Rawson 30-Gulf 32-Bill Garden

[bwindrope]

I just came across an article in PS that mentioned the Rawson 30, and with a little investigation I found an incomplete owner site that said it was designed by Bill Garden. I've always heard that my Gulf 32, also a full-keeled pilothouse, was a Bill Garden boat.

I'm wondering if anyone out there knows the history, or a source for the history, of these two boats and how similar they are and whether and when Bill Garden actually designed them. They are surely sister ships.

Any naval architects out there who know their history?

[Plumper]

They are both Bill Garden boats. His complete collection of designs is available online through Mystic Seaport Museum archives. My boat (a Truant 33) is also a Garden boat and I got copies of the original drawings, in full size, for a nominal fee from the museum. His drawings and the annotations on them are always fun to read.

[Freesail99]

I believe there was a thread on this within the last couple of months.

[rrgane]

Garden also designed the Buccaneer 305, my father had a Spice Island Cutter (1/3rd of it was bowsprit) also a Garden design .. he had many and varied boats out there. i believe the Gulf 32 is a much more refined design then the Rawson. I have looked a lot at both. While they are both stout as heck, the Gulf is a much kindlier sailor then the Rawson.

There are three Rawsons and one Gulf 32 on my dock.. the Gulf 32 is a piece of art.

[bwindrope]

Oh man, senility strikes young. Not only did I find the previous post mentioned, but was shocked to see I had even posted a comment!! Oh well. At the time I had not read about Rawson's much and this PS article peaked my interest in how similar, and yet different, it looked from my Gulf 32.

Thanks for the input anyway. I do have interest in contacting Mystic Seaport and getting plans for my Gulf 32. Just for fun, if not too expensive.

Sort of related to comments on both these posts, I am somewhat dismayed to see a lot of Gulf 32's come through Friday Harbor here and most of them are not well loved. In fact, I've seen at least 4 or 5 transient Gulf's and all but one have been pretty trashed. They make such good liveaboards, that I figure they get used that way by non-sailors. Shame, because she moves so well. When you see one in fine shape, they are really distinctive and beautiful! Then again, judging by the disrepair of the typical boat around here, maybe Gulf's aren't any worse off.

For me, besides the joy of sailing and traveling and adventuring, having a boat is an opportunity to love a beautiful and useful thing. If I had a WHOLE lot more money I would still want to do most all the work myself, and if I had a WHOLE lot less money I would not be paying $300 month to moor a broken hulk. Takes all types...

[Plumper]

Some people sail boats and some folks pamper them. When comparing boats, remember that most only get about 15 days a year off the dock. Those boats should look good. Those of us who get hundreds of days a year on the water rarely have boats that look like the dock queens. There is a great Editorial concerning this subject in this month's Good Old Boat. As the guest writer Dave Martin says "That's the advantage of owning an ulgy boat: you weed out the boat snobs right away."

[bwindrope]

Here, here, on that Plumper. Here, here. Judging by how few boats are ever away from their slips, even here in the sailing paradise of the San Juan Islands, there is no doubt these disused boats fall into two classes: immaculate because they are never used, and derelict because they are never used. When transient Gulf's come into the area I judge their repair on things like halyards and blocks and running rigging and some sign that stuff is actually being used.

She's a rare beast who is both frequently used, and turns the head. When those come around, especially when they are small enough to be owner maintained, I'm always impressed. Clearly then, it is a passion. I'd like to think Aeolus fits into this category, although I know she has a ways to go to turn many heads. But, she is sailed almost every single week of the year, and often for overnights and extended trips. I have days worth of work each week just to clean up and maintain from the previous outing! Hard to find the time and money to invest in just making her look pretty.

[rhumba]

The only boat that ever really turned my crank on aesthetics - sadly a bit small for our uses

[RXBOT]

Go to sailboatdata.com and look up saturna 33 I bet it's very similar, it's a custom built Garden design.