Puffer
American Machine · designed by Fred Scott · 1972
double hullBermuda rigUnited States
The Puffer is a 13-foot bermuda rig sailboat designed by Fred Scott and built by American Machine, first launched in 1972.
General
| Builder | American Machine |
|---|---|
| Designer | Fred Scott |
| Years built | 1972 |
| Hull type | double hull |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Construction | fiberglass |
| Origin | United States |
Dimensions
| LOA | 12.50 ft3.81 m |
|---|---|
| LWL | 11.50 ft3.51 m |
| Beam | 4.83 ft1.47 m |
| Draft (max) | 2.82 ft0.86 m |
| Displacement | 160 lb73 kg |
| Ballast | —— |
| Sail Area | 90 ft²8.4 m² |
Design ratios
Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.
SA / Displacement 48.86 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 47 Ultralight
Comfort Ratio 2.6 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 3.56 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 4.5 kn Theoretical max displacement speed
How these numbers are calculated
- SA / Displacement
SA ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(2/3)— Power-to-weight. < 16 under-canvassed, 16–20 cruiser, > 20 racer.- Ballast / Displacement
Ballast ÷ Disp × 100— Stability/stiffness. Higher carries sail better.- Displacement / Length
Disp(lt) ÷ (0.01 · LWL)³— < 100 ultralight, 100–200 light, 200–300 moderate, > 300 heavy.- Comfort Ratio (Brewer)
Disp ÷ (0.65 · (0.7·LWL + 0.3·LOA) · Beam^1.33)— Motion in a seaway. Higher = more comfortable offshore.- Capsize Screening
Beam ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(1/3)— ≤ 2.0 favored for offshore; > 2.0 better for coastal use.- Hull Speed
1.34 · √LWL— Theoretical max displacement speed in knots.
Estimated price
$4,000 typical range $3,000 – $5,000
⚠ Rough estimate only — not market data. Derived from a simple model based on length and hull age; actual asking prices vary widely with condition, equipment, engine hours and location.