THE NEW ALERION EXPRESS 33 GOES TO THE HEAD OF THE FLEET
by Richard Barker, South Wharf office

The Alerion Express line grows again this year with the addition of the Alerion Express 33. This new yacht remains true to the Alerion Express heritage of classic lines and exceptional performance. Outclassing the competition with the addition of a carbon fiber spar and large roach mainsail with no backstay as well as the innovative Hoyt jib boom gives the Alerion Express 33 blistering speed with incredible ease of handling unseen in any of the competitors boats. This was demonstrated recently when we took a new - straight from the factory - boat to the race course. While the AE33 is not specifically designed to race we felt that the only way to test her performance and handling was to take her out to the race course and see what she could do.

The race was the annual Around Jamestown Island Race on Labor Day weekend. This regatta traditionally attracts the best boats in Rhode Islands' Narragansett Bay for a season finale. Our class attracted a number of well-sailed much larger fully crewed boats, my daughter Katie and I alone sailed the AE33.

The race started in a light northerly and we managed a good start with our nose out in clear air. We were able to hold our pointing ability and actually began to move out and ahead of our competition. The fleet was edging towards the east side of the bay which traditionally is not the way to go in these around the island races, so we elected to breakoff and sail to the west. That is when mother nature shut the wind off starting in the west and moving to the east, leaving us in a less than advantageous position.

We sat for about a half hour waiting for the wind to arrive. When it did, it came in from aft equally across the fleet at about 4 to 5 knots. We were sailing again and to my pleasure we started to pick off boats one at a time until only three boats were ahead of us in our class, one we owed time to.

As we reached the North end of the island the wind continued to build giving us a 15 to 18 knot 8 mile up wind leg to the south end of the island. The boat sailed beautifully with my daughter lounging on the comfortably cushioned cockpit seats as we closed the gap on the leaders all with crew on the rail. We turned the corner at Beavertail Light on the islands' south end and cracked off the sheets sailing downwind with a Swan 41 in front of us that we had to beat both across the line and on corrected time. The huge roached main pushed us at great speed with the Hoyt boom effortlessly holding out the jib wing on wing as we sailed by the fully crewed Swan.

My daughter was now driving and I was doing the lounging as well as coaching her as she passed the larger yacht. We opened up our lead on them and eventually beat them on corrected time as well finishing second in class missing the win by seconds.

The Alerion Express brochure says it all when it states "The AE33 will capture you at the helm with unmatched balance, ease of use and scintillating performance. The fully-roached main, carbon fiber mast and self tacking jib boom make the AE33 an elegant performer on all points of sail while the electric powered sail controls allow you to easily adjust to all wind conditions.

The AE33 is the perfect yacht for those who do not want to wait for crew or conditions to savor a day, weekend, or even an hour on the water. The easy set up and put away of this yacht not only allows you to spend more time sailing and doing other things you love, but also reminds you of the way sailing should be."

...
An Alerion Express 38 recently won the Vineyard Cup Regatta (July 7&8) competing against a fleet of over 30 yachts. This two race contest was particularly interesting since a number of direct competitors to the Alerion were present. In every case, with a minimum crew, the Alerion Express 38 outsailed the competition, boat for boat by wide margins. For example, in race #2, a 15 mile course conducted in brisk winds ranging from 15 to 20 knots, the AE 38 defeated the Hinckley 42 by 5 minutes. Against the Friendship 40 the Alerion won by 8 minutes, and against the Morris 36 the Alerion margin of victory was a whopping 17 minutes!

This open regatta in fair wind conditions, definitively established the sailing superiority of the Alerion Express 38 versus the competition, and provides a ringing endorsement for the aerodynamic efficiency of the distinctive full roached mainsail and the self vanging Hoyt Jib Boom. And for icing on the cake, the Alerion Express 38 is priced substantially below all these yachts, while remaining "the prettiest girl at the dance."

...
Both the AE 38 and the new AE 33 recently competed in the annual FIGAWI Regatta that departs from Hyannis, MA and heads for Nantucket island, roughly 20 miles offshore. Nearly 200 yachts competed in ideal sunny conditions with a steady breeze that ranged from 10 to 14 knots. The fleet was divided into classes by PHRF ratings with staggered starts every 5 minutes and despite some irrationally onerous ratings, both Alerions performed with distinction, eventually passing all the boats of similar size. After an initial 3 mile windward leg, the course was a beam reach for 17 miles, and the combination of the fully roached mega mainsail and the self vanging Hoyt Jib Boom really performed. Operating with 2 person crews, both the AE 33 and the AE 38 were supremely simple and pleasurable to sail. As both boats marched steadily through the fleet there was discernible consternation from competing yachts with 6 to 8 person crews draped over their rails. But the real triumph came at the dock in Nantucket where the Alerions elicited wide admiration for their signature beauty.

ALERION EXPRESS 38 NEWS

...
The award for the most miles sailed on the Alerion Express 38 almost certainly belongs to John Merrill on board “Zealot”. (AE 38 #4)  After competing in the New York Yacht Club’s Spring Regatta, John sailed his boat from Newport to his summer home on Squirrel Island, Maine.  His wife Carol reports that he sailed single handed almost every day and returned each time exhilarated by the boat’s performance.  The highlight of John’s racing season came in mid July when he steered “Zealot” to victory in the 2 day Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Regatta, leading a 14 boat fleet and defeating in the process a formidable competitor who was previously unbeaten in that series. 

John then sailed “Zealot” back to Newport for winter storage and he is planning to enter again in this year’s Spring Regatta at the NYYC—this time competing in the non-spinnaker fleet under IRC. This fleet always includes some first class yachts, so it will be an interesting measure of how the AE 38 competes.

...
A couple of years back a few of our AE28 owners from the San Francisco Yacht Club inquired about setting up a fleet of Alerion Express 28’s in the San Francisco Bay area.  We are happy to report that there are now 17 boats in that fleet that enjoy the racing and camaraderie.  Subsequently, a group from the Devon Yacht Club in Easthampton, NY purchased AE 28’s, which now number 14, and they too are enjoying One Design racing.  We have a number of AE 28 owners in the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake, and all over New England who are forming fleets.   The special One Design rules requiring all crew to remain in the cockpit and limiting sails to two, has proven very successful in stimulating new interest in a more civilized kind of racing—all enhanced by the other rule prohibiting protests.  We welcome inquiries on One Design Class participation in your area.