Photo by Mark Antinozzi
Alerion 12 on Long Island Sound

The original Alerion was designed by Nathanael G. Herreshoff for his personal use. Built at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and launched in early 1913, Herreshoff sailed his Alerion for many years near his homes in Bermuda and later in Bristol, Rhode Island.

After sailing fifty or so years, today the original Alerion resides as part of Mystic Seaport's Collection of Small Craft, where she holds spellbound thousands of sailors with her sensuous curves and elegant simplicity.

Simply calling it a Herreshoff does not make it so.
Over the decades, scores of custom and semi-custom versions of this great design have been built for knowledgeable sailors seeking the creme-de-le-creme of sailboats. The twenty-one Alerion-class sloops built on Nantucket of cold molded epoxy construction by the Sanford Brothers in the 1970s and 1980s are an example of the ubiquity in Herreshoff's design. These yachts, admired by all who see them, have become collectors items that appreciate in value each year. Those who have sailed the Opera House Races on Nantucket have been surprised by the speed, stability, and the beauty of these classics as they sail effortlessly past much larger yachts.

Experienced sailors know there is a definitive air of superiority about Alerion, her time-proven design that combines speed, grace, stability, and handling ease in a beautiful package. Nathanael Herreshoff designed and built his Alerion with a centerboard and, we must believe, an intentional placement of the mast. While it is true that he would have selected the very best modern materials available, the rig and the contours of the hull above and below the waterline remain the critical ingredients to this majestic vessel.

          

Alerion is the ultimate day sailer.

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