Tag: modern skiff

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This beautifully built and well loved PT Skiff from the original kit is presently for sale. (1/30/25)

Details about the boat and where it is listed are in this PDF: While Aweigh Copy II

and on the OCH classic Boat SHow: https://classicboatshow.com/classified/18-port-townsend-watercraft-pt-skiff-2016-while-aweigh/

PTskiff-2PTskiff-4Owner testimonial:

Nine years ago this month, I was anxiously awaiting delivery of my skiff kit and little did I know about the journey I would begin.  I had built a few things from wood like bookcases and a covered deck, but nothing that even approximated the 126 or so pieces of Okoume that I became so intimate with.  I learned much from the process of going to work every day, following your superb directions and asking for help when I needed it.   And as I would often say about the Catboat we owned for 15 years, "...every day we take her out, she teaches me something"  So too, building my Skiff taught me much.
I never would have expected to make a wonderful new friend, Damian...as well as Linda, and a cohort of "boat shed rats" who would enrich my life immensely.  I have learned so much from this experience and always remind myself that many of my favorite books are about what goes on inside boat sheds.
But, having just clocked my 80th birthday, and the fact that Teri and I recently downsized our lives, I think it is time to allow someone else to enjoy the fruits of my labor.  The enjoyment and satisfaction I have garnered since I first dreamed the dream of building a boat almost a decade ago is priceless.  The mere 120 hours on the meter are in no way a true measure of those feelings. And there is nothing that swells the ego quite like being able to say, "....yes, I built her."
I have listed her on the Off Center Harbor Classic Boat Show;

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Sunday, March 24th was an overcast and cold day to be out on the water. Russell was not deterred. Paul Bieker's new design (the Riptide 41;"BLUE") was in the water and Russell was invited to check it out. "BLUE" is one of the most innovative racing sailboats around and sailed almost 23 knots on her very first sail.  { read more about it. }ptwatercraft.comBieker Boats design team of Paul Bieker and Eric Jolley are responsible for designing our PT Skiff, the 18.5ft fuel efficient motor skiff kit, sold by PT Watercraft. The PT Skiff, "Pika", built by J. Brandt in Seattle, was also there to compliment the gathering. ptwatercraft.comWhile on the dock at Shilshole Marina, a wedding party came down the dock and the bride and groom asked for a ride in the PT Skiff. Jan obliged and the smiling couple posed for photos. Russell snapped a few along side the wedding photographer. The PT Skiff has been put to work as a regatta chase boat, a marine research commuter, a phototgrapher's platform and now as a wedding prop!ptwatercraft.comSince we sold our PT Skiff, :( .., we have been using our experimental tornado cat motor boat for any over water commuting. The 'Grasshopper" (as we sometimes refer to it) has many many miles on her 15hp motor. The trip from Port Townsend to Seattle takes about 2 hours and generally uses about 2 gallons of fuel. This boat was designed on the back of an envelope and it is definitely a unique boat. No, there are no plans available.. :)ptwatercraft.comRussell was able to surf a cargo ship's wake for about 10 miles before the intensity of it got to him and he exited the wake. The trip from Port Townsend to Seattle and back, with favorable currents and surfing, used about 3 gallons of gas. This short video does little justice to the fun he was having.

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Wow, what a weekend!  First and foremost, thank you all for coming and spending time talking to us about the PT Skiff. I hope all your questions got answered and you have had a chance to check out the website if you had not seen it before. The enthusiasm expressed by so many of you made the show a real pleasure for us. While I personally did not get many photos taken, J. Brandt and his wife, who built their PT Skiff earlier this year, not only brought their boat up from Seattle, and gave rides, they also took some great pictures. I am posting them below.

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We have the opportunity to run the PT Skiff from Port Townsend up into BC this week to trial it as a camp cruiser. We will be keeping notes and taking pictures which I will post when we get back by September 24th. After that we have reserved the CNC machine to start cutting kits for confirmed orders. Email us if you want your kit cut sooner than later. We will ship according to order received.  Thank you all again and for those of you who did not make it up to Port Townsend for this great festival, there is bound to soon be images and video up on the woodenboat.org website. Perhaps we will see you next year or sooner! Cheers for now, PTW