Porpoise Ketch performance

[Guimauve]

We are interested in a 1971 built Porpoise Ketch (42' LOD - 54'LOA?).
The price is right, the lines are gorgeous and the potential is there but we would like more info on performance. We are having a hard time finding anything specific to Bill Garden designs on line.
Can anyone help with numbers such as Sail Area & Sail-Disp ratio.
We plan on using the boat on the south-west BC coast for the next ten years or so and also the possibility of some longer trips to Mexico or Hawaii.
Our concern is performance in the prevailing light airs in our area (Gulf Islands) since we will be doing most of our crusing for the next while during the summer months and also how she would performance out on the blue.
Also can anyone suggest links for more info?

[RXBOT]

This is the boats name not model. It's a force 50 , ketch,LOA 58-10, LOD 50-10, beam 14-1, draft 6, 52,000#, SA 1250, 120 hp diesel, 8 berths. this is a garden design originally from the 40's and redone in the 70's to incorporate fiberglass.Pilothouse too.Another Garden design from this period is a Formosa 51.Pilothouse ketch,LOA 51, LOD 39-6, draft 6-4,SA 959, Disp 56000#, ballast 12,000#, SA- Disp 10.53. Obviously not light air sailers. They have that China clipper bow look. Your boat probably has similar specs. The Formosa beam is 14 feet.

[walloon]

I own a wooden Walloon ketch designed by Bill Garden. I am very pleased with the sailing characteristics of the boat. Light air performance on my boat is exceptional for a full keel boat of this weight. I takes her a while to get moving, but her momentum once she is moving keeps her going in variable airs. She will easily move at half the wind speed in winds up to 10 knots, and in rough water and light winds I can easily pass lighter displacement boats that supposedly perform better. And the boat has never let me down when the going gets rough.

The boat is steady and seakindly and a great course keeper. Nothing happens fast on this boat, which is an advantage in rough going or in sailing short handed. Tacking requires a full commitment, and she carries way for a considerable time.

Garden, in his own words, has been "blamed" for many of the Formosa and CT designs which were altered from his originals and do not perform well. Having experienced some of these boats, I had some strong reservations when I first became interested in my current boat. As I got to know her, I was amazed at how well she sailed, and she has continued to surpass my expectations. Under engine alone, the boat does not handle well and is slow.

While I have never sailed a Porpoise, I have always admired the design a great deal. If I wanted a somewhat larger boat than I have now, a Porpoise would definitely top my list

[walloon]

For specifics on sail area, displacement and so forth, see William Garden's book:
"Yacht Designs Revised and Expanded"

From Tiller Publishing. There is a large section on Porpoises in the book, incuding plans and specs.

[Guimauve]

Thanks for your input.
I am still not sure if she is a Porpoise or a Formosa.
As far as we can tell the owner-builder enjoyed a good relationship with the designer when she was built.

We do know she is 42' LOD, 114' beam and 18.06 Tons disp.

[walloon]

Check out:
wholeboat.net
There is a section on Bill Garden as well as a photo galery with descriptions and photos, including several porpoises

[Porpoiseman]

I have owned a Porpoise for 31 years. It is quite a boat, heavy, to be sure, but made for tradewind sailing. Mine is teak, which probably adds a few tons over the preferred cedar. I think it is a design of unmatched beauty.