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PT Spear (foreground) sailing Port Townsend, WA.
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PT Spear Dinghy Hull on display
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PT Spear Dinghy
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PT Spear Dinghy
PT Spear (foreground) sailing Port Townsend, WA. Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Hull on display Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Thumbnail

PT Spear Dinghy

Builder Testimonials

All of the PT-11's rowing and sailing performance, in a simpler non-nesting variation.

  • Skill Level Intermediate
  • Estimated Build Time 200 Hours

The most valuable single piece of the kit is the building manual. We don’t encourage people without hand tool experience to build the PT 11, but the manual allows someone with no epoxy or boatbuilding experience to build a really good boat.

There is a time commitment of 200+ hours spread over 2 or more months. We want you to take your time and have fun.

Build this boat if...

  • You want a dinghy that is easy and fun to row.
  • You need a harbor dinghy with watertight storage.
  • You are looking for a dinghy that will sail you across the harbor or across the bay.

  • Sophisticated Design

    Nothing else like it to buy or build

  • In-Depth Manual

    Meticulous, fully-illustrated instructions

  • Superior Support

    Tech support is free and unlimited

This is a design with qualities and features that are unique in the marketplace, both among DIY projects and production boats. Refined, tested, uncompromised, outstanding, and unique!

In-Depth Manual

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

Superior Support

Have a question about your project, large or small? You can speak to a boatbuilder at CLC, on the phone or by email. Send questions to info@clcboats.com!

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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.
PT Spear (foreground) sailing Port Townsend, WA.

PT Spear (foreground) sailing Port Townsend, WA.

PT Spear Dinghy Hull on display

PT Spear Dinghy Hull on display

PT Spear Dinghy
PT Spear Dinghy
PT Spear (foreground) sailing Port Townsend, WA. Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Hull on display Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Thumbnail
PT Spear Dinghy Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
11' 0"
Beam
50"
Rowing Draft
4"
Sailing Draft
24"
Sail Area
54 sq. ft.
Hull Weight
90 lbs
Max Payload
518 lbs

Performance

Stability

4 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

4 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

3 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

3 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

3 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
PT Spear Dinghy sailing in tight quarters in a ghost of a wind.
PT Spear Dinghy sailing in tight quarters in a ghost of a wind.

Overview

Non-Nesting Version of the PT11 Dinghy



Dubbed the "Spear" for its arrow-shaped foredeck, this non-nesting version of the phenomenally successful PT 11 has fewer parts, making it a simpler and less expensive boat to build. The biggest differences between the non-nesting Spear and the original performance whether sailing or rowing is spectacular: that is to say, just as good as the PT 11.

The back seat of the Spear spans the stern of the boat instead of being divided to make room for the nested bow of the PT 11. There are baffles that provide air buoyancy sufficient to balance the air buoyancy in the bow compartment (forward of the mast step). This built-in buoyancy is an important safety feature on this boat and in the PT 11 Nesting dinghy.  

A water-tight hatch under the foredeck provides access and ample storage space here. 

The Spear base kit is less costly than the PT11 kit, and a few pounds lighter. The various options offered for the PT 11 Nesting Dinghy (including the sailing rig) are also used on the Spear.

Buying Options

Choose Your Boatbuilding Experience

Start your kit-building experience by selecting the option that best fits your goals. Don’t have the confidence to build on your own? No worries! Join a boatbuilding class or hire us to build a custom boat for you.

  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 Options

    You can choose from a range of popular options to outfit your boat, many of which are intended to ship with the Base Kit. 

  3. Get Building!

    Kits feature all of the latest tweaks to ease assembly, including slot-together molds, CNC-cut marine plywood cockpit recesses, and precision-milled strips.

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
$2,950.00 $2,750.00

Machined Joubert Okoume plywood parts in 6mm, 12mm, 15mm, 1...

PT Spear Sailing Dinghy Kit by Pt Watercraft and Chesapeake Light Craft

  • Machined Joubert Okoume plywood parts in 6mm, 12mm, 15mm, 18mm, 25mm
  • High grade Sitka spruce lumber kit for glue cleats
  • WEST System 105/207 epoxy kit with metering pumps and 404, 406, 407, and 410 fillers
  • 2 1/8” ID molded fiberglass mast step socket tube & machined plywood mast step partners
  • Daggerboard trunk kit; includes plywood walls + pre-fiberglassed trunk logs + 1/32” -  G-10 strip for trunk edges
  • Fiberglass tube for towing eye
  • Fiberglass: 7 yds x 50” 4oz cloth, 9 yds x 50” 6oz cloth for chine taping and hull bottom and local reinforcements, 1 3/4 yds x 60” peel ply for chine taping
    54” long fiberglass sail batten for skeg chafe cap
  • Plywood material for nail & screw pads
  • Machined fillet stick set
  • Spiral-bound assembly manual
  • Stitching wire
  • USCG capacity sticker
  • Water-tight hatch kit for the foredeck
  • Low profile G10 water tight daggerboard trunk cap kit

Kit Pickup Note- The PT11 & Spear epoxy kits are drop shipped from West System directly to the customer. An epoxy shipping fee will still apply for all kits that are picked up at the CLC facility or event. Call for more details.
$1,935.00

  PT Spear Sailing Component Kit Unlike other CLC sailing cr...

 

PT Spear Sailing Component Kit

PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

Unlike other CLC sailing craft kits, the sailing component kit for the PT Spear arrives ready-to-rig. No shop assembly is required. The sail kit is shipped from Port Townsend Watercraft in Washington State. Shipping fees will still apply even if you pick up the kit from the CLC shop. 

Complete rig: includes a two-part carbon mast and boom, all associated hardware and running rigging, sail, and bag. The sailing rig weighs just 10.5 lbs and is quick to set up. 

The masts and booms are made in the USA by ICE, a maker of the highest quality carbon fiber tubes on the planet. Together the mast and boom require almost 23 lineal feet of custom-made tapered carbon tubes. That material is so strong, that the spars weigh just 6.7 lbs, including all the hardware and running rigging on the boom:

  • 5 Harken blocks
  • 2 snap hooks
  • 1 S-hook
  • 7 eye straps
  • 1 cleat
  • 37 feet of running rigging
  • 1 gooseneck fitting. 

 

About the PT Spear sail :

The PT Spear sail is a 54-square-foot foil-shaped, luff-sleeved sail with 2 short battens. The Dacron sail cloth is made in the USA  by Challenge™ Sailcloth. 

PT Watercraft PT11 and PT Spear Kits

CLC Pickup Note: The sail kit is shipped from Port Townsend Watercraft in WA state. Shipping fees apply even if the kit is picked up on the CLC shop. Call for current availability. 

 

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.

$639.00

This option includes a machined daggerboard and a rudder with...


PT11 Foils Kit

This option includes a machined daggerboard and a rudder with kick-up assembly, fasteners and hardware, a pre-shaped tiller, and a hiking stick. 

The foils are CNC-machined from high-strength birch plywood, using a NACA section. The machined foils really improve speed and upwind efficiency!

Given the performance advantages offered by these foils, they are affordable and easy to finish.

John Harris remarks: I think the PT 11 and PT Spear rudder and daggerboard are the "special sauce" that makes these boats such remarkable performers.

The builder just applies the fiberglass, does the finish work ,and assembles the kick-up rudder system. The kick-up rudder system folds to be easily stowed.

PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

 

PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

The tiller is tapered on three sides, shaped at both ends, and drilled. The hiking stick has rounded ends, with chamfered edges and is drilled for attachment.

 

PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

Foils finished by builder.

 

 

 
$49.00

The PT Spear assembly manual has more than 300 spiral-bound p...

The PT Spear assembly manual has more than 300 spiral-bound pages, and profusely illustrated. Highly recommended as a preview of PT Spear construction. (PT11 manual shown in photo below; you will receive the PT Spear manual.)

PT11 Nesting Dinghy

Additional Options

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

$245.00

We have developed a custom-extruded-EPDM section to be used a...

We have developed a custom-extruded-EPDM section to be used as a rub-rail and bumper. This bumper has a non-smudge composition and is offered in light grey.

Bumper Kit Instruction Manual.



Image shows the PT11's 3-piece bumper kit; the PT Spear rubber bumper is shipped in one piece.

PT11 Bumper KitPT11 Bumper Kit

PT11 Bumper Kit Installed
$175.00

Made with fabric that breathes, dries fast, is soft to the to...

Made with fabric that breathes, dries fast, is soft to the touch, and durable, this custom-made case will protect your foils. It has two pockets and a flap with Velcro closure. Double layers throughout.

PT11 Foils Carry Case

 
$75.00

Gaco OarlocksPT11 Gaco Oarlocks
$55.00

This kit has eight mahogany braces that are cut with their en...

This kit has eight mahogany braces that are cut with their ends beveled and the edges rounded. We offer them this way for safety’s sake, as a router table, something not everyone will have, has been used to round the edges. A positioning template is included with the basic PT 11 kit and gluing instructions are in the builder’s manual.

PT11 Footbrace Kit
$47.00

PT11 Oarlock Riser Kit
PT11 Oarlock Risers

Videos

PT11 and PT Spear dinghy sailing in light winds

PT 11 Dinghies in Port Townsend, June 2021

PTSPEAR - Third Boat Build - Episode #1 Let’s Get Started, AGAIN !

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.

How much does this boat weigh and how much can it carry?

The weight and payload of this boat, along with other statistics such length and beam, can be found under Specs in the Specifications section, which is just below the lead image seen at the top of this page.

Does the PT11 have reserve flotation?

There are three flotation compartments in the PT11, one in the bow and two in the stern. (If you elect to use a motor, these compartments must be filled with foam and cannot have access ports.) There is a large storage compartment aft of the mast step.

Does the PT11 tow well behind a larger vessel?

Towing the PT 11 in calmer weather or at lower speeds creates no drag compared to heavier dinghies. While towing, make sure the connective hardware is securely tightened, the daggerboard trunk cap and the hatch are well dogged down, and the painter is pulling from the tow eye at the stem and not the breasthook. As a very lightweight dinghy (one of its main features) it is going to jump in rough conditions and at higher speeds, as in our test video below. Of course, a nesting dinghy will ride happily on deck for more serious passages. We put the PT 11 through the ringer in this tow test.

Are there any other rigging options for the PT11?

Not at this time. The rig, as developed, would be difficult to improve. PT Watercraft's sailing rig includes a 2-part carbon mast, a carbon boom, all associated hardware and running rigging, a sail, and a storage bag. The rig is extremely lightweight (10-1/2lbs, 4.8kg), and quick to set up. The spars for the PT11 are custom-made in the USA; the hardware is by Harken, Ronstan, and Allen.

How much woodworking experience do I need to build a PT11?

The most valuable single piece of the kit is the building manual. We don’t encourage people without hand tool experience to build the PT 11, but the manual allows someone with no epoxy or boatbuilding experience to build a really good boat.

How long will it take me to build a PT11?

Builders have different work habits, available time, and workspace conditions. Expect 190-300 hours. Ideally, PT11 builders have time to enjoy the project and admire their accomplishments. A comfortable pace, in our estimation, would be to allow yourself at least 3 months of part-time work. Detail work at the end of the project can eat up time, but it’s the details “that make the boat,” right?

Can I put an outboard on the PT11?

Well, yes. But . . . the designer of the PT11, Russell Brown, will state that he is anti-outboard for this boat. “A good rowboat is not typically a good motor boat.”

Nevertheless, the PT11 can be used with a small outboard. A 2-hp outboard has plenty of power to motivate this lightweight dinghy. It is also the maximum size allowed by US Coast Guard regulations. Lighter electric motors are encouraged. Russell and Ashlyn Brown have has used the EP CARRY electric motor on the PT 11 with success. They modified the EP CARRY’s original mounting bracket so it fit over the inwale of the PT 11. Video of their test of the EP CARRY in the San Juan Islands.

Will a plans-only version be available for the PT11?

No. The PT11 was designed from the start as a kit boat and relies upon CNC-cut slots, tabs, scribe marks, and alignment notches for easy and accurate assembly. There are no fewer than five different thicknesses of marine plywood to optimize the strength-to-weight ratio, a challenge to replicate if building from scratch.

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

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