1926 Custom Staysail Schooner

Curlew is an 81-foot wooden staysail schooner launched in 1926 by Fred F. Pendleton in Wiscasset, Maine, to a John G. Alden design. Built from yellow-pine planking on white-oak frames, she was later re-planked with vertical-grain Douglas fir using Monel and galvanized fastenings. Originally designed as a fast cruising yacht, she proved herself as an offshore racing schooner, competing in events including the Newport–Bermuda Race. In 1937, she was refitted from gaff to staysail rigging—an advanced configuration of her era—under commission by owner William Jay Schieffelin Jr.

The yacht accommodates three cabins and one head. Her deck features teak planking, butterfly hatches, and varnished deckhouses that reflect the original design's character. A Perkins diesel engine provides auxiliary power.

The wooden construction has been meticulously maintained throughout her life, with re-planking completed using quality materials and fastenings. Her hull, deck, and superstructure preserve the craftsmanship and design principles of early Maine yachtbuilding.