Alden Rowing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Boat building, Rowing equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | January 1, 1971 in Cohasset, Massachusetts, United States |
| Founder | Arthur E. Martin |
| Headquarters | Rowley, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Sliding-seat rowing shells (single and double sculls) |
| Website | www |
Alden Rowing produces sliding-seat rowing shells, originating with its first model, the Alden Ocean Shell, developed around 1970–1971. Differing from conventional racing shells that emphasize speed through elongated, narrow hulls optimized for calm waters, Alden focuses on crafting shorter, wider, and exceptionally stable boats designed to handle open water environments with waves. By 2004, the company had sold close to 25,000 units.
History
Arthur E. Martin, a naval architect trained at Webb Institute, initiated the design of the Alden Ocean Shell. Beginning in the 1960s, he explored fiberglass boat construction, starting with a 16-foot kayak in 1966. This design was later modified by incorporating a sliding seat and a deck to divert water, resulting in the Alden Ocean Shell. Martin Marine was founded in 1971 in Cohasset, Massachusetts, before relocating to Kittery, Maine in 1972. After Martin passed away in 1992, the company experienced multiple ownership transitions and by 2006 was operating as Alden Rowing Shells based in Rowley, Massachusetts.
During its initial production year, the business sold 165 shells. Additionally, Martin invented the Oarmaster drop-in rowing system—a metal framework combining the sliding seat, foot stretcher, outriggers, and oarlocks—which effectively isolates structural stresses from the hull and can be adapted to various boat models. Early equipment included spruce and mahogany oars crafted by East/West Custom Boats located in Eliot, Maine.
As of 2019, Alden Rowing’s lineup includes single (1x) and double (2x) sculls ranging from 16 to 29 feet in length, all employing the drop-in rowing mechanism.
Race
The Alden Ocean Shell Association was originally formed as a club for owners of Alden boats and organizes an ocean race spanning from Fort Foster to the Isles of Shoals, traversing open ocean waters off the coast of Maine. In 2006, this association restructured as the International Recreational Open Water Association (IROW), eliminating the requirement that participants must own Alden boats.
An Alden 16 is part of the collection at the Mariners' Museum and Park, showcasing its unique features such as a flat bottom for enhanced stability and a flared bow designed to provide lift and keep the boat dry—characteristics that distinguish it from traditional narrow shells with rounded bottoms.