Muskrat — Alden Challenger K/CB Yawl

Hull, Deck, Cabin and Cockpit Construction

• Full keel (with centerboard) with cut-away fore foot and keel hung rudder underwater configuration allowing for propellor to be protected in aperture between keel and rudder.
• Solid FRP hull with painted exterior finish.
• Decks are solid FRP construction with supporting deck beams glassed in place.
• Deck bedded, bonded and bolted to hull at over-lapping deck to hull flange further fastened by thru-bolted mahogany toe rails and taff rail
• Cabin house is traditional wooden construction with solid Mahogany structural members, varnished cabin sides, cabin front and aft bulkhead
• Cabin top is marine plywood with an over lay of FRP cloth set in polyester resin with a painted exterior finish.
• Cockpit is of traditional wooden construction with solid Mahogany structural members, varnished solid Mahogany cockpit coamings and varnished solid Mahogany cockpit well vertical sides.
• Cockpit seating, bridge deck and cockpit sole are of marine plywood over laid with FRP cloth set in polyester resin and a final exterior teak deck under foot.
• Exterior finishes are paint and varnish.
• Bottom is Green anti-fouling paint
• White boot stripe
• Dark Blue topsides
• Gold Cove stripe.
• Off White decks and cabin top

Deck Hardware and Features

• Cast Bronze bow stem iron with integral bow chocks
• Bronze bow pulpit with navigation (port and starboard) lights
• Bronze stanchions posts with single (coated wire) life line
• Life line opening gate starboard side
• Stainless steel stern pulpit with navigation (stern) light and teak outboard motor storage pad
• Bronze diamond-shaped pad eye on center-line forward (staysail tack)
• Cast Bronze bow cleats
• Stainless steel bow anchor roller
• Simpson Lawrence 555, 2-speed manual anchor windlass
• Salt water anchor wash-down spigot forward
• Varnished Mahogany toe rails port and starboard with varnished Mahogany taff rail aft
• Bronze Genoa tracks with adjustable cars (port and starboard toe rails)
• Varnished Mahogany dorade box with Bronze dorade cowl forward (vents fwd. cabin)
• Bronze chain plates and chain plate covers for main and mizzen standing rigging (port and starboard side decks)
• Bronze deck plates with threaded inserts for sail leads (port and starboard side decks)
• Bronze deck fitting / fill “Waste” (port side deck)
• Bronze deck fitting / fill “Water” (port side deck)
• Bronze deck fitting / fill “Fuel” (port side deck)
• Bronze deck plate for old galley stove Charlie Noble (port side deck)
• Bronze deck fitting / fill “Water” (starboard side deck)
• Bronze mizzen mast step
• Cast bronze docking cleats aft (port and starboard)
• Cast bronze docking line chocks on taff rail (port and starboard)
• Bronze main mast backstay tang
• Bronze diamond pad eye for mizzen sheet (aft on center line)
• Bronze low-profile dorade cowl (vents lazarette)
• Varnished Mahogany propane storage box (supplies fuel to galley stove / oven and cabin heater)

Cabin Top and  House Hardware and Features

• Varnished Mahogany cabin sides, front and back, varnished Mahogany cabin eye brow above cabin sides and front, marine plywood with FRP overlay and painted exterior finish
• Large fixed portlights, 2ea for main saloon (port and starboard cabin sides)
• Bronze opening ports (main saloon & head) and fixed portlight (forward cabin) in port cabin sides
• Bronze opening ports (main saloon and forward cabin and fixed port (main saloon) in starboard cabin sides.
• Fixed portlight (forward cabin) in cabin front on center line
• Vanished Mahogany opening hatch forward (above forward cabin)
• Fixed wood shell block and Bronze diamond pad eye forward (staysail sheet)
• Bronze main mast partners
• Bronze diamond pad eye just aft of mast partner (boom downhaul)
• Varnished Mahogany dorade boxes with Bronze dorade cowls port and starboard on cabin top (vent main saloon and head compartment)
• Winche handle holders (with Bronze winch handles) mounted on dorade boxes
• Cabin heater chimney / Charle Noble port cabin top
• Varnished Mahogany opening hatch (above main saloon)
• Varnished handrails port and starboard on cabin top
• Varnished Mahogany sliding companionway hatch and sea hood.
• Varnished Mahogany boat hook storage chocks with varnished teak and bronze boat hook

Cockpit Hardware and Features

• Self-bailing cockpit with scupper drains port, starboard, forward and aft
• Laid teak overlay of FRP cockpit bridge deck, seat tops and cockpit sole.
• Varnished Mahogany cabin back, cockpit coamings port, starboard and aft
• Varnished Mahogany companionway drop boards and screens
• Bronze winch and handle to centerboard up / down control
• Horizon AWI, depth & speed instruments mounted on cabin back to starboard of companionway
• Primary and secondary sheet winches mounted on Bronze pedestals port and starboard outboard of cockpit coamings
• Cast Bronze sheet cleats mounted outboard of cockpit coamings port and starboard
• Edson steering pedestal with stainless steel binnacle guard and engine controls
• Bronze engine shut-off lever on aft face of cockpit well.
• Stainless steel “Destroyer” steering wheel with elk hide covering
• Raymarine wheel auto-pilot mounted on steering wheel
• Winch handle holder with winch handle mounted on steering pedestal
• Varnished Mahogany cup holder mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard
• Westerbeke engine ignition panel on seat locker front to port of helm
• Raymarine auto-pilot control on seat locker front to port of helm
• Garmin GPS mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard
• Bronze binnacle cover over Danforth Constellation helm compass.
• Access to emergency steering under aft cockpit seat
• Access to engine by way of Bronze water-tight hatch in cockpit sole.
• Main sheet blocks and cast Bronze cleats mounted on aft cockpit coaming.

Interior Accommodations, Layout, Features and Equipment  (Bow to Stern)

• Interior spaces of MUSKRAT are nicely fitted out in the Herreshoff style of white painted hull interior, bulkheads and joinery fronts accented by varnished Mahogany trim, cabin sole, doors, drawers and locker fronts.
• Natural light and ventilation well provided by both fixed and opening ports along with opening overhead hatches.
• After dark interior spaces are nicely illuminated with well-placed area and reading lamps along with gimbaled kerosene lamps.
• On cold evenings a Luke propane fired soapstone cabin heater takes off the chill allowing MUSKAT’s crew to enjoy cruising well into the shoulder seasons of early spring and late fall in not headed south for warmer climes.
• Furthest forward is chain locker accessed by removable vented panel at forward bulkhead
• Sleeping accommodations for two persons in (forward cabin) Vee-berth configuration with drawer and locker storage under berths, shelving for personal gear above and outboard of the berthing platform and a hanging locker aft of the starboard berth.
• Next aft is the passageway aft to the main saloon area with hanging locker and drawer storage cabinet to starboard and the head area to port.
• Head area is equipped with a manually operated marine toilet (plumbed for overboard and holding tank discharge), porcelain sink basing suppled with hot and cold pressure water, vanity mirror behind door, stainless steel towel racks and lots of storage capability in drawers and lockers.
• Continuing aft one finds themselves in the main saloon area with settee’s and pilot berths to both port and starboard separated by a varnished Mahogany drop leak dining table on center line with drawer and locker storage under each pilot berths and additional drawer and locker storage space forward of the settee’s and pilot berths and the Luke soapstone cabin heater forward of the port settee which slides inboard to create a comfortable double berth.
• Partial bulkheads aft of the main saloon settee’s  separate the main saloon and the galley area which all the way aft using both port and starboard sides of this area with companionway ladder and engine access between with the ladder being slightly offset to starboard and engine access on center-line.
• Galley equipment in addition to generous storage in drawers and lockers consists of a Luke gimbaled, 3-burner propane stove and oven (to starboard), a stainless steel sink basin supplied with hot and cold pressure water on aft counter slightly to port of center line and a well-insulated icebox to starboard.

Spars and Rigging

• Masthead rigged yawl rig configuration
• Painted (Cream) Sitka Spruce, hollow box construction, single spreader,  main mast
• Varnished Sitka Spruce, hollow box construction, single spreader,  mizzen mast
• Solid Varnished Sitka Spruce main and mizzen booms.
• Main boom as originally used was roller furling allowing for infinite reefing. Current boom set-up with lazy jacks so used as a standard (non-roller furling) boom with single reef for main sail. If desired lazy jacks can be removed to allow for original roller furling use.
• Spinnaker pole
• Stainless steel 1x19 wire standing rigging (shrouds and stays) with Bronze turnbuckle adjusters
• All sheets are of modern, low-stretch yacht braid.
• Halyards are all wire, rope to wire spliced or all rope (modern, low-stretch yacht braid) depending upon application.

Sail Handling and Sail Control Equipment

• Harken Mark II roller-furling headstay
• Main sail last jack system
• Barlow Bronze wire captured-reel, single-speed main halyard winch (main mast)
• Barlow Bronze single-speed genoa halyard winch (main mast)
• Barlow Bronze single-speed spinnaker & staysail halyard winch (main mast)
• Bronze halyard cleats (main mast)
• Varnished Teak shroud rollers, 6ea (main mast upper and lower shrouds)
• Barlow Bronze wire captured-reel, single-speed mizzen halyard winch (mizzen mast)
• Bronze halyard cleats (mizzen mast)
• Winch handle holder and winch handle (mizzen mast)
• Multi-purchase main and mizzen sheet arrangements with Bronze cleats
• Primary Sheet Winches: Barient Bronze 27-48, 2-speed, self-tailing (2ea)
• Secondary Sheet Winches: Barlow Bronze single-speed (2ea).
• Bronze traveler for staysail (current removed)

Sails and Canvas

• Main sail with single reef (Center Harbor Sails)
• Mizzen (Mike Bartles, 2023)
• Storm Trysail
• Roller furling Staysail
• Mizzen Staysail
• Gennaker / light weight cruising spinnaker
• Main sail cover (Sunbrella, Toast)
• Mizzen cover (Sunbrella, Toast)
• Cockpit dodger (Sunbrella and isinglass, Toast)

Auxiliary Propulsion and Fuel Systems

• Westerbeke Model 44B / 4-Cylinder / 44 HP / naturally aspirated diesel
• Engine Hours: 989 Hours (Spring 2026)
• Westerbeke ignition panel with tachometer, hour meter, voltage meter, water temperature & oil pressure gauges
• Separate lever controls for throttle and transmission on Edson pedestal
• Bronze lever engine shut-off on aft face of cockpit well
• Traditional flax packing style stuffing box stuffing box
• 1 1/8” Bronze propellor shaft
• Bronze fixed-blade, 3-blade propeller
• Fuel Capacity: 20 Gallons (2 Aluminum tanks, 10 Gallons ea.)
• Fuel Gauge located below by ship’s electrical panel
• Racor fuel filter

Electrical Systems

• 12-Volt DC ship’s electrical system
• Individual battery banks for ship’s lighting and engine start
• Batteries stored in secured and covered battery boxes
• Perko rotary style main battery selector switch
• Nova 14 circuit electrical panel with battery condition meter
• Battery charging by engine alternator.
• 12-Volt outlets

Fresh Water Plumbing and Sanitation Systems

• 100 Gallons freshwater capacity (2 Stainless steel tanks, 50 Gallons ea.)
• Hot and cold pressure water supplied to sink basins in galley and head
• Jabsco pressure water pump
• Engine heat exchange hot water.
• Force 10 domestic hot water heater / storage tank
• Wilcox and Crittenden manually operated marine toilet with varnished Mahogany seat and lid
• Waste system plumbed to discharge overboard, discharge to holding tank, discharge from holding tank overboard and dockside holding tank pump out by way of deck fitting on port side deck
• 20 Gallons Blackwater Holding tank
• Dometic Sealand 4 tank watch system for monitoring of blackwater / holding tank

Electronics, Communication and Navigational Equipment

• Danforth Constellation helm compass
• John E. Hand and Sons ship’s clock
• Short and Mason Barometer
• Garmin GPSmap XSV chart plotter / radar display mounted on swing-out bracket at companionway
• Garmin GPS receiver / display mounted on stainless steel binnacle guard.
• Garmin radar dome antenna on mizzen mast
• Standard Horizon AWI
• Standard Horizon depth sounder
• Standard Horizon knot meter / log
• Raymarine auto-pilot system
• Standard Horizon Eclipse DSC+ VHF radio
• Standard Horizon hand-held vhf radio

Ground Tackle Systems and Equipment

• Stainless steel bow roller
• Simpson Lawrence 2-speed manual windlass
• Saltwater ground tackle wash down system with spigot at port bow and Shurflo Blaster wash down pressure pump
• CQR style primary anchor (on roller) with appropriate chain and rode
• Danforth style anchor and rode stored in port sail locker

Dewatering Equipment

• Whale Gusher manual bilge pump located in starboard sail locker
• Rule electric / automatic bilge pump and float switch located in main bilge area

Safety Equipment

• Navigational lighting (deck)
• Navigational lighting (masthead tri-color light with anchor light)
• Type II PFD’s / life jacket (5ea)
• Type III PFD’s / life jacket (2ea)
• Type IV PFD’s / cushions (8ea)
• Lifesling mounted on starboard stern pulpit
• Life ring buoy mounted of port stern rail
• Handheld spot light
• Flares Kit
• First Aid Kit (2ea)
• Kiddie ABC fire extinguishers in forward cabin & main saloon hanging locker
• Fireboy engine room fire extinguisher
• Xintex carbon monoxide fume detector
• Fireboy Xintex S-2A propane fume detector
• Engine room blower
• Emergency tiller
• Radar reflector

Additional Equipment

• Dock lines
• Fenders with fleece covers (3ea)
• Step fender (1ea)
• Galley Equipment: Pots & pans, dishware and glasses, cutlery and cooking tools
• Rail mounted stainless steel propane BBG with spare sin-on style propane bottles
• Binoculars
• Folding boarding / swim ladder
• Bosuns chair
• Companionway screens (2ea)
• Washdown hose and spray nozzle
• Deck brush
• Bucket
• Miscellaneous cleaning supplies
• Dive mask and fins
• Miscellaneous drink holders Designed by the offices of John G Alden Yacht design, the Challenger Yawl was developed through a series of tank tests at the Stevens Institute model basin with the aim of producing a first-class seagoing sailing yacht to be built in the new FRP material, but in basic design and finish she was to retain the style of the accepted first class sailing yacht. Halmatic Ltd of Portsmouth (UK) produced these hulls which were finished with mahogany superstructure to keep the feel of a classic yacht and fitted out below with varnished wooden joinery. The result is a very elegant and sea kindly yacht, eminently capable offshore, and with her center board lifted she has a draft of just 4’ enabling access to areas many boats her size cannot go.  The split yawl rig is very easy to handle and with a relatively low aspect she does not get overpowered easily. Muskrat is a fine example of this venerable Alden classic and should be afforded serious consideration by those looking to acquire a cruising yacht with proven capabilities and impeccable provenance.