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Messing About in Boats,
WoodenBoat, Classic Boat

 
 

Messing About in Boats

  • Every two weeks there's a Bolger column in Messing About in Boats. He either introduces a new design or reviews an old one; he's also been known to reprint and then comment with the benefit of some additional years of experience on rigs from his 100 Small Boat Rigs. MAIB is a great little magazine, it's inexpensive, and you should subscribe immediately:

    • MAIB
      Bob Hicks, Ed.
      29 Burley St.
      Wenham MA 01984
  • A six-issue trial is $6. A full year is $24. There are 24 issues per year. Bob does not have email. Buy a Stamp! Subscribe Now!!

MAIB

Bolger on Design

1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

1999
Jan
  •  1
    • Micro Navigator
      15' cabin Micro for open water, with
      Chinese Gaffer rig
  • 15
    • Update: Chinese Gaff
      Essay, drawings, photos
Feb
  •  1
    • 1999 in Review
      Essay and A Reality Check
  • 15
    • Schorpioen #649: Part 1
      35'4" x 20' folding trailerable trimaran
Mar
  •  1
    • Schorpioen #649: Part 2
      35'4" x 20' folding trailerable trimaran
  • 15
    • Work Skiff #618
      15'6" x 4'1" x 5" plywood outboard utility
    • Also: Dynamite Payson on the original
      Instant Boat, TEAL.
Apr
  •  1
    • Summer Ease #471
      23'6" x 6'2" x 10" modified sharpie cat yawl
      (reminiscent of a large, modern "canoe yawl")
  • 15
    • Prince William Sound Yawl #356
      16'3" x 4'6" x 4" cat yawl
May
  •  1
    • Plain 18' Plywood Outboard Utility #472
      18' x 7' x 10" v-bottom
  • 15
    • Shivaree #518
      16' x 7' x 10" trailerable outboard utility
Jun
  •  1
    • Bantam 16/20 #654
      6-meter power trimaran, 2.4m beam,
      with folding pilothouse
  • 15
    • Bringing Blacksnake Home
      33' x 6'2" flat-bottom double-ended
      sharpie sloop
Jul
  •  1
    • Blacksnake Part 2
  • 15
    • Marina Cruiser Part 1
      21'3" x 7'10" x 2'4"
Aug
  •  1
    • Marina Cruiser Part 2
      Photos and builder's letter
  • 15
    • J
      10
Sep
  •  1
    • A
      10
  • 15
    • J
      10
Oct
  •  1
    • A
      10
  • 15
    • Ocean Passagemakers, Part 1
      10
Nov
  •  1
    • Ocean Passagemakers, Part 2
      Tahiti       #653
      38'6" x 9'6" x 1'7" diesel cruiser
  • 15
    • J
      10
Dec
  •  1
    • A
      10
  • 15
    • J
      10

1998
Jan
  •  1
    • AS29: Unsolicited Testimonial
  • 15
    • June Bug: 14-ft sailing sharpie
Feb
  •  1
    • Donovan's Tender #647
      11'8" x 4'2"
    • Also: Gloucester Light Dory
      by Ron Mamerow
      Bolger and Gunter Rig
      by Hugh Horton
  • 15
    • Jinni (1954)
      19'6" x 5' 0" double-ender
Mar
  •  1
  • 15
Apr

  •  1
    • Low Powered Outboard #450
      23' x 6' x 10"
  • 15
    • Gaff Rig for Brick (60 sq ft)
    • Also: Cruise of Julia May
      (Long Micro) by Dennis Bradley
May
  •  1
    • Cruising Cutter Concept
      25'6" x 11'6" x 4'6" keel boat
  • 15
    • Beach Cruiser Concept
      19'0" x 4'3" sharpie yawl
Jun
  •  1
    • Folkboat Variation
      25'8" x 7'3" x 3'11"
  • 15
    • One-Man Liveaboard
      19 x 7'6" x 2'10"
Jul
  •  1
    • Moderate Speed Power Cruiser
      22'3" x 8'0" x 1'3"
  • 15
    • Topaz #650
      31'1" x 7'4" x 8" power dayboat
Aug
  •  1
    • Keel Sharpie Liveaboard
      55'0" x 9'6" x 3'0" yawl with
      "Chinese Gaff rig"
  • 15
    • Retriever #631
      22'6" x 8' x 8"
Sep
  •  1
    • Double Eagle's Yawlboat #651
      12'2" x 6'3" x 12"
  • 15
    • Double Eagle #646: Part 1
      42'10" x 16' x 1'4" catamaran, with
      "Chinese Gaff" rig
Oct
  • 1
    • Double Eagle: Part 2
      42'10" x 16' x 1'4", with
      Yawlboat #651
  • 15
    • Romp: Update on #372
      30' x 8'4" x 1'6"
Nov

(Nov 1 issue is accidentally dated October 15, and Nov 15 issue is accidentally dated Nov 1)
  •  1
    • Update on Champlain #636
      photos and discussion by Bolger and
      owner Hans Van Pelt
  • 15
    • Abondanza #652
      24' x 8'3" x 1'11" pilothouse steel fishing boat
Dec
  •  1
    • Illinois #630
      63'1" x 10' x 1'6" self-propelled houseboat
    • Also: Tyler's Tortoise by Ed Wiser
  • 15
    • Puffer 40
      40' x 14' x 2' self-propelled houseboat
    • Also: Tyler's Tortoise II

1997
Jan
  •  1
    • Skillygalee #416
      29' x 7' x 1'6" sharpie yawl
  • 15
    • Rig #14, Gaff (essay)
Feb
  •  1
    • Camper #640
      18' x 5'3" x 6" gaff cat sharpie with
      Birdwatcher cabin
  • 15
    • Rig #84, Baldheaded Gaff (essay)
Mar
  •  1
    • William D. Jochems #639
      29' 8" x 7'6" x 1'2" sharpie schooner
      with Birdwatcher cabin
  • 15
    • Early Electric Launches (essay)
      two design studies, 12' and 24'
Apr
  • 1
    • Lily: Practical Electric Launch
      15'4" x 4'5" x 23"
    • Also: In Search of the Ideal Power Cruiser
      by Jim Lacey (Retriever, Microtrawler)
  • 15
    • On Rowing (essay)
May
  •  1
    • Amherst Galley
      26'9" x 5'8" x 8" sharpie schooner
      with Birdwatcher cabin
  • 15
    • Rig #17: Balance Lug (essay)
Jun
  •  1
    • Pirogue 12
      11'6" x 2' x 3" sailing canoe, gaff
      or lug rig
  • 15
    • Rig #40: Jibheaded with Sprit
      Booms       (essay)
      a.k.a sharpie rig or sprit-boomed leg of mutton
Jul
  •  1
    • Chebacco 20 #540 & 575
      19'8" x 7'9" x 1' gaff cat yawl
    • Also: My Chebacco by Brad Story
  • 15
    • Rig #18: Chinese Lug (essay)
Aug
  •  1
    • Chinese Gaff Rig
      sail plan of Alert before & after
  • 15
    • Minimal World-Cruising
      Single Hander Col. H.G. Hasler
      #635, steel cabin cat-yawl with Chinese gaff rig.
Sep

 
  •  1
    • Rig #30: Gaff with Boomless Jib
      (essay)
  • 15
    • Sea Bird '86 gaff sloop
    • Also: Launching Itchy & Scratchy
      (Chebacco) by Fraser Howell
Oct
  •  1
    • Cruising Kayak
      19' chine sharpie kayak for H.H. Payson
  • 15
    • Rig #13: Gunter (essay)
    • Note: Issue also contains Conrad Natzio's cat-yawl Spoonbill; Dave Gray's article on Simple White Tarp Sails; and Dave Carnell's PVC pipe Simple Bilge Pumps.
Nov

 
  •  1
    • About Those Large Windows (essay)
  • 15
    • Balanced Lug Cat Schooner (essay)
Dec

Dec 15 is accidentally dated Jan 1, 1998.
  •  1
    • St Valery #625
      7.6m x 2.1m x 1m two masted lugger
  • 15
    • Chebacco: Light Cruiser &
      Daysailer
      19'8" x 7'9" x 1' gaff cat yawl

1996
Jan
  • 1--
  • 15
    • "Titmouse" Training Dinghy
      11'6" x 5' pram catboat
Feb
  • 1
    • Keel Sloop
      36' x 11' x 4'6"
  • 15
    • Utility Nesting Skiff
      11'6" x 4'2"
    • Also: Another Bolger Skiff
      (Common Sense Skiff) by George Fulk
Mar
  •  1
    • Pinky Schooner
      65' x 14' x 5'
    • Also: Conrad Natzio Oystercatcher Skiff
  • 15
    • Houseboat Concept
      47' x 11' x 15" streamlined houseboat
Apr
  •  1
    • Hardbottom Inflatable Dinghy
      7'6" x 4' x 2'9"
      Also: Baywood Navy Messabout
      by Jack Moore (photos of Bolger Priate Racers, etc)
  • 15
    • Swinging Ballast Concept
      23'6" x 4'10" x 6" to 4'6"
May
  • 1
    • Shoal Keel Daysailer Concept
      24' x 7' 10" x 2'
  • 15
    • 3 Meter Trimaran
      10' long, 8' wide
Jun
  • 1
    • Lake Launch
      40' x 8' x 1'2" V-Bottom Cruiser with
      Hidden Twin 4-Cycle Outboards
  • 15
    • Sharpie Catamaran
      23'6" x 12' "Bolger Box" cat with sprit-boom rig
Jul
  • 1
    • Nord Koster Canoe Yawl
      16' x 6'6" x 12"
      by William Clements (plans & notes)
    • Light Power Cruiser Concept
      50' x 9'4" x 2'6"
  • 15
    • Leeboard Yawl Concept
      22' x 7' x 1'6"
Aug
  • 1
    • Outboard Utility
      21' x 6'
  • 15
    • Champlain
      22'6" x 7'11" x 11" outboard cabin cruiser
Sep
  • 1
    • Retriever
      22'6" x 8' x 8" outboard planing cruiser
  • 15
    • Watervan #632
      22'6" x 8' full-cabin outboard
Oct
  • 1
    • Inlet Runner
      22' x 8'5" "pilothouse" 20mph outboard
    • Also: Conrad Natzio's Shoveller
      9'9" camp-crusing pram dinghy
  • 15
    • Production Power Cruiser #207
      27' x 10'9" x 7600lb displacement
Nov
  • 1
    • Homebuilt Yawl
      39' x 10'3" x 2' deadrise auxiliary
  • 15
    • Small Yacht
      7' x 2'8" x 5.25" gaff catboat, 25lbs hull wgt.
Dec
  • 1
    • Lily #627
      15'3" electric launch photo essay
    • Also: Gill Netter Houseboat, Watervan &
      Dymaxion Car by Marc Pettingill
  • 15
    • Rig 33: Gaff Cutter with Boomless Main
      (essay, cartoon)

1995
Jan
  •  1
    • A
      10
  • 15
    • J
      10
Jul
  •  1--
  • 15
    • Keel Catboat/Cat Yawl
      20' x 7'10" x 2'

Dec
  •  1--
  • 15
    • Bolger Clam Skiff
      by Steve Krzysko

WoodenBoat

Boatbuilding Projects in WoodenBoat (item, title, issue number)

Dynamite Payson, author

"Instant Boats," 7

Gloucester Light Dory

by Dynamite Payson

"A Classic in Plywood, Part I," 41
"A Classic in Plywood, Part II," 42
"A Classic in Plywood, Part III," 43

Cartopper Dinghy

by Dynamite Payson

Model: 85, 86
How-to-build series: 87, 88

Sailing Peapod

by Dynamite Payson

"Building Sweet Pea, Part I," 104
"Building Sweet Pea, Part II," 105

Designs &c in WoodenBoat (item, issue number)

Yawl MOCCASIN

18

Sharpies

25

Cat-ketch, 37'

26

Comments

54

Cat-yawl, 24' 9"

58

Lobsterboat, 28'

77

Sharpie MARTHA JANE

80

Cruising boats: comments, plans

86

Comments on sprit rig

89

Story 20 (Bolger yawl)
ALERT (Bolger sloop)

92

Power cruiser ALICE

97

Chebacco 20 daysailer
Long Micro pocket cruiser

107

Sharpie designs

114

Skiff SHIVAREE
Lobster skiff SOMETIME OR NEVER

117

Beach cruiser Birdwatcher
Beach cruiser Owlet

127

Electric launch LILY, 15' 4"

137

 

 

Writings in WoodenBoat (title, issue number)

"L. Francis Herreshoff"

55, 56

Book review: John Alden and His Yacht Designs

56

"Brad Story: The New Generation"

61

"Forest Belle" yawl,

66

Letter on plywood butt blocks,

67

"A Ghost That Only We Could See"

75

"Six Cruising Scenarios"

86

"An Echo from a Time of Innocence"

97

"A New (?) Tack for a Dipping Lug"

114

 

 

About Bolger

"Boats from an Independent Thinker" and "The Bullimore Fleet"

by John Leather

Classic Boat (UK), March 1997, pp. 40-46

"Phil Bolger's Fresh Thinking"

by Kathy Mansfield

Water Craft (UK), February 2000, pp. 17-23

Back to the Boats or to The Cheap Page or to the Top.

 

2.0 10/31/99
2.1 02/29/00
 
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