GOB Alberg 35

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Good Old Boat roasts the Pearson Alberg 35 in their July/Aug 2009 issue.

It was an A-35 that led me to the Ariel. I really fell for the Alberg 'style'. Didn't know at the time that most of the boats he designed used the CCA ocean racing rule. Still have no idea what they do. But assume that overhangs, beam to length and displacement, waterline length are CCA measurement influenced.
The Ariel originally sold as a "Midget Ocean Racer Cruiser.
What sailboats of Alberg were NOT influenced by the CCA measurements? Anybody know?

According to the article the A-35 seems to have all of the Pearson quirks that our Ariel/Commanders have. End grain balsa core that gets mushy and delaminates* - mast step support beam problems, encapsulated ballast with voids, fixed (leaky?) port lights, low cockpit coamings, too small cockpit drains, inadequate ventilation, unsafe cockpit lockers, a tiller dominated cockpit ( pedestal option offered). Topside hull thickness said to be 1" and more.
No complaint about the sailboat's easy motion.

Text in the article says that the shrouds are "outboard" but the photos don't show chainplates on the topsides. I assume that the plates go thru the deck next to the toerail as they do on the A/Cs.

Pearson used the same Melamine 'woodgrain' plastic for the bulkheads. I'm sure the same almost casual carpentry was used below as on the A/Cs.

It's really amazing how alike the A-35 is to the Ariel338 whose quirks I know so well!
I remember going back to the A-35 I was interested in and thinking there really wasn't that much room below on that thirtyfive footer compared to the Ariel! Of course that over states it. The Ariel below for me is very small.


I've been struck by the overall proportions of the Ariel which I believe to be close to sailboat perfection.
If the Alberg 35 had the same proportions as the Ariel the beam would be 10'9" rather than 9'8". That extra foot width would have changed the volume considerably and made a more spacious modern looking interior.

And in my opinion a more luscious looking boat
Not a fan of skinny lean sailboats like the scandinavian folkboat. They look hungry like ramp models.
[The 28'6" Triton with a beam of 8'3" if it had Ariel's 'proportions' would have a beam of 8'9" and my eye - which is more of a feeling - would like that less pinched 6" more width inside.]

If I had a million dollars I'd commission an A-35. That is an Ariel-35.
Obviously it can't be done so easy, but something to aim for. And one hell of an ocean cruiser that would make!
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*The article credits Everett as "pioneering the use of endgrain balsa as a coring material." But it is also the practices at Pearson Yachts that feature unprotected thrudeck holes for fastenings and fittings that lead directly to mushy decks and delamination.