, bedded in white lead. Seventeen full or partial sawn frames of black locust, bronze drifted together; the bronze hanging knees were either straightened or portions replaced, the cast bronze floors were straightened and reinstalled. Portions of the dead wood aft, the fore keel, and the rudder were all replaced. A small portion of the deck was replaced along with the full length of the port bulwarks and rail cap. The water system and tanks were removed and replaced with new components, as were all of the electrical systems, electronics, and batteries. All the standing and running rigging had been removed from the masts, while the hull was rebuilt the mast, booms, and gaffs were stripped, and re varnished. Both the fore and staysail booms have been replaced and now have custom cast bronze hardware. The interior was redesigned to be more comfortable for cruising and chartering and all the mechanical, electrical and plumbing were designed to comply with modern standards. The interior throughout was refinished, along with all new cushions and mattresses.

Since the rebuild she has also had new standing and running rigging, fuel tanks and batteries.