The Alberg 30 Site

The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in sailing.
-- Anonymous

The Alberg 30 is a beautiful boat. Designed by Carl Alberg and built by Whitby Boatworks in Ontario, she is both graceful and sturdy. The first Alberg 30 was launched in the summer of 1962. Since then, over 700 have been built. Almost 200 are members of the Chesapeake Bay Alberg 30 Association. Don't underestimate the value of a strong class association.

There used to be a Great Lakes Alberg Association in Ontario. That has sadly ceased operations, but their web presence is still available in a new location, Alberg Canada

"But," you say, "there are plenty of boat designs. Why would I want an Alberg 30?"

The Alberg 30 is well suited to both racing and cruising. Being a one-design, you don't have to race under handicapping rules. You can look at the other boats and know how you're doing. And, with a conservative class association, it won't cost an arm and a leg to race it. The older boats are just as (if not more) competitive as the new ones. And, while new sails are obviously an advantage, the class rules prohibit expensive high-tech designs that don't last as well as standard dacron. Sailing skill is more of an advantage than new sails. Many, many times, it's the clever competitor with the old sails who wins the race.

And, when you finish the race, you can enjoy yourself. Unlike smaller one-designs, the A30 is big enough to carry your family and gear for a weekend, a week or longer. And unlike many newer one-designs in its size range, it'll do so comfortably, with its seakindly sailing characteristics. You don't need a crew of deck-apes and rail-meat to make her behave.

In fact, when you finish that race, you may well find yourself already in the company of other Alberg 30s, waiting for you to join the raft. Many of the class races are point-to-point affairs, with a cruise scheduled to coincide. So, the racers join the cruisers at anchor.

Some of those cruisers may well have joined the racers on the way over. While there is a die-hard core of racers, there are also many who race for the fun of it, when they feel like it. Can you stand to be beaten by a double-handing couple dragging a dinghy?

P.S.

The best way to learn more about the Alberg 30, and the Association, is to join the mailing list.

Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer's Guide 4th Edition My favorite Chesapeake Bay guidebook. While it mentions marinas, it concentrates on anchorages—the kind of places I prefer to spend my time. And in addition to listing shore facilities, it rates each location for Beauty/Interest and Protection. This is the guide you need to really cruise the Chesapeake Bay—a smorgasbord of small creeks and coves. (Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)