ALDEN TEEL

Fourth sharpie built from the lines I took off a Briggs built sharpie in Westport Point Mass in 1987. ALDEN TEEL, named after my father, A.T. Ring,  was started in 2012, but not completed until 2024. More information about the construction and history can be found here: https://www.woodenboat.com/register-wooden-boats/lyova-marie, my register for the first replica I built in 1987.

ALDEN TEEL is the same construction, but uses 1/2″ fir plywood for the side planking instead of 3/4″ white pine like Lyova Marie. The plywood works fine, but required some cleats located in specific areas like oarlock pads, under thwarts, etc in order for the original construction/fastener schedule to work. My preference is for the solid wood, it involves fewer parts and is generally more honest construction. Both boats have a fir plywood bottom (installed cross-wise) because they live on trailers and our Texas weather is not kind to cross-planked bottoms.

ALDEN TEEL was started for a friend; we built the hull together on my patio and he took the incomplete boat home to Ft Worth but never got around to fully finishing it. It spent 10 years under a tarp in the weather until spring of '24 he called and asked if I wanted to come get it. I repaired the damage from the improper storage, built a small boat barn for it, and finished building the spars and other accoutrements.

My plan is to use ALDEN TEEL as a loaner boat- sailing in company of others is more fun, and I have found the best way to teach sailing is when the student is in their own boat- its obvious when the other boat is doing better, you just follow suit to catch up. Egos don't get bruised because the student is learning without feeling like they are being taught.