Often described as the prettiest girl at the dance, the Alerion Express 28, which launched in 1990, can trace its roots to Alerion, Nathanael Herreshoff’s mahogany 26-footer, which the legendary boat designer created circa 1912 for his personal use. 

In the late 1970s, Alfred Sanford of the Nantucket boatbuilding family obtained the original Herreshoff plans for Alerion, and made some minor modifications before producing a handsome cold-molded, carvel-planked sloop in 1978; 19 more followed. Both Alerion and Sanford’s subsequent version served as inspiration for what is today the Alerion Express 28. 

In the 1980s, Connecticut businessman and sailor Ralph Schacter commissioned West Coast designer Carl Schumacher to draw a boat with traditional beauty that also had unrivaled performance capabilities, yet would be easy to singlehand.  

“Ralph supposedly said, ‘I want a boat I can sail with my dog.’ Apparently his wife was no longer interested in sailing but Schacter wanted to bring his dog along so the boat had to be easy to singlehand,” said Ralf Morgan, who sails his  AE 28 Ditzy on San Francisco Bay 

Schumacher, who also designed the Alerion 20 and 38, drew plans for a simply rigged daysailer that included an engine, and features a spartan interior with a head and a couple of bunks. Hull No. 1 was a prototype built at Lost River Marine in Stuart, Florida, in 1989. With Schumacher’s  AE 28 drawings in hand, Schacter partnered with Holby Marine, then run by W. Barrett Holby Jr. in Bristol, Rhode Island. Holby Marine built seven more hulls. 

Despite its classic looks above the surface, the  AE 28 has a semi-elliptical keel and spade rudder. Schumacher designed two different keels, a standard fin or the Scheel, the latter ending in a semi-elliptical bulb and flat bottom.

Later hulls were built by Tillotson-Pearson Inc., and the design and construction remained unchanged at TPI through Hull No. 150, when minor modifications to the cockpit were made and some deck hardware beefed up. TPI also increased the ballast to make the boat less tender.

By 1994, designer Garry Hoyt had become involved in the production, replacing the original self-tacking jib with his Hoyt Jib Boom. 

Construction

The balsa-core-sandwich hull and decks, are prone to attracting moisture and eventually delamination. The hull and deck, like most yachts built by TPI at that time, were bonded together with bullet-proof adhesives like Plexus MA550 along a flange where the two parts meet. The hull and deck were not through-bolted, but that has not proved a problem. 

AE 28 decks are vacuum-bagged end-grain balsa covered with unidirectional and bidirectional fiberglass that is custom formulated by TPI. A layer of vinylester resin was applied to prevent osmotic blistering. (TPI, now under the aegis of USWatercraft, offered a 10-year limited warranty against blistering). The Hall spar is keel stepped, taking up room in the small cabin but adding to the vessel’s overall strength and stability. TPI reinforced the maststep with additional fiberglass. The rudder is made of carbon stock, and the post fitted with Rulon bearings.

What to look for

Marine surveyors advise potential buyers to have the hull and deck carefully inspected by a knowledgeable expert using a moisture meter and other tools to determine if damage is present. On certain models the gelcoat is prone to crazing both on the topsides and at stress points on deck. 

Later models featured larger-diameter scuppers for the self-bailing cockpits. Some owners have had to replace original Delron bushings on the rudderpost. Others have experienced delaminated tillers, which were originally glued and are now epoxied. Original No. 7 Lewmar cabintop winches were somewhat wimpy and often were replaced with No. 14s, making it easier for the less muscular crew to trim sail. 

Suggested upgrades also include adding double purchase to the outhaul on the main and rerouting the backstay and traveler control lines under the deck to the barney post where they can be more easily reached. 

 AE 28s built before 1994 will likely have the original self-tacking jib. Converting to a Hoyt Jib Boom could cost upwards of $12,000.

On deck

The deck layout is simple. There are no lifelines to interfere with the boat’s lines. The teak tiller can be easily reached in the spacious, nine-foot cockpit. Potential buyers should keep in mind the  AE 28 has relatively low freeboard and that can mean a wet boat, so blustery days may require foul-weather gear. The Harken 4-to-1 traveler is located aft of the tiller, making it difficult to access and control, but the lines can be rerouted to the barney post. 

The  AE 28 has quality deck hardware, including Lewmar self-tailing winches, and Harken roller furler and mainsheet controls. Some owners have upgraded the winch sizes. The standing rigging is 1x19 stainless wire with open-barrel turnbuckles. Deck equipment includes lazy jacks, a Hall Quick Vang system, adjustable backstay, a Lewmar smoke-tinted deck hatch and four iconic fixed elliptical Bomar portlights. The grab rails on the companionway, the toerail and coaming trim are teak. The companionway hatch slider is Lexan, as is the drop-in washboard. 

Down below

There isn’t a whole lot to celebrate below deck in the  AE 28 but what’s there is intelligently designed and made from high-quality materials. The saloon is narrow, and standing room is about 5 feet 8 inches. But the surroundings are comfortable, with a teak-and-holly sole, and the bulkheads of solid exotic woods rather than laminates. There’s a small sink with a manual pump and a built-in cooler at the foot of the companionway. Some boats rely on portable toilets while others have a head with holding tank or bag.

Engine

Depending on the year and availability, the  AE 28 relies on a Yanmar 1GM 10 diesel engine or a Volvo Saildrive. Earlier models had a single-cylinder diesel propeller-and-shaft engine that required a stuffing box. Later models featured a 14-horsepower, two-cylinder Yanmar 2GM14 saildrive. Two removable panels provide engine access. Alerion recently began offering an electric engine.

Underway

Jack Detweiler, who races his 2001  AE 28 Skimmer on Chesapeake Bay, said the boat is easy to sail and handles well in most wind conditions. “The harder it blows, the better this boat sails,” he said. 

Detweiler bought his  AE 28 six years ago and has since switched from a full-batten main to partial battens to accommodate the Chesapeake Bay’s light air. 

The  AE 28 running rigging is installed where it’s easy to reach so that the boat can be singlehanded. Although the self-tacking headsail offers limited control of the foresail shape, many shorthanded sailors appreciate the convenience. The yacht’s low coachroof makes it easier to see what’s ahead. 

“The  AE 28 is a great, one-design boat that sails easily with a crew of two. My wife and I sail together all the time. It’s very stable and can hold its own in PHRF and one-design. I have sail in up to 32 knots of breeze with no reef,” said Morgan, adding that sailing the  AE 28 effectively is all about controlling the backstay tension.

As for the Hoyt Jib Boom, it doesn’t allow sailing wing on wing because it swings to center, according to Morgan, who has created a gas spring that pushes the boom outward. “It creates positive back pressure, keeping the boom extended out so that you can sail wing on wing,” he said.

Conclusion

No matter whether she’s called the gentlemen’s daysailer, the rich man’s round-the-cans sloop or the prettiest girl at the dance, the Alerion Express 28 continues to increase its popularity as one-design  fleets grow on both coasts in the United States and on the Great Lakes. With such good looks and fast maneuvering, it’s no wonder she’s still the talk of the dock after
25 years.

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LOA  28’3”; LWL  22’10”; Beam  8’2”; Draft  4’6”; Displ. 5,700 lb.; Ballast 2,200 lb.; Sail area 352 sq. ft. 

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SAILING’s Value Guide

PRICE:  An Alerion Express 28 built prior to 2006 can be typically purchased for less than $75,000. Asking prices ranged from a high of $105,000 for a 2009 model, to a low of $52,900 for one built in 2003, both in Connecticut.

DESIGN QUALITY:  Designed by Carl Schumacher, the concept appeals to traditionalist sailors, but with a modern underbody. Lightweight composites coupled with a spade rudder and Scheel keel enable the  AE 28 with nimble handling characteristics and surprising performance.

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: The sturdy hull structure features keel floors, keel sump, engine bed, maststep and longitudinal stringers molded integrally with the hull during the SCRIMP process. The deck is similarly resin-infused SCRIMP GRP with a balsa core. All bulkheads are marine grade plywood bonded to the hull and deck.

USER-FRIENDLINESS:  The Alerion is comfortable on deck, particularly in the cockpit. The mainsheet is fitted to a barney post. The self-tacker on earlier models and the Hoyt Jib Boom on boats built after 1994 make tacking simple. Lazy jacks make it easy to lower the mainsail.

SAFETY:  Advocates of the design contend its Yanmar diesel has plenty of power, while its heavy keel ensures the hull remains upright  under sail. The absence of lifelines is a bone of contention for some safety-minded sailors. The self-draining cockpit is a plus. There’s also a manually-operated bilge pump in the cockpit.

TYPICAL CONDITION:  As most brokers will attest, the average Alerion owner takes pride in this head turner, which suggests lack of maintenance is seldom an issue.

REFITTING:  Several  AE 28 sailors added a light-air jib boom extender, reinstall and caulk the fixed portlights, and made two of the portals able to open for ventilation. Adding a Hoyt Jib Boom to an early model  AE 28 can be costly. 

SUPPORT: Alerion became part of US Watercraft last year. Owners can contact Alerion Yachts, 373 Market St., Warren, RI, 02885, 401-247-3000. Five active Alerion one-design fleets can be found from San Francisco to Chesapeake Bay, each with its own info-packed website. 

AVAILABILITY: There are an estimated 450  AE 28s sailing throughout the world. More than a dozen  AE 28s are typically on the used-boat market in the United States. 

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:  A new  AE 28 costs approximately $130,000, a used 10-year-old model in good condition can still fetch $80,000.