Design Brief & Intent
The core mission of the Truant 370 was to serve as a robust, year-round passage maker capable of handling both coastal gales and extended blue-water passages. At a time when European and mainstream American builders were shifting toward lighter, flat-bottomed production hulls to maximize interior volume, Garden chose a more conservative path. The Truant 370 was heavily constructed with a solid, hand-laid fiberglass hull and a deck structure insulated for northern latitudes. Inside, the vessel exuded traditional West Coast craftsmanship, utilizing rich, solid teak joinery, warm marine laminates, and extensive hand-fitted woodwork that resisted the dampness typical of coastal cruising. The layout was optimized for liveability under way, featuring a galley and dinette positioned near the companionway for maximum ventilation and minimal motion, a spacious salon lower and forward, and a comfortable Pullman-style master berth in the bow.
Variations & Configurations
While the classic raised pilothouse remains the most recognizable silhouette of the Truant 370, the builder offered notable structural and rigging options to suit differing cruising styles. The vessel could be ordered as either a masthead sloop or a cutter rig. The cutter rig, preferred by long-distance cruisers, added a staysail on a removable or fixed stay, which provided balanced sail plans for heavy-weather tacking.
For sailors planning extreme voyages, Garden designed an optional configuration known as the Truant Turtle. Built on the exact same underbody and sharing the standard keel and rudder profile, the Turtle was redesigned from the sheer up. It traded the taller greenhouse windows of the pilothouse for a lower, heavily armored trunk cabin with a highly secure companionway, shifting the focus entirely from inside-piloting visibility to ultimate offshore survival and reduced windage.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The Truant 370’s physical dimensions dictate a stable, predictable motion in a seaway. With a displacement of 18,000 pounds and a ballast of 6,600 pounds, the boat possesses a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 36.67 percent. This high ballast ratio, combined with a relatively deep draft of nearly six feet, translates into exceptional stiffness and high initial stability. The displacement-to-length ratio of 251.07 categorizes the vessel firmly as a moderate-displacement cruiser. It maintains momentum through heavy chop where lighter vessels would stall.
Helming the Truant 370 is reassuringly drama-free. Its capsize screening ratio of 1.83 indicates excellent resistance to roll-overs in breaking seas, and a comfort ratio of 30.50 promises a motion that is slow and easy on the crew rather than quick and jerky. Under sail, the modest sail area-to-displacement ratio of 15.14 means the boat is slightly under-canvased in light air, requiring light-wind sails or reliance on the auxiliary engine to make progress. However, once the breeze fills past 12 knots, the masthead rig delivers reliable tracking and remains close-winded, while the modern underbody—consisting of a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder—balances classic directional tracking with responsive maneuverability.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Given the specialized nature of Truant Marine’s build process and its focus on regional Pacific Northwest quality, the Truant 370 was produced in relatively small numbers. Consequently, these boats are rare on the brokerage market today and are highly sought after by cruisers seeking an alternative to more common cruisers. Because many were sold as high-quality semi-custom kits or built for demanding private owners, their secondary market value is highly dependent on the quality of their initial finish and subsequent owner maintenance. Well-preserved examples command a premium, especially in Canadian and Pacific Northwest markets, where the dual-helm pilothouse configuration is highly prized. Prospective buyers should anticipate that refitting a vessel of this vintage will require specialized oversight, but the boat's solid foundation makes it an excellent candidate for long-term ownership and structural preservation.
Known Issues & Triage
Over four decades of exposure to harsh marine environments have highlighted a few recurring issues that require inspection during purchase.
- Deck Coring and Window Seals: The expansive glass windows of the raised pilothouse are a signature feature, but the original frames are prone to developing leaks over time. If left unaddressed, water tracking down from the window tracks can rot the plywood-cored side decks and cause delamination around the cabin house.
- Chainplate Inspection: The chainplates are robust, but they penetrate the deck in areas that are hard to inspect visually from the interior. Re-bedding these chainplates is a critical maintenance item to prevent water from wicking into the structural bulkheads.
- Gelcoat and Osmosis: Hull layups from the early 1980s are generally thick, but they are not immune to minor osmotic blistering. Boats that have spent their entire lives in the cold waters of British Columbia may show fewer signs of blistering than those that have migrated to warmer southern waters.
Modernization & Upgrades
Many veteran owners have chosen to heavily modernize the Truant 370 to extend its cruising longevity. A primary area of upgrade is the drivetrain. While the boat originally shipped with Yanmar diesel engines, many owners have repowered with modern, fresh-water-cooled Beta Marine diesels. These newer engines provide better torque at lower RPMs, improving the vessel's performance when motoring against strong tidal currents.
Due to the limited close-quarters tracking inherent to full-keeled or skeg-rudder cruisers of this weight, the installation of modern bow thrusters has become a popular upgrade to ease docking in tight marinas. On the electrical side, the large, flat cabin top of the pilothouse offers an ideal platform for high-output solar arrays, allowing modern cruising owners to transition their house banks to lithium iron phosphate chemistry to support refrigeration, diesel heaters, and navigation electronics without relying on constant engine idling.
The Verdict
The Truant 370 is a rare, beautifully conceived cruiser that successfully marries the rugged seaworthiness of Pacific Northwest design with the shelter and comfort of a true pilothouse. It is not a boat for those seeking light-wind racing thrills or a minimalist modern interior. Instead, it is an authentic, heavily-built voyager that shields its crew from the elements, allowing for comfortable, safe, and dignified cruising in conditions that would keep other sailboats tied to the dock.
Pros
- Excellent 360-degree visibility from a fully protected, warm interior helm station.
- Robust construction with a thick, hand-laid fiberglass hull and a highly stable motion in heavy seas.
- High-quality interior joinery with abundant storage, making it well-suited for live-aboard cruising.
- Classic, distinctive lines and a practical "fantail" stern that turns heads in any harbor.
Cons
- Relatively heavy displacement and conservative sail-area-to-displacement ratio result in sluggish performance in light air.
- Scarcity of parts and limited production run make sourcing specific model information or replacement trim a challenge.
- Pilothouse windows and deck-penetration points require diligent maintenance to prevent structural rot.
