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Porpoise Garden
Designer: William Garden  ·  Builder: Various  ·  First built: 1971
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About the Porpoise Garden

Relatively little documentation exists for the Porpoise Garden sailboat, making it something of a rare find in the world of production and custom designs. What the name evokes, however, is a vessel with a playful, unhurried character — a boat likely suited to relaxed coastal cruising and day sailing rather than competitive offshore passages or racing circuits. Without detailed specifications on hand, prospective buyers would do well to seek out original builder documentation, previous owner accounts, or in-person inspections to gain a clearer picture of her construction quality and sailing behavior. Boats with limited public records often carry interesting histories, whether as custom one-off builds, small-batch productions, or regional designs that never achieved widespread distribution. For anyone researching the Porpoise Garden on Keel Index, connecting with sailing forums, vintage boat communities, and brokers who specialize in less-documented designs is strongly recommended. A survey from a qualified marine professional will be especially valuable here, helping to establish the boat's true condition, structural integrity, and suitability for your intended sailing. She may well reward the curious buyer willing to do a little extra legwork.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 45.75 ft / 13.94 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 33.33 ft / 10.16 m
Beam 13.33 ft / 4.06 m
Max Draft 5.67 ft / 1.73 m
Displacement 34,000.00 lb / 15,422 kg
Ballast 9,700.00 lb / 4,400 kg
Ballast Type Concrete*
Design & Construction
Hull Type Long Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Ketch
Construction Wood/FG/other
Designer William Garden
Builder Various
First Built 1971
Owner Reviews

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Known Issues & What to Watch For

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Performance Ratios
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
28.53
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
409.94
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 9.52 pounds/inch
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 14.54
P (Mainsail Luff) 950.00 ft² / 88.26 m²
E (Mainsail Foot) Mercedes-Benz
Engine & Accommodations
Horsepower 34
Fuel Capacity 200 gals / 757 L
Water Capacity 200 gals / 757 L
How It Compares

vs. Cape Dory 45, Island Trader 46, Kelly Peterson 46

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Porpoise Garden ★
45.8 ft
Cape Dory 45
45.3 ft
Island Trader 46
45.5 ft
Kelly Peterson 46
46.3 ft
LWL
Porpoise Garden ★
33.3 ft
Cape Dory 45
33.5 ft
Island Trader 46
39.8 ft
Kelly Peterson 46
40.8 ft
Beam
Porpoise Garden ★
13.3 ft
Cape Dory 45
13.0 ft
Island Trader 46
15.2 ft
Kelly Peterson 46
13.3 ft
Displacement
Porpoise Garden ★
34 lbs
Cape Dory 45
24 lbs
Island Trader 46
48 lbs
Kelly Peterson 46
33 lbs
Ballast
Porpoise Garden ★
9 lbs
Cape Dory 45
9 lbs
Island Trader 46
8 lbs
Kelly Peterson 46
11 lbs
Sail Area
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
935 sq ft
Island Trader 46
642 sq ft
Kelly Peterson 46
1 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
18.1
Island Trader 46
7.8
Kelly Peterson 46
17.1
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
32.9
Island Trader 46
48.2
Kelly Peterson 46
38.5
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
1.81
Island Trader 46
1.67
Kelly Peterson 46
1.66
Hull Speed
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
7.8 kts
Island Trader 46
8.5 kts
Kelly Peterson 46
8.6 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Porpoise Garden ★
Cape Dory 45
1.7
Island Trader 46
Kelly Peterson 46
2.1
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