Preview: ALEUTIAN TERN – A Bill Garden Alaskan Cruiser
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December 2, 2022
Email this Video to a FriendI’m thinking if we had a vote around the OCH office to determine our favorite boat, Aleutian Tern would be among the top choices. She’s a stunner of a design from the great Bill Garden incorporating many all of his brilliant ideas about what makes a good cruising boat. Taking a careful look at her particulars will be well worth the effort, and you’re bound to learn a lot in the process.
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20 Responses So Far to “ALEUTIAN TERN – A Bill Garden Alaskan Cruiser”
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Patrick McCorkle says:
Beautiful boat! Thank you for the tour and history.
Brent Williams says:
Really a beautiful boat and very homey. Another great video OCH, thank you.
Brent
William C. Gross says:
Very enjoyable and informative interview and video. Thank You!
Rick Pratt says:
A nicely done video of a nicely done boat.
As a retired boaat builder (40 boats, but none like this) I appreciated all the details pointed out by both the owners and the host.
Regards
Adios
Rick Pratt
Wolfgang Doughty says:
And from a back yard, neat
David Green says:
What a beauty! I’d redo the bathroom tiling and change the paint scheme of her bow, but that’s just out of personal preference. They made a great purchase! And Craigslist, no less!
John Wujack says:
Hello David and Happy New Year, I believe that you are seeing the added covering boards near the bow as a painted surface. Commonly added and standing proud on Pac NW work boats and others (without paint) these boards disguise/diminish damage to the hull’s paint by a swinging anchor before being secured. Cuts down on maintenance and a scruffy appearance.
Philip Myer says:
Wow what a great little ship- Bill Garden was such a verasitile and original designer.
Dean Mendenhall says:
Ethan, Dean Mendenhall of Briar Patch, McIntosh cutter designed for Swifty. You have a Great looking boat that found a wonderful home. I’m sure she will serve you well, spacious and very warm feeling from what we can see. You have a great neighborhood to cruise in as well. We were out in Port Townsend a few years ago and really enjoyed the visit.
All the best. Dean
Mark Nowlan says:
Love that boat!!! Holy cow!
William Mittendorf says:
Bill Garden designed a huge variety of boats. 45 years ago I was lucky enough to visit him on his island while cruising on a power boat designed by him. It was a narrow 75′ boat named “Claymore” fashioned after a rum runner.
It was out of its element in the Pacific Northwest. It had been designed for its owner to be used in the Virgin Islands. It had twin 375hp Cummins diesels. It had a transom cut down to 1′ above the waterline and carried a 13′ Boston Whaler tender winched over a roller onto its low afterdeck. It’s speed in knots was the rpm of its engines. At cruise of 2,200 rpms it went 22 knots. Redline was 35 knots. It was a little tricky to handle in harbor because it idled at 7.5 knots and was very light.
Unfortunately, Claymore was lost to a fire about 20 years ago. No one would have thought Claymore to be a Garden design. Painted navy gray many people told us that when they saw us approach, they thought we were a military vessel.
Bruce Stannard says:
Steve, Thank you for allowing me to come aboard ALEUTIAN TERN. She is a lovely boat.
Richard Randall says:
What an impressive boat! Sorry I missed it at the Port Townsend festival. I would strongly encourage the owners to consider joining the Pacific Northwest Fleet of the Classic Yacht Association. We are an non-profit organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of classic wooden motor yachts. Alaskan Tern would be a great addition to the fleet, especially since she was designed and built in the Northwest. Information at https://cya.wildapricot.org/
Ed Altonji says:
Lovely
Ginny Jones says:
Just about perfect but I would make one of the Foc’s’le bunks a much lower bunk (for the aged and infirm with lots of book shelves and a space to store charts (rolled up or flat) and fishing rods in racks under the deck beams. Maybe have a port hole so as to survey the world. Small point — a grab rail either side of the companion way ladder.I love the head sink and the way it is located. I love the galley and the galley stove — a shelf to use to keep a bowl of bread rising would be wonderful. A space by a window to grow a few herbs. A freezer compartment down low (down into the bilge space?) and maybe an opening section oft the bulwarks so someone can SAFELY step into or out of the tender or hang a swim ladder.
A space near the helm to store current charts, nav books (and instruction manuals) A deepish, self draining box shelf for ignition and car keys, sharp knife, riggers tmulti tool, oar locks, deck keys (all well away from the binnacle), another for binoculars (both pairs!) a safe spot for a gas station card, paper towels or mop up gear. A go to location for quick first aid, a place to stash the flag and staff, and a spare boat hook. Plus a place to “hide” the fenders and docklines.
That boat will haunt my dreams but in my current decrepitude not sure I could enjoy as much as I used to.
Roy Henderson says:
Classic and timeless lines… Love it!
Scott Birch says:
Beautiful! Hard to believe she’s only 38′.
David Tew says:
Nice folks! Smart to snap it up when they did.
owen o'neill says:
Great vibe…..boat, people, place. Once again OCH captures essence. Stay the course.
John Fuller says:
What a beautiful boat. One only wishes that it was a production model that could be purchased and detailed inside to suit each individual modern desire. I would simply love to have this on the Great Lakes to cruise out the balance of my life. Such things as dreams are made of.