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Under Construction: New Alden Yachts 56 Grand Saloon Express Date: August 30, 2002 Currently under construction at Alden Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island is "Seki II", hull #14 in the 50/56 express series and the third Grand Saloon Express. With every boat that Alden Yachts builds, the customer plays an integral part in the design process, providing ideas and feedback. Unique to "Seki II" however, was the extent to which owner Dr. Ray Dils provided working designs for the boat. "Ray actually provided CAD drawings, in some cases utilizing 3-D modeling, for many of the custom design elements on the boat." states Rob Mason, head engineer at Alden Yachts. "To say that Ray understands the design process is a bit of an understatement." Entering the yacht from the cockpit, one is immediately impressed with the custom arched doorway that leads to the saloon. The raised panel doors, with a radius fan etched glass window, are a harbinger of the level of craftsmanship that went into "Seki II". Inside, the use of freestanding furniture -- two Hancock chairs and a Baker Sofa -- give the saloon an elegant and spacious feel. This is further enhanced in a fairly subtle way by the reduced width of the window mullions, thus providing a more expansive view as well as creating a more "refined" look. Built-in cabinets, finished in cherry (as is the entire upper saloon), are located port and starboard of the aft saloon door and are finished with marble tops. The starboard cabinet contains a wet bar including a gold plated Skandvik sink. A Tiffany lamp, mounted on the port cabinet, adds an elegant touch. To port, and between the two Hancock Chairs, is a custom built half round cherry cabinet which conceals a remote controlled "pop-up" Samsung 24" flat screen television that recesses into the marble top. A freestanding saloon table folds and stows in a custom base below the sofa. Forward and to starboard is the helm station, where monitoring the twin Cat 3196E, 660-hp diesels is easy with Cat's computerized, digital Engine Vision monitoring system. Mathers controls provide the helmsman with a light touch, and a 12HP Sidepower bow thruster controlled by a joystick control pad adds ease of handling in and around the docks. An inclination system was designed and installed utilizing the water and fuel tanks with output to the computer -- this enables shifting the ballast in the tanks fore and aft, in conjunction with optimum trim angle, to keep the boat as flat as possible. Adjacent to the helm and to port is the nav station. As is the case throughout the boat, where curves and arches are a recurring design element, a gently curving companionway opening which fans outward toward the windshield ties the navigation and helm stations together. Down the companionway and located to port, is the galley -- full size with all the conveniences of home including a sub-zero refrigerator/freezer, microwave, Gaggenau stove and oven, and gold plated Santec fixtures. Corian countertops accent the cherry cabinets and a Skandvik high luster double bowl sink is recessed into the counter. The centerline companionway stairs lift with the push of a button to reveal an Equator washer/dryer unit. Below, one of the most striking details of "Seki II" is the treatment of the bulkheads -- finished in cherry to a counter-height trim piece, and in white semi gloss from the counter to the overhead. This affects a lighter feel down below and hints at a craftsman style of the early 1900's. Corners have been given a generous radius, continuing the theme of rounded edges, as well as two round louvered hatches, which provide light from above. The ceilings and house sides are finished with a light Ultra-Suede fabric and are accented with varnished cherry trim. Opposite the galley is the dinette area, which features a custom round, molded settee with cherry trim and green chenille upholstery. The centerpiece is a round cherry dinette table with a teak and maple compass inlay mounted on a stainless steel pedestal. Forward of the dinette to starboard is the guest stateroom, fitted with lower and upper berths, locker and bureau. Adjacent to port is the guest head, finished in solid cherry. Corian countertops with a beveled cherry inlay and a cameo white Corian sink provide an elegant touch. A frosted glass door, gold framed, leads to the shower. Moving forward leads you to the master stateroom. The door, as are all the interior doors, is solid cherry with raised panels and arched top. The centerline island berth, a 6'8" long queen-sized bed accessible from either side, has a chest of full extension 30" drawers beneath it with nightstands located on both sides. Overhead side cabinets, forward and aft cabinets, and a central bookshelf complement the chest of drawers beneath the berth to create a great deal of storage for the owners and their gear. An en suite head with shower is located to port. The head is finished in cherry, and cabinet interior finishes are high impact laminate, as is the shower stall, for ease of cleaning and durability. To maximize space and ensure comfort, a full-size mockup of the head and shower was built and modified to custom fit the owners. The exterior of "Seki II" represents traditional New England boat building at its best -- long, sleek and elegant. Her high gloss finished teak toe rails offset the flag blue hull. Stainless steel rails run from the bow to just aft of the cabin house where steps lead down to the cockpit. From there, a hand held control box commands the twin diesel engines -- both throttle and shift functions --along with the bow thruster. Mounted on the transom, the swim platform can be automatically lowered into the water to launch the dinghy and, upon returning, raised via a keyless remote. With
a wonderful mix of new technology and thoughtful design, "Seki
II" promises to be a boat that her owners will long be proud of. For more information contact Alden Yachts at 401.683.4200 or email at pressrelease@aldenyachts.com |
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