Bolger Storm Petrel (Design 337)

Description

Storm Petrel (design #337) is a small, rugged plywood sailboat designed by Phil Bolger, featured in his book Different Boats (Chapter 10). Bolger described it as the "absolute minimum seaworthy boat"—a compact, simple cruiser intended for serious coastal or short offshore passages, emphasizing safety in heavy weather through self-righting and flooded sailing capability rather than speed or luxury. A simple flat-bottom plywood skiff using about 8 sheets of 3/8" plywood. Key distinguishing feature is a 3/8" steel plate full keel (roughly 170 lbs) for ballast, lateral resistance, and hull strengthening. The keel is shallow but provides self-righting stability. The hull has a watertight decked midsection with side benches for dry storage and emergency shelter. The bow area and footwell are free-flooding and self-draining. Total foam flotation is about 5 cubic feet (3 cu ft aft, 2 cu ft forward), placed high to promote self-righting and allow the boat to float at deck level even when swamped.