Formosa 46 Cutter

Description

The Formosa 46 Cutter, a robust fiberglass cutter-rigged ketch (often configured as a cutter) designed by William Garden and built by Formosa Boat Building Co. in Taiwan from the mid-1970s to early 1980s, epitomizes the era's emphasis on heavy-displacement blue water cruisers, with approximately 100 units produced at an affordable price point that made ocean voyaging accessible to aspiring adventurers. Measuring 46 feet LOA with a 14-foot beam, 5.5-foot draft, and 32,000 pounds displacement (including 12,000 pounds of external lead ballast), it boasts a full keel for tracking and stability, a clipper bow for wave-slicing prowess, and a conservative sail area-to-displacement ratio of around 15, enabling steady 6-7 knot passages in trades while handling gales with a motion that's described as "seaworthy but wet" by owners. Its teak-rich interior offers surprising volume for a couple or small family—featuring a double Pullman berth aft, U-shaped galley, nav station, saloon with settees, and V-berth forward—though the 6-foot headroom and occasional quality variances (like blister-prone gelcoat or chainplate leaks from the builder's rushed production) demand diligent maintenance.