1. Kits & Plans
  2. Sailing Dinghies
  3. Rowing Dinghies
Sale
Sale
Passagemaker Standard
Sale
Passagemaker
Sale
passagemaker on beach
Sale
Passagemaker rowing
Sale
Passagemaker sailing with dog
Sale
Passagemaker Standard
Passagemaker Standard Thumbnail
Passagemaker Thumbnail
passagemaker on beach Thumbnail
Passagemaker rowing Thumbnail
Passagemaker sailing with dog Thumbnail
Passagemaker Standard Thumbnail

Passagemaker Standard

Builder Testimonials

A versatile and attractive alternative to the usual ugly "deflatable" dinghies used by so many yacht owners. Carries big payloads, sails, rows, and tows.

  • Skill Level Beginner
  • Estimated Build Time 120 hours

This project was designed with the beginner in mind. Assembly manuals and documentation are calibrated for builders who are using epoxy and fiberglass for the first time. In kits, little or no trimming and fitting of parts is required.

Budget around 110 to 120 hours of hands-on time to build a completely outfitted sailing version of this design.

Build this boat if...

  • You're looking for a fast, fun, and versatile daysailer.
  • You need a stable platform for fishing, including with a light outboard.
  • You need an attractive tender with a large payload.

  • #1 Seller

    Thousands of kits shipped

  • Versatile

    A design that does everything well

  • Easy to Build

    Your first boatbuilding project!

  • In-Depth Manual

    Meticulous, fully-illustrated instructions

As the old Packard ad goes, "Ask the Man Who Owns One." You'll find examples of this popular design on every continent except Antarctica. And we're working on Antarctica.

Fast but comfortable, comfortable but sleek, sophisticated but easy to build, elegant but straightforward. If you're going to have just one boat...

If this is your first go at mixing epoxy and assembling pre-cut wooden parts, here's a good design for starting out!

In-Depth Manual

Polished assembly manuals with hundreds of photos and illustrations, evolved and updated over many years. 

 Build Your Kit
Shipping & Returns

Builders also looked at...

Take One of our Boatbuilding Classes

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.
Passagemaker Standard
Passagemaker

Passagemaker

passagemaker on beach

passagemaker on beach

Passagemaker rowing

Passagemaker rowing

Passagemaker sailing with dog

Passagemaker sailing with dog

Passagemaker Standard
Passagemaker Standard Thumbnail
Passagemaker Thumbnail
passagemaker on beach Thumbnail
Passagemaker rowing Thumbnail
Passagemaker sailing with dog Thumbnail
Passagemaker Standard Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
11'7"
Beam
56"
Rowing Draft
6"
Sailing Draft:
30"
Sail Area (gunter)
78 sq. ft.
Sail Area (lug)
62 sq. ft.
Hull Weight
90 lbs.
Max Payload
650 lbs.

Performance

Stability

5 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

2 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

5 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

5 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

4 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
Linda and Eric M sailing their Passagemaker Standard on a perfect day on Lake Timothy in Oregon.
Linda and Eric M sailing their Passagemaker Standard on a perfect day on Lake Timothy in Oregon.

Overview

The Passagemaker Dinghy is a handy boat that can be rowed, sailed, and powered with up to three adults aboard.  Easy to build. Looks great . Performs beautifully. A smooth glide when rowing, spirited performance when sailing, and steady handling with an outboard make this design a gem in our fleet of graceful build-it-yourself boat kits.

This is the perfect dinghy for folks with larger boats. Are you tired of moving heavy, traditional dinghies that weigh 200 pounds, or struggling with a limp, awkward inflatable that can't be rowed or sailed? CLC designer John C. Harris has drawn an elegant, Norwegian-styled pram that weighs only 90lbs, but can survive real abuse in the dinghy park. With a 650-pound payload, the Passagemaker can haul the entire crew in one go, or ferry blocks of ice and jerrycans of drinking water from the quayside to the mothership. The sailing rig components store flat inside the 11'7" hull; fasten three shrouds and the mainsheet, hoist up the mainsail and jib, and you've got a fast, fun, stable sailing dinghy that will please even the most ardent and discriminating sailing enthusiast.

If you have a long harbor to cross, a 2-, 3-, or 4-horsepower outboard will drive the Passagemaker to harbor speed limits and beyond. Transom height is 15 inches, sized for short-shaft outboards. An electric outboard for lake fishing will work great, too. If you don't want to lug around an outboard and smelly gas, you'll be delighted to discover how well the Passagemaker rows: there's plenty of rocker for low wetted surface and the transom won't drag in the water, so it won't slow you down.

See what Sailing magazine had to say about the Passagemaker.

Easy to Build

The Passagemaker Dinghy is built using CLC's proven LapStitch™ technique, which yields a rigid, durable, beautiful hull without resorting to complex molds. The kit consists of okoume marine plywood panels---computer cut for accuracy, mahogany trim, and all of the epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware you'll need.

The Passagemaker Dinghy is well within the reach of first-time boatbuilders. There are no tricky steps and no special tools are needed. Completion will average 100 hours for the sailing version. The daggerboard trunk is included in the base kit, so you can upgrade to the sailing option at any time in the future.

Optional Lug Rig:  There is an option for a lug rig, which is substituted for the stock sloop rig.  It uses a free standing mast, offers somewhat simpler handling both ashore and on the water.  While not as fast upwind, the lug rig still provides serious horsepower and includes a set of reef points for extra windy days.

 

Passagemaker Take-Apart
We've had hundreds of requests for a take-apart dinghy. Take-aparts or "nesting" dinghies can be disassembled to take up less space when stored on the deck of a trawler or sailing yacht. The Passagemaker Take-Apart is identical to the standard kit, except that the front 45" unbolts and stows in the rear 93" of the hull. The interiors of both standard and Take-Apart versions are identical; there are no compromises made to rowing, sailing, powering, or towing ability in the Take-Apart design, although the Take-Apart weighs about four pounds more. Outwardly it's actually difficult to tell the difference between them.

 

 

 

Buying Options

Choose Your Boatbuilding Experience

Building your boat starts with selecting the appropriate components for your build.

  1. Select Your Configuration

    Build From a Kit:
    Most builders will start with the Base Kit. If you plan to sail your new boat, you will also need to order the Sailing Component Kit.
    Build From Scratch:
    Source your own materials and hardware, and work from full-sized patterns.
    Build From a Wood Parts Only Kit:
    "Wood Parts Only" kit buyers have their own supply of epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.
    Order Study Plans or Manuals:
    Like to study up a bit first? Download study plans or a copy of the assembly manual.

  2. Choose Options and Add-Ons

    Additional Components:
    If this is a rowing/sailing boat, you’ll need the Sailing Component Kit. You can also choose different sail colors, order a Line & Cordage Package, add nonskid decking, storage covers, and more.

  3. Get Building!

    Computer-cut kits feature all of the latest tweaks to ease assembly, including slot-together frames, pre-drilled holes for stitching-and-gluing, puzzle joints, and precision in the fitting of parts.

Standard Configuration

Nearly every builder will start with the Base Kit. If you plan to sail your new boat you will also need to order the Sailing Component Kit.

Sale
$1,769.00 $1,415.20

This Passagemaker kit includes extensively illustrated step-b...

This Passagemaker kit includes extensively illustrated step-by-step 123-page instruction manual, computer-cut and -drilled parts, daggerboard trunk, epoxy kit, fiberglass for hull, drain plugs, and one pair of bronze oarlocks and sockets. 
$1,698.00

This Passagemaker Sailing kit (Lug Rig) includes the sail, a ...

This Passagemaker Sailing kit (Lug Rig) includes the sail, a wooden mast, wooden boom and yard, kick-up rudder, tiller, daggerboard, and hardware. Line is not included. 

 Lug Sailing Rig kit contents

 
$1,998.00

This Passagemaker Sailing kit (Gunter Sloop Rig) includes sai...

This Passagemaker Sailing kit (Gunter Sloop Rig) includes sails, aluminum mast, wooden boom and yard, stainless steel shrouds, kick-up rudder, tiller, daggerboard, fairleads, blocks, and hardware. Line is not included. 

Gunter Sloop Sailing Rig kit contents
$2.99

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite ...

Passagemaker Study Plan

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite kits and plans by return email --- for just a few dollars! 

When you order a set, you'll receive the study plans emailed in the form of PDFs at 8.5" x 11" (216x280mm).  

These printable drawings (most are two pages) help give a sense of the construction process and a feel for what the full-size plans or kit contain. Please note that a boat can not be built from Study Plans; they are to preview a project in print media; the Study Plans are an excellent broad-strokes look at the process. The subsequent escalation for more information is to order the boat's print instruction manual (where available), which will walk you through the project step-by-step.   

Upon placing the order, you'll receive an email with a link to the PDF.  Be sure to use the correct email address! If you have filters in place, ensure emails from "admin@clcboats.com" are not blocked.

Alternative Configurations

We also offer the Wood Parts Kit as a stand alone option. Typical wood parts only kit buyers have an existing or ready supply of their own epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.

$1,229.00

This Passagemaker kit includes instructions, pre-cut parts, a...

This Passagemaker kit includes instructions, pre-cut parts, and daggerboard trunk. 

Wood Parts Only kit contents
$159.00

For builders starting from scratch.  Plans comprise the instr...

For builders starting from scratch.  Plans comprise the instruction manual, plus full-size patterns for every part in the boat, including both standard and take-apart options and both sloop and lug sailing rigs.

(Graphic not to scale - top sheet contains full-size patterns) 

Passagemaker Dinghy Plans
$69.00

This Passagemaker kit includes instructions.  NOTE: CLC inst...

This Passagemaker kit includes instructions. 

NOTE: CLC instruction manuals walk you through construction step by step with photos and drawings, and are a good way to get acquainted with the process in advance of a kit purchase. (Manual purchase refundable with kit purchase.) There is not enough information in the manual to build a boat from scratch---you will need the complete Plans & Manual Only package for that.
$59.00

  This option comprises the latest version of the illustrated...

 

This option comprises the latest version of the illustrated assembly manual, emailed in the form of a large PDF, with 8.5" x 11" (216x280mm) pages. 

Please note:  This option is for builders who want to study the process before taking up their tools. The manual includes a materials list, tool list, and of course step-by-step construction details from start to finish.

While the manual is expansive in detail, the manuals alone lack sufficient detail to fabricate parts.  You will still need to purchase the plans or a pre-cut kit to build the boat. Plans are available through the mail. We regret that we are not able to transmit plans or CAD/CAM data digitally.

Upon placing the order, you'll receive an email with a link to the PDF.  Be sure to use a correct email address! If you have filters in place, be sure that emails from "admin@clcboats.com" are not blocked.  

Orders from outside the lower 48 U.S. states will need to wait until the next business day for processing and email delivery of their manual.

Copying or transmitting any part of this document is prohibited, as is posting or displaying any part of it online.

 

 

Additional Options

The Sail Upgrade or our Line and Cordage Package are popular choices for many of our builders.

$349.00

Spacered inwales are an elegant touch.  They are a bit invo...

Spacered inwales are an elegant touch.  They are a bit involved to install, and might not be suited to first-time boatbuilders.  Detailed installation instructions are here, and are worth a read before you jump in. 

This kit includes pre-cut breasthooks (and quarter knees where applicable), mahogany inwale stock proportioned to fit your boat, spacer block material, and a pair of oarlock riser blocks.  Expect to do some trimming and fitting of the parts, as every boat varies slightly.
$145.00

Add this option to a Sailing Component Kit to get Egyptian Cr...

Add this option to a Sailing Component Kit to get Egyptian Cream sails instead of White.  The sail on the left is Egyptian Cream.

Note: Tanbark and Egyptian Cream sails & sails with reef points are manufactured on-demand and may take up to 3-4 weeks for delivery. 

Sail color options
$145.00

Add this option to a Sailing Component Kit to get Tanbark sai...

Add this option to a Sailing Component Kit to get Tanbark sails instead of White.  The sail in the middle is Tanbark.  (This option is for the Gunter Sloop Rig sails).

Note: Tanbark and Egyptian Cream sails & sails with reef points are manufactured on-demand and may take up to 3-4 weeks for delivery. 

Sail color options
$135.00

Add this option to the Lug Rig sailing kit to receive an Egyp...

Add this option to the Lug Rig sailing kit to receive an Egyptian Cream (left in photo) sail instead of White.

Note: Tanbark and Egyptian Cream sails & sails with reef points are manufactured on-demand and may take up to 3-4 weeks for delivery. 

Sail color options 
$135.00

Add this option to the Lug Rig sailing kit to get a Tanbark s...

Add this option to the Lug Rig sailing kit to get a Tanbark sail (center in photo) instead of White.

Note: Tanbark and Egyptian Cream sails & sails with reef points are manufactured on-demand and may take up to 3-4 weeks for delivery. 

Sail color options 
$113.00

The Sail Package includes all of the line and sail lacing req...

Gunter Sloop Rig Line & Cordage KitThe Sail Package includes all of the line and sail lacing required to get you sailing once your boat is complete.
$70.00

The Sail Package includes all of the line and sail lacing req...

Lug Rig Line & Cordage KitThe Sail Package includes all of the line and sail lacing required to get you sailing once your boat is complete.
Passagemaker Dinghy sailing
Passagemaker Dinghy sailing

What builders are saying

I'm thoroughly impressed with the design and ease of handling of the Passagemaker. Kudos to the design team and thanks, CLC! 

Reade J. | BC
Verified Builder

I just I just t wanted to write to tell y'all about my tremendous experience building my first boat.  I built the Passagemaker Dinghy in about 4 months under the mentorship of my friend and neighbor, and the whole endeavor could not have gone smoother (taking into account that for most of that time I was working in 100+ degree Texas heat).  Aside from always wanting to build a wooden boat, I've also always (or at least for the last five years or so) wanted to marry a certain special girl.  

Well, after finishing and testing her (the Dandy Lion) out on the water, I took my now-fiancee out for a sail during which time we had a picnic and I proposed to her (and she said YES!). 

Thank y'all so much for a great product and tremendous support!  And all romance aside, I'm quite impressed with how well she sails!

Nick W. | TX
Verified Builder

The dinghy sails better than I ever would have expected. I used it for the first time a few weeks ago. There is little that can be improved on. It goes upwind very well, of course flies on a reach, and goes dead downwind silently. Seamless gybing, like on any boat, it requires a little practice. So, thanks again for this little masterpiece.


Martin S.| NY
Verified Builder

I have completed construction of "CJ" and we are having a blast on the lakes and beaches here in South Carolina! This boat is an absolute head turner...it takes me forever to get the boat rigged and in the water because everyone wants to talk about it at length. I have pointed many your way so I hope you get some more orders from Charleston, SC. I am looking forward to my next build in the near future!

I started my Passagemaker in Oct. 2016 and completed it in April 2017. I had to reach out to you all for tech support and you always steered me in the right direction. I would highly recommend anyone interested in building a boat to seek out CLC.  

John D. | SC
Verified Builder

Thanks again for such a great product.  The Passagemaker was a joy to build. We made a couple modifications including a spruce mast, Douglas fir spars and Polytarp sail. She has graphite thickened epoxy on the bottom and is slick and tough.  She was named Heresy, was launched a couple of weeks ago and is sailed in Pensacola, FL.  She has a desirable ever-so-slight lee helm.  I'm already looking forward to the next project. Keep up the good work.  I had no wood working experience and the boat just came together because of your good design and easy to follow instructions.

Nathan M. |FL
Verified Builder

Just a note to tell you we have launched our Passagemaker, and it floated, with no leaks!  I have had many admiring comments from my club members at Lake Lanier Sailing.  Many thanks for your help along the way.

Randolph W. | GA
Verified Builder

Just a note to tell you we have launched our Passagemaker, and it floated, with no leaks!  I have had many admiring comments from my club members at Lake Lanier Sailing.  Many thanks for your help along the way.

Renee F | MD
Verified Builder

Videos

Passagemaker Sailing Dinghy Build

Building a Sailboat in 12 Minutes -- CLC Passagemaker Dinghy

CLC's Passagemaker Dinghy Under Sail

Building a CLC Lapstitch Dinghy Kit - HD 1080p

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I order this kit?

Click on the Buying Options tab the top left of this page and follow the directions.

Why does the Passagemaker Dinghy have a "pram" bow?

Why can't it be pointy in front? The Passagemaker Dinghy is a pram, a boat with transoms at both bow and stern. You'd need a boat several feet longer to combine the same stability and capacity with a pointed bow. This is why you see so many prams used as tenders. Most importantly, the full bow allows passengers to step into the bow from a beach or a dock without the need to bring the boat alongside. If you've ever been at a crowded dinghy dock, you'll know how useful this is. The bow transom never touches the water while the boat is in motion and thus causes no drag.

Will the Passagemaker really sail?

With more sail area than a Laser, she most certainly will. Performance is lively even in light air, and the Passagemaker will tack to windward with aplomb. With loads of stability and a deep hull that you sit inside---rather than on top of---the Passagemaker is a wonderfully comfortable daysailer for two adults, or for an adult and a bunch of kids. Also a perfect sail trainer.

What kind of rig does the Passagemaker have?

It's a sloop, with a "sliding gunter" mainsail. There is an 11-foot aluminum mast supported by stainless steel shrouds. (The shrouds simply clip on, and the rig is tensioned with the jib halyard.) The gunter rig gives you spars that are short enough to store inside the hull for storage, trailering, or towing, without sacrificing performance.

Where's the best place to sit while sailing the Passagemaker?

The correct answer to this has everything to do with trimming the boat. If you're alone, you need to sit as close to the center of the boat as possible; a boat that weighs only 90 pounds will trim down by the stern badly if a solo sailor sits back there. If you have two people aboard, you can sit on the aft seat under sail because the boat trims level with one person forward and one person aft. I find sitting on the bottom most comfortable in either case.

Is the Passagemaker Dinghy easy to row?

We've rowed the Passagemaker with one, two, or even three people aboard, the boat glides nicely and is easily driven. With two people aboard, use the optional second rowing position at the bow set, to balance the passenger sitting in the rear seat. Row from amidships when alone or with three people aboard. A foam plug for the daggerboard trunk is standard in the kit.

How well does the Passagemaker Dinghy tow behind a bigger boat?

We went to considerable effort to ensure that the Passagemaker tows straight by giving the boat a large, deep skeg. This helps tracking when the boat is towed or rowed. It also protects the bottom when you drag the boat up the beach.

What size of outboard will the Passagemaker Dinghy take?

The maximum size is a 4-hp outboard. The Passagemaker is not meant to plane, so a larger outboard than that would be unnecessary. With a 2HP gas outboard the Passagemaker will break the 6MPH speed limit in most anchorages. The Passagemaker is also ideal for fishing with an electric motor.

Can the Passagemaker be kept in davits?

It certainly ride in davits. There are a dozen hard points in the interior where one can install eyebolts for a lifting sling. The Passagemaker is strong enough that if the eyebolts are properly installed, it could survive being filled with rainwater while hanging in the davits.

How is the Passagemaker built?

The sides and bottom are 6mm okoume marine plywood. The bottom panels are sheathed in 6oz fiberglass fabric for durability. Rubrails are mahogany. Frames and seats are 9mm okoume for rigidity. Every wooden part is sealed with multiple coats of epoxy for protection from the elements.

What is LapStitch Construction?

CLC'S LapStitch™ Construction

Patent No. 6,142,093 

Our system combines the unquestioned grace of lapstrake hulls with the proven ease of stitch-and-glue construction. The strength of the LapStitch™ joint is such that the designs require comparatively little fiberglass or fillet work, making them especially easy to build.

Lapstrake hull shapes evolved over millennia. Many would suggest that the type reached a high-water mark with the Viking longboats, but the actual building method was little changed right up into the 20th century. Planks were riveted together, and the technique required prodigious skill on the part of boatbuilders.

Over the last few decades, the advent of modern adhesives and high-quality marine plywood brought about the first major innovation in lapstrake building methods: "glued plywood" lapstrake hulls. This method of planking produces very strong, stiff, and beautiful hulls that never leak. This is progress, to be sure, but glued lapstrake boats still require molds and arcane joinery skills. It isn't a process suited to amateurs.

In 1997, Chesapeake Light Craft developed a way to build lapstrake boats without molds or complex "rolling bevels" on the lapstrake planking. Using sophisticated computer design software, we are now able to devise hull shapes that will assume a round-bottomed shape without a jig or "torturing" of the wood. A special "rabbet," or groove, is machined into each strake so that they are self-aligning. They are wired together just like a stitch-and-glue kayak. When these joints are filled with epoxy, the result is a remarkably stiff and strong hull that is visually indistinguishable from traditional lapstrake planking.

LapStitch™ construction is featured in these CLC boats:

After more than 15 years of development, the evolution of LapStitch™ has reached the stage where we can render complex lapstrake hull shapes in complete confidence without "strongback" molds.  Chesapeake Light Craft can design and build for you LapStitch™ hulls of any shape or size.  

How durable is the Passagemaker?

While the Passagemaker is built like a wooden boat, it's useful to think of it as a plastic boat with a wood core. With every surface sealed in epoxy, there is none of the maintenance trouble you may associate with old-fashioned wooden boats. We expect the Passagemaker to live outdoors and be used hard for decades.

Can you send me the plans digitally?

Sorry, but until digital rights management technology for marine architectural work catches up to that used for books and music, we are unable to transmit digital plans. Currently, only study plans and manuals can be sent digitally.

Classes

Take One of our Boatbuilding Classes

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.

View Classes

Related Products

Need Help Building it?

We’re here to help with any questions you might have during the build process.

Phone

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

410.267.0137

Email

We answer emails 7 days a week and within 24 hours

Contact Support

Chat

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

Start Chat