An accomplished naval architect and marine engineer
Bill Garden was born in 1918. He passed away in 2011. [1]
"William Garden was born in 1918. He attended the Edison Boatbuilding School in Seattle and then went to work for Andrew’s Boat Company for several years before forming his own company in 1940. Drafted by the US Army during World War II, Garden was posted at the Adak Ship Repair Base in the Aleutian Islands. Discharged in spring 1946, Garden became a licensed Naval Architect a year and a half later. His design business continued to grow, and in 1968 he relocated to an island in British Columbia. His early work consisted of mainly fishing boats — seiners, gillnet boats, halibut boats, and trollers — while his later work primarily involves yacht designs. He contributed articles and designs to Rudder, Yachting, WoodenBoat and other maritime publications, and he wrote several books about his designs, including 100 Yacht and Vessel Designs: From the Board of William Garden, circa 1971, Yacht Designs, 1977, Yacht Designs II, 1992 and Yacht Designs: Revised and Expanded." [2]
"Many believed and some hoped that the opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal would make Lake Union an intensely commercialized harbor, with cargo-handling facilities and heavy industries lining its shores. However, that vision never came close to full fruition, and the lake's most legendary companies are the relatively small shipyards that built wooden pleasure boats for the public, including the city's growing middle class.
Several factors contributed to their success. A handful of local naval architects (self taught or formally educated) provided skillful designs that determined a boat's overall appearance, performance, and comfort, whether powered by engine or sail. Notable in the early days were Leigh Coolidge (1870-1959), Bill Garden (1918-2011), Ted Geary (1885-1960), and Ed Monk Sr. (1894-1973)." [3]
Connections to Super Bowl halftime show performers: Bill is 28 degrees from Prince Nelson, 22 degrees from Dan Aykroyd, 23 degrees from Garth Brooks, 31 degrees from Chubby Checker, 29 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald, 25 degrees from Dusty Hill, 36 degrees from Whitney Houston, 23 degrees from Mick Jagger, 25 degrees from Paul McCartney, 25 degrees from Tom Petty, 23 degrees from Chris Stapleton and 22 degrees from Shania Twain on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
G > Garden > William Marvin Garden OC
Categories: Alberta, Needs Birth Record | Members of the Order of Canada | Boat Designers, Pacific Northwest | Canada, Notables | Notables