Nantucket Indian by John Alden

This is a wholesome small keel daysailer that will deliver very good all-around performance in a wide range of conditions.

She is mostly cockpit, and will tend to keep the crew weight centered, fore and aft, which will help her perform well, and she will be comfortable and reassuring to her crew. The deep keel, combined with a good amount of beam, will tend to keep her on her feet, and the rig, with its large main and small, self-tending jib, could hardly be easier to handle. Nonetheless she should sail well in a wide range of conditions.

She has a springy sheer and a little bit of a “shippy” quality to her, as one would expect in an Alden boat. This would be an excellent boat in which to learn to sail, and one in which children could be sent out for the day with little concern. She is also one of the smallest boats that can deliver the power and feel of a deep keeled boat, which will make her enjoyable for people of all ages to sail.