John G. Alden 121 ft 3-Masted Gaff Schooner 2021

It seems hard to believe it took so long for this magnificent vessel’s preliminary drawings to be given form. Perhaps the most authentic expression of John G. Alden’s highly successful fusion of the American fishing schooner as pleasure yacht, her 1927 design date parallels his most successful period in fast cruiser design, when his MALABARs ruled the waves. After gathering dust at the John G. Alden office for almost 90 years, along came an individual with the knowledgeable passion and vision to bring Design No. 347 to life as WOLFHOUND. All executed by the best possible people, including naval architect Niels C. Helleberg who began his Alden design career working beside the man who had originally drawn her lines. For her hull builder, Graafship, it’s the first time they’ve built a genuinely new classic schooner instead of a replica, and she was a labour of love for her finishing craftsmen. Since completion in 2021, WOLFHOUND already has two Atlantic crossings under her belt and a period of extensive Baltic cruising, all crewed by family and friends, and is very well-proven. Vindication of John Alden’s minimally crewed dream yacht for exploration adventures beyond the horizon: WOLFHOUND’s brave, wholesome appearance - very different from the replicas built for the classic regatta circuit - shouts this.

This is a provisional set of details; new photos to be added in coming weeks

JOHN G. ALDEN DESIGN NO. 347
ORIGINAL DESIGN DATE: 1927

"His great confidence at sea and his skill as a deep-water helmsman and ocean-racing tactician were notable and were clearly grounded in experience. Combined with his eye for balance and shape, his experience gave him a unique ability to find the geometry that worked with the sea."
Olin J. Stephens on John G. Alden in 'John G. Alden and his Yacht Designs' (1983)

"One of the most impressive Alden designs, from the standpoint of beauty as well as size... In her profile and the shape of her sections, her Gloucester-fisherman ancestry is discernible."
Robert W. Carrick & Richard Henderson in 'John G. Alden and his Yacht Designs' (1983)

Alden design #347's lines were drawn for John G. Alden as the client by stalwart of the Alden office Clifford P. Swaine (1902-1992, worked with John G. Alden c. 1922-1979), a highly talented naval architect who could easily have branched out on his own, but stayed with Alden his whole working life.

With no client involvement, we can easily speculate that this was Alden's dream yacht for adventures well beyond the horizon. But a client never materialised - perhaps because of the Great Depression - and the drawings for this magnificent vessel, infused with American fishing schooner genes, gathered dust until the incredibly complete John G. Alden archive became part of the Hart Collection at Massachusetts Institute of Technology when the Alden business closed in 2008, one year short of its centenary.

The naval architecture career of Niels C. Helleberg (1940-2014, worked with John G. Alden 1971-2008) overlapped with Clifford Swaine. So it couldn't have been more poignant and appropriate that Helleberg would undertake the work to prepare the 20th Century drawings for a 21st Century build.

Design #347 is a preliminary design that includes the final lines, two different rig and sail plans (a 2-masted and a 3-masted version), as well as a 3-masted accommodation plan. The 3-masted sail plan is by far the more spectacular design of the two. However, no detailed construction drawings were produced for this design in 1927. For this reason some of the details in the implementation were inferred from other Alden designs from the same time period.

Helleberg was instrumental in creating this design in the the spirit of the 1920s Alden steel schooners. A number of details and specifications from the final Design #284 of STARLING (launched in 1926), including the 530 mm frame spacing, were used as a guide to finalise the #347 construction drawings faithfully in the spirit of John G. Alden.

Although the preliminary design indicated that she would be built in wood, the final design is implemented in welded steel. The implementation in steel is consistent with the materials Alden used for most of his larger schooners from the era. However, to honor the heritage of the preliminary line drawings, the hull lines for the steel construction of WOLFHOUND retain what would have been the wood hull's moulded stem, the rabbet line, and the recessed bulwarks normally only seen on wooden hulls. From a distance she looks like a wood construction.

WOLFHOUND is a very simple and straight forward yacht. John Alden wrote in his designer's notes about the intended small crew and general approach: “A three-masted schooner of this length is handled by a total crew of five men for coast wise work and seven when offshore, including the cook. There is no reason why this boat should require more if fittings are kept simple and plain. Of course the cost of construction is reduced to a minimum.” The theme, or philosophy, for the WOLFHOUND project from 2012 and onward would be AUTHENTICITY and EXTREME SIMPLICITY in the spirit of John Alden’s general philosophy expressed in his designer's comments.

GRAAFSHIP YARD NO. 455
- To Lloyd's A-1 specifications with a Lloyd's hull certificate

Small to medium sized Dutch steel shipbuilders have long been held in high renown for a no-nonsense approach to the production of beautifully constructed, perfectly fair yacht hulls - often eventually carrying the name of the more famous yacht finisher they were built for. For over 20 years Graafship of Dordrecht, formerly Van der Graaf lasonderneming B.V. of Hardinxveld-Giessendam, have gained a particular reputation for classic schooner creations and re-creations, including ELEONORA (2000), NAEMA (2006), ATLANTIC (2010), INGOMAR (2012), and WOLFHOUND (hull completed 2016). Laid down in 2013, WOLFOUND was barged to Enhuizen in 2016 for the fit out by Opus Five Ltd. and André ten Broeke, with the major deck structures built by Absolute (Portugal). The rig was built by SRF Shipbuilding in Harlingen, and dressed by MdeGroot of Staveren. WOLFHOUND was commissioned in 2021.

- Welded steel hull to Lloyd's Grade A-1 specifications
- Lloyd's Hull Certificate
- 41 Tonnes poured lead keel ballast
- Afzelia doussie 17 mm laid deck
- Laid with Sika approved system
- Steel deck substrate, faired and epoxy primed
- Varnished teak deck superstructures

GENERAL
- Afzelia doussie laid deck
- Teak capped steel bulwarks
- 4 x Bronze Panama fairleads port and starboard
- Associated bronze bollard cleats
- Painted steel scuppers
- Bronze stanchions; rope guardrails

FROM AFT
- Bronze mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Bronze ensign staff socket
- Bronze mizzen boom gallows
- Bronze mizzen sheet horse
- Mizzen sheet tackle
- 2 x Electric Harken flat top bronze mizzen sheet winches
- 2 x Manual Harken self tailing bronze running backstay winches

HELM
- Steering box
- Traditional ship's wheel
- Retracting teak laid lid over helm dash
- Chart plotter screen
- VHF Radio
- Kobelt bronze throttle and gear control
- Bronze Propeller pitch control
- Steering wheel bypass control (when autopilot in use)
- Thruster controls
- Hydraulic steering joystick
- Switches including for horn and rig lights
- Alarms
- Danforth bronze binnacle with steering compass

SEATING AREA
- Seats port and starboard of table aft
- Table is also hatchway to Lazarette

LARGE LAZARETTE/ SAIL LOCKER
- And steering flat

PILOTHOUSE
- Companionway hatch offset to starboard
- Double doors and sliding hatch
- 3 x Windows port and starboard
- 3 x Bronze ports forward
- Davit at rail to starboard for boarding companionway ladder

NEAR/ AT MIZZEN MAST
- Pin rail
- Raised skylight over master suite
- Bench seat/ stowage boxes to port and starboard
- Bronze mainsheet horse
- Associated tackles and bronze cleats
- Main mast running backstay tackles
- Bronze nuns-cape fairleads port and starboard
- 2 x Harken 980 BBB electric winches
- Davit at rail to starboard for boarding companionway ladder

FORWARD ACCOMMODATION COMPANIONWAY HOUSE
- Large bronze engine room vent cowls port & starboard on dorade boxes
- Bronze mushroom vents port and starboard
- Double doors and sliding hatch
- Lean-to skylights over port and starboard guest cabins
- Inflatable tender stowage over
- Stowage boxes port and starboard

NEAR/ AT MAINMAST
- Pin rail
- Bronze foresail sheet horse
- Associated tackles and bronze cleats
- Foremast running backstay tackles
- Bronze nuns-cape fairleads port and starboard
- Raised skylight over saloon
- 2 x Harken 980 BBB electric winches

PROVISION FOR LAUNCH/ TENDER DECK STOWAGE
- At starboard side deck
- Large tender davits with strongbacks at port and starboard rail

FORESCUTTLE
- Double doors and sliding hatch
- Bronze cowl vents to port and starboard on dorade boxes
- Lean-to skylights to port and starboard

NEAR/ AT FORE MAST
- Ship's bell
- Pin rail
- Bronze staysail boom sheet horse
- Associated tackles and bronze cleats
- Bronze nuns-cape fairleads port and starboard
- Anchor stowage port and starboard in cats
- 2 x Harken 980 BBB electric winches

FOREDECK
- Bronze vent cowl on dorade box
- Absolute custom hydraulic/ manual windlass
- 2 x Chain gypsies
- 2 x Horizontal warping drums
- Manhole and ladder access to chain locker
- Bowsprit fittings

GROUND TACKLE
- 2 x 300 kg traditional anchors
- 1 x 200 m of 20.5 mm Lloyd's stud link chain to port
- 1 x 300 m of 20.5 mm Lloyd's stud link chain to starboard

WOLFHOUND’s interior is built in a high quality authentic 1920’s panelled style. All the sipo mahogany wood for the entire yacht came from one single log and is treated with hard wax. The sole is white oak, oil treated. The white surfaces are painted with Epifanes 'Wolfhound White' satin finish. Most of it is hand painted for authenticity. Hardware is period style and the saloon furniture was designed in 1924 by Marcel Brewer, and 1928 by Le Corbusier.

PILOT HOUSE AFT
- 4 x Teak steps down
- Teak panelled
- Laid doussie sole
- Raised banquette aft to port
- Stowage outboard to port and starboard
- Vary large stowage area under sole (via folding lower stair)
- Lift lid navigating and control station port forward
- Signal flag stowage under
- Fiddled shelves to port and starboard
- Adjustable height expanding table
- 4 x bulkhead lamps with shades
- Deckhead light
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating
- Barometer
- Companionway offset to starboard to Aft Master Suite

AFT MASTER SUITE
- 4 x Steps down from deck house
Lobby area to starboard
- Settee to starboard
- Alcove pilot berth outboard
- Bronze porthole
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating
- Workroom to starboard forward
- WC/ Shower compartment aft
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Concealed sink in workroom top surface
- Engine room access door
Master Cabin to port
- Double door
- Large double berth; stowage under
- Hanging lockers; chests of drawers
- Bronze porthole
- Bulkhead lamps
- Reading lamps
- Deckhead lights
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating
En-Suite Forward to Port
- Double sink unit to port
- Mahogany top
- 2 x Patterned ceramic inset sinks
- 2 x Mixer taps
- 2 x Mirrors
- Lockers and drawers under
- Towel rails
- WC/ shower compartment
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Bronze porthole
- Bulkhead and deckhead lights
Return to Pilot House

FORWARD VIP/ GUEST ACCOMMODATION
- Access via mid deck companionway house
- 10 x Steps down
- Lockers port and starboard
- 2 x Bulkhead lamps with shades in stairwell

VIP CABINS TO PORT AND STARBOARD

STARBOARD VIP/ GUEST CABIN
- Large double berth
- Chest of drawers
- Bronze porthole
- Skylight in deckhead
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating
- 2 x Bulkhead lamps
- Reading lamps
- Deckhead lights
En-Suite
- Sink unit to port
- Mahogany top
- Patterned ceramic inset sink
- Mixer tap
- Mirror
- Lockers and drawers under
- Towel rail
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Shower compartment
- Skylight in deckhead
- Bronze porthole
- Bulkhead and deckhead lights

PORT VIP/ GUEST CABIN
- Large double berth
- Chest of drawers
- Bronze porthole
- Skylight in deckhead
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating
- 2 x Bulkhead lamps
- Reading lamps
- Deckhead lights
En-Suite
- Sink unit to port
- Mahogany top
- Patterned ceramic inset sink
- Mixer tap
- Mirror
- Lockers and drawers under
- Towel rail
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Shower compartment
- Skylight in deckhead
- Bronze porthole
- Bulkhead and deckhead lights

SALOON
- Sideboards port and starboard
- Le Corbusier seating to port
- Dining to starboard
- Concealed climate control air handler for cooling and heating

WOLFHOUND's forward accommodation arrangement allows much flexibility in crewing arrangements depending on the hands-on with friends, or fully, or partially professionally crewed desires of her owner.

'COOK'S CABIN' TO STARBOARD
- Single berth
- Stowage under
- Hanging locker and drawers aft
- Bronze porthole
- Reading light
- Deckhead light
En-suite aft
- Shower
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Sink unit to port
- Mahogany top
- White ceramic inset sink
- Mixer tap
- Mirror
- Lockers and drawers under
- Deckhead light

'CREW MESS' FORWARD OF GALLEY
- Offset to port
- Table
- L-Seating
- Locker
- Gimballed lamp
- Deckhead light
- Half skylight in deckhead
- Half model
- Climate control air handler for cooling and heating

'CAPTAIN'S CABIN' TO STARBOARD
- Double berth
- Drawers under
- Hanging locker
- Half skylight in deckhead
- Reading light
- Deckhead light
En-suite forward
- Shower space with glass door
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Pullman sink over
- Mixer tap
- Mirror
- Deckhead light

'CREW CABIN'
- Single berths port and starboard
- Upper berths port and starboard
- Shelves over
- Hanging locker and locker
- 2 x Reading lights
- Deckhead light

CREW CABIN WC/ SHOWER COMPARTMENT FORWARD
- Shower
- Tecma Silence Plus toilet
- Sink unit to port
- Mahogany top
- Patterned ceramic inset sink
- Mixer tap
- Mirror
- Lockers and drawers under
- Bulkhead lights
- Access forward to chain locker

- SMEG Victoria oven/ microwave
- Siemens 4 x burner induction hob
- Isotherm top loader 24 V Fridge/ Freezer
- Bosch tall refrigerator
- Bosch tall freezer
- Miele dishwasher
- Siemens iQ700 washing machine
- Siemens iQ700 tumble drier
- Stainless steel sink; mixer tap
- 2 x Gimballed pendant lamps
- Pan stowage outboard
- Stainless steel surfaces
- Lockers
- Bronze porthole

Max Speed under sail: 14.0 kn

RIG
- Hollow laminated wood spars: SRF Shipbuilding, Harlingen, Holland
- Lower masts: Siberian larch
- Topmast, gaffs, and booms: Douglas fir
- Bowsprit: Sitka spruce (solid)
- Standing rigging by M deGroot, Stavoren, Holland
- Galvanized shrouds (to Lloyd's scantlings)
- Stainless steel headstays (to Lloyd's scantlings)

SAILS
By UBS, Medemblik, Holland
- Mizzen (fitted with extra, 'feathering sail' reef)
- Main
- Fore
- Mizzen topsail
- Main topsail
- Fore topsail
- Boom staysail
- Jib
- Jib topsail
- Yankee
- Gollywobbler for main
- Gollywobbler for fore

Sail Areas:
- 5 x Lowers: 5,532 sq ft / 514 sq m
- All 9 x upwind sails: 7,534 sq ft / 700 sq m
- Main Gollywobbler: 2,260 sq ft / 210 sq m
- Fore Gollywobbler: 2,131 sq ft / 198 sq m
- Yankee: 1,614 sq ft / 150 sq m
- Unfurled: 12,819 sq ft / 1191 sq m
Sail Area / Displacement Ratio:
- (100% fore triangle): 20.3

CANVASWORK
- Covers for all deck structures and winches

MECHANICAL
- Main engine: 1 x Volvo D13-MH(FE)1800 RPM 500 hp continuous use rating
- Dual Racor fuel filters on main fuel manifold
- Max speed under engine: 11 knots
- Hull speed: 12.8 knots
- Gearbox: ZF Marine W350-1 (3.96:1)
- Propeller: Hundested, Variable Pitch 4-bladed, 1.4 m diameter
- Bow thruster: Hundested FT3 hydraulic

MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL
- 2 x Northern Lights Generators 864W3, 50 Hz, 240 V AC, 3-phase, 20 kW

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
- AC system is effectively hybrid, configured as follows:
- One generator connected to primary input of Victron inverter chargers
- One generator connected to the shore power input
- The Victron Quattro charger inverters config'd to provide 3-Phase 240/400 V AC
- serviced by 3 x 24 V Victron lithium batteries (3 x 5 kWh = 15 kWh)
- All AC supplied from Victron Quattro 8 kW charger/Inverters
- (3 x 8 kW = 24 kW steady state capacity & 48 kW peak power capacity)
- Also a Victron Universal charger for main house battery bank
- effectively act as the shore power connection
- Also a Victron Phoenix 110 V AC 60 Hz inverter for the 100 V AC outlets
- Most of the AC pump motors run in 3-phase 400 V config. for max reliability

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SUMMARY (main components):
- 2 x Northern Lights 20 kW 50 Hz, 240/400 V AC gensets
- 3 x Victron Quattro 8 kW inverter chargers
- 3 x Victron 24 V Lithium batteries (5 kWh)
- 1 x Victron Skylla 24 V charger
- 1 x Victron Phoneix 100 V inverter

HYDRAULIC
- Dedicated industrial grade redundant VFD controlled power pack
- 3-phase 240/400 V AC)
- Dedicated hydraulic tank for auto pilot located at lazarette

TANKAGE AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

Fuel
- 2 x Main tanks;
- 1 x Day tank 300 L / 79 US Gal
- Total : 17,800 L / 4,700 US Gal

Fuel Pumps
- Fuel transfer pump and manifold from the 2 main fuel tanks
- to supply the day tank with an automatic refill system
- Main fuel pump can also transfer between two main fuel tanks
- Manual backup fuel transfer pump to supply the day tank

Motor Oil
- Port tank new oil 300 L / 79 US Gal
- Starboard tank used oil 300 L / 79 US Gal
- Reverso lubrication oil pump piped directly to generators & main engine

Fresh Water
- 3,200 L / 845 US Gal

Water Pumps
- Redundant fresh water pump for the ship
- Main pump: high-capacity VFD controlled SPECK BS40 bronze piston
- Plus a low capacity 24 V backup fresh water pump

Black water
- 3,200 L / 845 US Gal
- Sump tank 300 L

Waste Pumps
- Sump tank evacuated by Edson VFD controlled diaphragm pump
- Manifold for pump out options:
- directly over board
- into the black water tank
- or via a deck waste water hose connection
- Grey water is emptied into the main sump tank via gravity
- in normal operating mode set be pumped over board
- Black water tank is evacuated via a manual valve into the sump tank
- and pumped over board when sailing offshore
- or pumped out via deck waste water hose connection to shore

OTHER
Water maker:
- Spectra Farallon 2800 gpd (50Hz, 400 V AC 3-phase)
Air Conditioning:
- Northern Lights Technicold 120,000 BTU
Heating:
- Kabola 20 kW & Electrical 8 kW 240/400 V AC 3-phase
Engine room ventilation:
- Delta T Systems
Air compressors:
- Dedicated 220 V AC air compressor for ships horn
- Bauer Jr. dive compressor 400 V AC 50 Hz
- Hydraulic PredAir worm gear compressor for main bilge pump
- powered from main engine hydraulic pump
Active Galvanic Protection System:
- Active Electro-Guard system
- 6 x Hull mounted Stanium oxide anodes
- 1 x Hull mounted sensor
- Used by the US navy on some of their vessels

NAVIGATION
- Danforth Skylight Constellation steering compass
- 2 x Garmin Chart Plotters
- Simrad Class "A” AIS
- iPad Pro for Predict Wind weather routing software
- Cassens & Plath Horizon Ultra sextant

COMMUNICATIONS
- Simrad VHF with DSC
- Iridium 60 satellite unit

LIFE SAVING
- 2 x Two Viking 8-person off-shore valise life rafts
- EPIRB mounted in the pilot house
- Standard set of Solas flares, rockets, and smoke flares
- 8 x PFDs w. AIS trackers programmed to chart plotter and DSC VHF
- Emergency first aid medical valise

FIRE
- Xintex centralised alarm system
- Smoke sensors in:
- cabins, saloon, pilothouse, lazarette, service isle, engine room
- Fire alarm audio and strobe annunciators in:
- galley, main companionway, engine room, pilot house companionway
- Manual fire alarm pulls handles mounted at:
- each of the three companionways and in the engine room
- Fire blankets in the galley and pilot house
- 5 x Manual extinguishers located at:
- galley, salon, master cabin, pilot house, lazarette
- FireBoy Xintex auto temperature triggered engine room system:
- auto engine, generators, and blowers/ louvres shut down
- Reset button at pilot house
- High-capacity salt water fire pump located in the engine room
- Ttorx coupling for the fire hose on deck
- Start button, fire hose, and fire nozzle located in the main companionway

BILGE PUMPING
- Located in each of the watertight compartments
- (chain locker, crew quarters, main service isle, engine room, cabins, and lazarette)
- Low capacity 24 V electric bilge pumps
- Bilge water alarms for condensation water etc.
- Traditional bilge pump in the chain locker
- Traditional bilge pump in the the lazarette/ sail locker
- Main emergency high-capacity pneumatic sludge rated diaphragm bilge pump:
- Pumps 2000 2 inch slurry pump
- located at the main companionway
- manifold to for selection of evacuation locations:
- the crew area, saloon and VIP guest area, engine room, and cabins
- The main bilge pump is provided with compressed air from a dedicated gear pump
- using power from the main hydraulic pump on the main engine

OTHER
- Compressed Kockums Supertyphoon compressed air horn at mizzen speeders
- Automatic fog horn controls for the air horn and manual horn at the helm box

- Talamex Heavy Duty inflatable aluminium floor tender