Description
The Bolger Design No. 310 — Teal (often just called Teal) is one of the most celebrated "instant boat" designs by the prolific American naval architect Philip C. Bolger (1927–2009). Published in May 1975, it's a minimalist 12-foot double-ended skiff that's legendary for its extreme simplicity, elegance, and surprising capability as a row/sail/utility dinghy. Featured prominently in Harold "Dynamite" Payson's book Instant Boats (1982), Teal is built from just two sheets of plywood (plus minimal framing), making it one of the quickest and cheapest plywood boats to construct — many builders finish a basic hull in a weekend.
Bolger himself described it with rare pride as a "paragon of all the virtues," noting how long it took him to refine such basic elements (two rectangular side panels + bottom) into a lovely, utilitarian shape. The magic happens when the straight-sided panels are bent around stem/stern posts, creating natural rocker, sheer, and a symmetrical double-ender hull with elegant lines that belie its simplicity.
Double ended dinghy design. Uses a leeboard over the gunnel. Quick and easy to build. Sail is interchangeable with Elegant Punt, Crab Skiff ~Junebug, and Gypsy.
