Indian (Nantucket Indian)

Description

The Indian (also known as the Massachusetts Bay Indian Class, Nantucket Indian, or Alden Indian Class) is a classic American one-design daysailer designed by renowned naval architect John G. Alden (with contributions from Samuel Crocker, who worked in Alden's firm at the time), originating as Alden design #148 around 1921–1923. Inspired by earlier Swampscott dories (like C.D. Mower's 1898 X-Class racing dory), it was formalized as the Massachusetts Bay Indian Class in 1926, first raced in 1927, and became a popular one-design fleet at clubs like Eastern Yacht Club (Marblehead, MA), Squantum Yacht Club, and others in the region, as well as on Nantucket Sound and in Maine. Built primarily in wood (lapstrake planking over sawn frames) by yards such as Chaisson Boat Builders, Howard Boats (Barnstable, MA), and others, it features a centerboard for shallow draft versatility, generous side decks for dryness and stiffness (an improvement over open dories), inside ballast, a gaff or Marconi sloop rig (later plans often updated to Marconi with running backstays), and exceptional seaworthiness for a small daysailer—examples have proven capable in challenging conditions despite their size. It's suited to club racing, daysailing, and occasional coastal adventures, with a springy sheer and "shippy" aesthetic. Production was limited to the one-design class era (dozens built in the 1920s–1930s, with some later reproductions or restorations using Alden plans; exact totals untracked but fleets dwindled over time, with surviving hulls rare and cherished as classics today—plans remain available from sources like WoodenBoat for new builds).