Bolger Surf
Description
The Surf, cataloged as Design #351 by Phil Bolger (1922–2009), is a versatile 15'6" sailing skiff designed as part of his pioneering "Instant Boats" series in the late 1970s. Featured prominently in Harold "Dynamite" Payson's Instant Boats (1979), it's an evolution of Bolger's simpler Elegant Punt, extended forward to a raked stem and aft to a narrow, dory-style transom for improved seaworthiness and speed. This single-chine plywood boat emphasizes amateur-friendly construction, making it ideal for first-time builders seeking a lightweight, trailerable day sailer or rowing tender. With its flat bottom and kick-up centerboard, the Surf handles shallow waters well while offering responsive sailing in moderate conditions—capable of planning under the balanced lug rig.
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | LEG-O-MUTTON |
|---|---|
| Luff | 14.25 ft - (4343 mm) |
| Foot | 9 ft - (2743 mm) |
| Leech | 13.62 ft - (4151 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 67.14 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | 13.58 ft - (4139 mm) |
| Head (Inches) | 1.5 |
| Area | * 59.9 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.