The PT 11 is a beautiful piece of design work. The finished boat is lovely to look at, and a pleasure to be in, whether rowing or sailing. Even at rest, its simple yet elegant form seems to suggest smooth, efficient speed.
The daggerboard and kick-up rudder are pure eye-candy. Beautifully shaped and finished, they far exceed the foils usually seen with kit boats. They are not only well made and good looking, but their plan and cross section shapes are extremely efficient….which helps the boat sail to windward like a true thoroughbred.
Rigging the PT 11 could hardly be simpler. The two-part free standing carbon mast slides into a sleeve on the luff of the sail (like the famous Laser dinghy). Then just stand the rig up in its mast step tube. The boom has a neat “fork” that rests against the aft face of the mast, rather than the usual goose-neck fitting. Just moderate vang tension is enough to hold the boom against the mast, tension the luff, and control the leech twist.
Because the mast is a flexible, free-standing wand, it bends progressively under increasing pressure, gradually flattening the sail, while allowing the leech to open and de-power in a gust. The result is that once sheeted in on a beat, the sail needs little trimming. In fact if you lodge the tiller extension against the leeward corner of the gunwale / transom, the boat is happy to self steer to windward! This boat sails unusually well to weather, pointing high and making very little leeway.
The PT 11 is a very slippery shape, and it responds well to the lightest breezes, even with a “full grown” helmsman (230 lbs). The boat is surprisingly quick to plane, and the transition from displacement to planing mode is almost imperceptible.
Many rowing dinghies are a real compromise when it comes to sailing, but this one performs admirably, even as a dedicated sailing dinghy. I can imagine having a grand time, racing against my friends in a small fleet of PT 11’s. A real pleasure to sail!
Sandy Goodall Sail Design Consulting