Seven Sister Ships were Built:
Angelica (1926), Teal (1926), Venona II (1926-now known as True Love); Fearless (1927); Sea Dream (1927), and Moby Dick (1927).
Alden “Malabar VII” Specifications:
LOA: 67’0 / 20.4m * LOD: 53’9 / 16.38m * LWL: 37’11 / 11.56m * Beam: 12’5 / 3.78m * Draft: 7’3 / 2.21m * Ballast: * Displacement: 43,300 / 19,641kgs * Sail Area: * Yard Number: 280 D * Hull material: Wood construction * Rig: Schooner * Designer: Alden * Built by: Wiscasset, Maine by Pendleton Brothers Shipyard * Year Built: 1926 * Restored By: * Current Name: True Love * Original Owner: John G. Alden * Current Owner: * Sail Number:
Historical:
Although Alden considered Malabar VII an unsuccessful boat, she won the 1926 Bermuda Race, with Alden attributing her Bermuda success to having good luck. He felt she was an ordinary performer, except while reaching. She had six other sister ships, with “Fearless” and “Teal” having the most success racing, while Venona II went on to Hollywood and fame.
Venona II was built in Wiscasset, Maine to the lines of design number 280, and in the early 1930s she went to Los Angeles, California, where she was bought by actor Dana Andrews, and converted to a cutter. Eventually renamed “True Love,” she went on to become a movie star, with her 1940 movie debut (minature model) in The Philadelphia Story, where Katherine Hepburn reflected on the Alden schooner in her infamous words “My, she was yar, easy to handle, quick to the helm, fast… ” Sixteen years late “True Love” would star again in the 1956 American musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters, “High Society,” where, while sailing, Bing Crosby serenades Grace Kelly with the Cole Porter song “True Love”
“True Love” can now be charted on Seneca Lake in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of the Great Lakes. How did this schooner find its way to the Finger Lakes? For a number of prior years the Alden Schooner Malabar X ran as a charter boat out of Watkins Glen, until she was sold and brought to Spain, leaving a void on the waterfront. Josh and Lisa Navone of Watkins Glen, NY, found True Love for sale in the US Virgin Islands. Lisa Navone reflected upon seeing her” “It was a perfect fit and brought back a very important and treasured piece to the community,”
40 years ago, On our honeymoon, my wife and I sailed on the schooner “True Love” out of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. I would like to know how I could get a replica model of the “True Love”?
I have a 5-foot model of the Malabar VII available if anyone is interested.
In the early 1980’s, our boat was trucked from California to West Palm Beach to sail in the Bahamas. Our Westsail was delivered to Cracker Boy Boat Works in Rivera Beach, spent several weeks there before being kept at Rivera Beach Marina.
During that period of time, a lovely boat was being dismantled at Cracker Boy. The boat was the Malabar VII. I asked and was able to rescue the transom, which was kept in storage for 2 years as we sailed in the Bahamas.
Many years have past and this rescued transom resides as part of my lake cottage décor in Lake Geneva, WI. This transom originally hung over our 40 foot fireplace, but now resides on a sofa table. The bottom part was removed and stored so that it would sit flat on the table. I’ve kept the front oiled and the lettering is vibrant, but the backside shows its age and various eyes and wooden pieces used to hold it to a brick fireplace. Just sharing some history. Sadly pictures cannot be posted on this site.