The design was built in the United States by AMF Alcort, a division of American Machine and Foundry that had been acquired in 1969. The company completed 5,000 examples of the Puffer design starting in 1972, but it is now out of production.[1][2][3][4]
The boat has a draft of 2.82 ft (0.86 m) with the daggerboard extended and 4 in (10 cm) with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer or car roof rack.[1]
The boat has a motor mount so that it can be fitted with a small outboard motor. It was also supplied with oarlocks to allow rowing.[2]
For sailing the design is equipped with hiking straps, boom downhaul and an outhaul. It also has positive foam flotation. It is normally raced with a crew of one to three sailors.[2]
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, the "Puffer may be sailed or rowed, so she comes with oarlocks. There is also a motor mount. Seats are molded into the double hull, and there is foam under the benches in case both hulls are holed."[2]
