Bolger Birdwatcher

Description

The Birdwatcher is an innovative micro-cruiser sailboat designed by the prolific American naval architect Phil Bolger in the mid-1980s. First published in 1986 through Small Boat Journal and later detailed in Bolger's 1994 book Boats with an Open Mind, it's celebrated for its radical "slot-top" cabin—a fully enclosed, low-profile shelter with transparent panels that allow the skipper to sit inside while maintaining unobstructed views for sailing, motoring, or simply observing wildlife (hence the name). This design revolutionized small-boat camping by prioritizing visibility, simplicity, and seaworthiness over traditional aesthetics. Built from plywood (often using the "instant boat" stitch-and-glue method), it's lightweight, trailerable, and ideal for solo coastal or inland cruising. Bolger himself considered it one of his most original concepts, though it's paradoxically one of his least-built designs despite widespread discussion among wooden boat enthusiasts. The original Birdwatcher (sometimes called BW1) emphasizes sailing with rowing as a backup, but its narrow beam and cabin slot make rowing inefficient (about 2.5 mph in calm water). In response, Bolger revised it in 2004 as the Birdwatcher II (BW2), adding provisions for an outboard motor well and a jib for better light-air performance. Both versions are shoal-draft sharpies, self-righting due to low center of gravity, and forgiving for novice builders or sailors. 700 lbs.