The Honorable Bill Garden has Passed

[zeehag]

ct 48 was spozedly perry design.

[captden]

Every time I take my boat out I'll have to have a toast to a man who had a great eye RIP Bill

[captden]

I'll think of him every time I go for a sail on my V47. RIP Bill you will be truly missed

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by captden

I'll think of him every time I go for a sail on my V47. RIP Bill you will be truly missed

The Vagabond 47 is very much on our list of boats to consider for a full time livaboard home, as are Formosa 51 and Hudson Force 50. But to me the Vagabond 47 has the most perfect lines of all his designs.

[anjou]

He was a designer who had the flare and style to reach into some peoples hearts with his interpretation of beauty.

The rest of you are soul less if your not moved to drool and dream over such boats.

[zeehag]

anjou-i knew ye was a proper sailorette..LOL.... vagabond 47 makes me drooool...and the rest of gardens designs are sooo awesome-is why i have one..LOL
the sight of any of these boats with a bone in teeeth sailing full and by is impressive as hell---is pure passion!!!!

[Geoff H.]

Reading this just now at Mexico city airport, a month late. Just left my beloved F-51 in Barra for a quick trip to the states. Bless Bill Gardner cuz without him I wouldn't have one of the great loves of my life.

[nylajo]

Our sailing world is a better place for Bill having been here.

Sail on Bill..sail on.

[Cheechako]

Great boats and a great eye for beauty on the water... my first offshore boat was a Rawson 30. Took me to Mexico and back from the Pacific NW. One of the dryest boats I ever owned.
I absolutley love his Seawolf 40/Seatiger 41 design and the Fast Passage 39 is one of the prettiest double enders out there. Very well built by Tollycraft and a bargain these days for a more "modern" desing.

[zoombats]

sailboatdata.com/view_designer.asp?designer_id=14

I was in Hong Kong at the time of William Garden's passing and only just learned of this unfortunate event. When I am at the mooring in Hebe Haven Yacht Club I can see dozen's of his boats built by Formosa around me. Check out his designs at sailboatdata.com

[James S]

Originally Posted by zeehag

ct 48 was spozedly perry design.

I asked him about it and he said he worked on the bow on later models but wasn't the designer.
I've seen sail makers also refer to him as the designer...

[bobconnie]

I must Lift a Glass to a Fine man, and to an old friend. To a man who drew the boats that I learned to work and play aboard. See ya soon old son !!

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

I must Lift a Glass to a Fine man, and to an old friend. To a man who drew the boats that I learned to work and play aboard. See ya soon old son !!

I hope not too soon!

We've been looking at a few Formosa 51s and a Force 50 Venice. They do have a special kind of magic about them. Whether it's white magic or black magic depends on if you're sailing on them, or working on them

[Celestialsailor]

I was unaware of Bills passing. I had a Rawson Pilothouse 30. Great design by Bill Garden but roughly executed by Rawson. Fair winds Bill.

[bwindrope]

How did I just hear of this? Shame on me. As the most proud owner of a Gulf 32 I cannot express how much I appreciate Bill Garden. I've sailed her a great deal right around where Bill designed her and have become convinced she is among the finest year-round sailboats for the Salish Sea. Her "Gulf" name is one I bear proudly as I sail the Gulf Islands, and often wished I would see him on the shore near Sidney as I heard he would sit there on occasion.

In this life we are lucky to leave a positive legacy beyond any but our family, and Bill managed to touch so many of us with nothing more than his pencil and skill. My life is made immeasurably richer by the pilothouse sailboat he drew in 1965, and I will forever proudly announce to those who admire my boat that she is a "Garden design!".

RIP, or rather, Sail in Peace, Bill.