Polliwog

Back in 2019 and 2020, I bought, restored, and sailed a Bolger Bobcat—a plywood, hard-chined take on the classic Beetle Cat. Phil Bolger designed it with the same easygoing spirit of the original, and the result is a boat that really does feel like sailing a sofa. Calm, steady, predictable, and just plain pleasant. Polliwog was my Bobcat, and this video captures my last sail with her before I sold the boat. I’ve been lucky to spend time in a lot of different small craft, but this one still feels like the one that got away. The sail itself took place in Awendaw, about thirty minutes northeast of Charleston, just inside Bulls Bay and the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. I launched from Garris Landing and headed up the Intracoastal Waterway, where the route cuts through wide stretches of spartina marsh and quiet tidal creeks. It’s a great setting for a small, simple boat—just enough room to stretch out without feeling exposed, and plenty of scenery to remind you why these waters are worth exploring. Phil Bolger had a reputation for pushing boundaries with sharp, unconventional designs, but the Bobcat sits at the friendlier end of his catalog. It’s straightforward, forgiving, and an easy boat to live with. Not radical, not fussy—just a genuinely enjoyable catboat that does exactly what you ask of it. Polliwog treated me well, and I’m glad I captured one last day on the water with her.