Alajuela 33

Summary

The Alajuela 33 is an American sailboat that was designed by Raymond Richards for cruising and first built in 1977.[1][2][3]

Alajuela 33
Development
DesignerRaymond Richards
LocationUnited States
Year1977
Builder(s)Alajuela Yacht Corp
RoleCruiser
NameAlajuela 33
Boat
Displacement13,500 lb (6,123 kg)
Draft4.75 ft (1.45 m)
Hull
TypeMonohull
ConstructionFiberglass
LOA33.00 ft (10.06 m)
LWL27.50 ft (8.38 m)
Beam10.67 ft (3.25 m)
Engine typeIsuzu Pisces 27 hp (20 kW) diesel engine
Hull appendages
Keel/board typefin keel
Ballast4,700 lb (2,132 kg)
Rudder(s)skeg-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig typeCutter rig
I foretriangle height42.00 ft (12.80 m)
J foretriangle base15.91 ft (4.85 m)
P mainsail luff36.17 ft (11.02 m)
E mainsail foot13.33 ft (4.06 m)
Sails
SailplanCutter rigged sloop
Mainsail area241.07 sq ft (22.396 m2)
Jib/genoa area334.11 sq ft (31.040 m2)
Total sail area575.18 sq ft (53.436 m2)

Production edit

The design was built by the Alajuela Yacht Corp in the United States, but it is now out of production.[1][3][4]

Design edit

The Alajuela 33 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a cutter rig, with aluminum spars, a spooned raked stem, a canoe transom, a skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a wheel or a tiller and a fixed fin keel. It displaces 13,500 lb (6,123 kg) and carries 4,700 lb (2,132 kg) of ballast.[1][3]

The boat has a draft of 4.75 ft (1.45 m) with the standard keel fitted.[1]

The boat is fitted with a Japanese Isuzu Motors Pisces diesel engine of 27 hp (20 kW) for docking and maneuvering. The fuel tank holds 50 U.S. gallons (190 L; 42 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 75 U.S. gallons (280 L; 62 imp gal).[1]

The design provides sleeping accommodation for six people. There is a forward "V"-berth, two main cabin settee berths and two aft quarter berths. The interior trim is teak wood, with a vinyl headliner. The galley is located on the starboard side, amidships and includes a three-burner propane-fired stove, plus an oven. The head is located amidships, on the port side, dividing the cabin into two areas, with the navigation station aft.[3]

Ventilation is provided by two dorade vents, eight bronze-framed ports that open, plus three deck hatches.[3]

The design has wide decks and a cockpit that incorporates seats that are 7.5 ft (229 cm) long. The cockpit lazarette provides stowage for propane bottles.[3]

Running backstays are optional and the baby stay for the inner jib may be removed. The design has tracks for the genoa, the staysail and the spinnaker. Sheeting for the mainsail is to a cockpit-mounted traveler with a 4:1 mechanical advantage. The mainsail also has a 2:1 outhaul that is mounted internally.[3]

Operational history edit

In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "there is a long keel for tracking, and the forefoot is cut away for turning. With significant sheer, this boat has a traditional look. The keel is quite thick, as it contains ballast, water, fuel, and the holding tank."[3]

See also edit

Related development

Similar sailboats

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e McArthur, Bruce (2019). "Alajuela 33 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2019). "Raymond Richards". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 300-301. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN 0-395-65239-1
  4. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Alajuela Yacht Corp 1972 - 1982". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.