Alden / Indian Class Sloop for me?

[Capt. Kirk]

Is the 21'2" Indian Class Sloop for me?

I'm looking for recommendations as to whether or not the 21'-2" Alden designed Indian Class Sloop (Wooden Boat Plan #5) is the boat for me. I need
something that's relatively easy to build having only built a cedar strip canoe. I noticed the plans for the sloop call for lapstrake over sawn frames which I think I could handle. Another stripper would be preferred but not a
requirement. Is it difficult to use an alternative construction method on this? The boat will be used only on protected lakes and
trailered to the location. The primary requirement for the boat I build should be clean lines and how she flows with the wind across the water, i.e. she should look good on the water. Is this the boat for me or are there other better candidates out there? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Kirk

[stumpbumper]

Chip Flanagan Boat Builder (http://www.chipboat.com/)

You can see photos of similar designs to the Indian knockabout at the above link. He builds the Indian, but I didn't see a photo of it. There are photos of the O-Boat, Flatfish, Dark Harbor and others. All are beautiful boats. It's just a matter of your preference and requirements. If your going to trailer it you'll need a centerboard design. You might also consider John Welsford's Pathfinder.

Lynn

[ 03-06-2006, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: stumpbumper ]

[ishmael]

Hm, Dutch?

Whatever. The Indian, though claimed rightly by Alden's office, was drawn by Crocker. He drew three or four of them, with their variations, some built dory style, at least one carvel, all around the same theme.

I redecked one, gosh, twenty years ago. It's a beautiful boat, fast off the wind, and just lovely. Light, responsive. About as good as a ballasted centerboard boat gets.

I imagined building one lapped ply. The boat I had was cedar planked. Amazing stock in the hull. Wide and clear. You can't find that anymore. Building one now is going to involve plywood. If you are copacetic with that, it's a fairly easy boat to build. Easy is relative.

[Evan Showell]

Having seen Jack's resto effort "Sacagawea" on upper Casco Bay (prevailing 10-15 kt. southwesterly), I can attest to the fact that the Indian is a fast, able, seaworthy boat. It has a huge main for its size. Pretty much outruns anything in its size to windward and flies on a reach. I'd imagine it's fast downwind as well, but I never really paid attention. Ironically, to my eye it's a prettier boat at anchor than it is sailing. I just think the rig looks unbalanced.

[Keith Wilson]

I have a similar but slightly smaller boat, a Town Class sloop with an almost identical rig. The big main/small jib rig that was popular in the '20s works amazingly well in practice. The jib is small, docile, and easy to handle, yet gives reasonable upwind speed, and you don't ever have to change headsails. It contributes a lot more than you would think; the boat goes pretty dead without the jib, and it balances better on a reach than almost every catboat. Sail area changes by reefing the main are much less hassle than putting on a smaller jib. Off the wind there is plenty of sail area without hassling with a spinnaker; a whisker pole is cute but really doesn’t do much except keep the jib from flapping around. Compared to more "modern" sloops, it may not be quite as fast around a triangular course with a vigorous and skilled crew, but for ordinary sailing, particularly shorthanded, it’s wonderful

[ 03-07-2006, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[Capt. Kirk]

Thanks for all of the advice. I do recall reading that this was actually designed by Crocker during his employment by Alden. I'll be sure and give due credit during the build. I gues when it comes down to it I need to be sure that whatever I build has good plans and availability of help along the way (i.e. this forum). So unless somebody "sinks" my plans, I think I'll buy the drawings from Woodenboat and start working. But first I have to get the 1953 Jeep I'm rebuilding out of the workshop!

[TerryLL]

Bump.

Hey Capt. Kirk, did you eber get started on this build?

[earling2]

I've been interested in building an Indian for a long time. Beautiful, shoal draft, fast, good in open water. They're an anachronism, for sure, but in all good ways. They're also huge, for an open boat. I think they'd be amazing camp cruisers. I will also second the good opinion about the big main/small jib--I had several boats, years ago, that had that basic setup. I find that, compared to my current rig (which I dislike--huge overlapping jp, tiny high aspect main), they're amazingly powerful while relaxing to sail, and the jib, while contributing a heck of a lot upwind, doesn't run your life the way it does when it's 150% of the main.
there's a cheap Indian for sale on the Woodenboat classifieds online by the way, I think in RI
I wish that TYPE of boat was a lot more popular nowadays--non-planing, dory heritage, lapstrake