Port Townsend Watercraft BLOG » Nesting Dinghy

Hanging the PT 11 on davits or halyards

Ashlyn Brown — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 22:54:18 +0000

Users of the PT 11 and PT SPEAR have generously shared their solutions for lifting and hanging their boats on the mother ship. Since I get the question from time to time, it seems best to post these ideas in printable format to inspire or guide others.

A PT SPEAR on davits is described here in this printable PDF. sample lifting points installation PT Spear:11

A PT 11 nesting dinghy gets lifted and hung along the mothership's gunwale when at anchor or in port described in this printable PDF.. PT11-BEAN's-Lifting Bridle idea

PT 11 Nesting Dinghy, "Bean" visiting Deer Harbor, WA

As new photos arrive I will update this page. If you have set your PT 11 or PT SPEAR up for davits or created a sling or halter you are happy with, please send us some pictures! ptwatercraft@gmail.com works best for photos. Use "PT 11 photos" in the subject line.

Thank you!

Builder Spotlight – A camper with a hatch to hold the PT11

Ashlyn Brown — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:47:00 +0000

People are amazing. Our customers remind us just how amazing they are every time they build a PT 11 and go adventuring in it. I want to start sharing more of those stories starting with a recent update from Professor Fisher.

Terry designed and built a tear drop camper that includes a special hatch on the forward face to accommodate the PT 11.

My plan is to use the boat for sailing on lakes and rowing on rivers. Why not simply carry the boat on top of the car? Partly to reduce air resistance and thus to increase mileage. (The trailer is designed to sit in the slipstream of my car.). And partly for security. (The trailer locks; thus I don't worry that the boat will be stolen when my dog and I go on hikes.)

Terry recently spent 6 1/2 weeks in his camper recently, detailed in this article.

Now that his PT 11 is almost finished, his next camping trip will include the dinghy.

The most gratifying part of our experience with Port Townsend Watercraft is that it is the 'gift that keeps on giving' when customers write to us with their stories, their joy, and comments like this::

Many thanks for designing such a remarkable craft — and enabling me to build one.

Chesapeake Light Craft Independence Day Sale ends 7/7/26

Ashlyn Brown — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:14:32 +0000

Chesapeake Light Craft Storewide Independence Day Sale!

Start the Independence Day fireworks early with storewide 4th of July discounts. Save on more than 100 boat designs, from kayaks and canoes to sailboats and rowing craft, paddleboards, powerboats, and Teardrop Campers. Storewide discounts apply to all complete kits, wood-parts-only kits, boat shop tools, boatbuilding supplies, and gear. Get your project completed so you can be on the water this summer!

Don't wait—deals expire Tuesday, July 7th!

Save on Kits, Gear, & More before April 8th @Chesapeake Light Craft

Ashlyn Brown — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:02:17 +0000

Chesapeake Light Craft's Spring Sale includes ~$200 off of a PT 11 Kit or the PT SPEAR .

Save on more than 100 boat designs, from kayaks and canoes to sailboats and rowing craft, paddleboards, powerboats, and Teardrop Campers. Storewide discounts apply to all complete kits, wood-parts-only kits, boat shop tools, boatbuilding supplies, and gear. Get your project completed so you can be on the water by summer!

Shop Spring Sale

Sale ends Wednesday, April 8th. Some exclusions apply.

Calling all regional PT 11 and Spear owners!

Ashlyn Brown — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 02:00:55 +0000

Dear friends,

As you may know, the annual Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is happening in less than 2 weeks. A few things to know about where PT Watercraft will be at the festival.

We will not be displayed on land this year. We will plan on having the dinghy sailing or rowing around most of the weekend.

Ashlyn will be part time at the PT Marine Trades Association booth near the Boat Yard Stage.

On Sunday, we hope to have as many PT 11's and Spear's as possible rowing in the RowRowRowMyBoat rally (open to all row and paddle craft) that starts at the launch ramp in Boat Haven and ends at the NW Maritime. See the flyer below.

If your boat is here and in the water, consider joining the Saturday, under 23' regatta.

We look forward to a fun and safe weekend on the water!

PT 11 Builder Photos & Sightings

Ashlyn Brown — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 23:07:55 +0000

We are ever grateful and appreciative of the care PT 11 builders put into their projects and then to receive photos and updates on progress & adventures is such a huge bonus. Here are some of the images received in the second half of 2024 as well as a reference to a Lattitude 38 article recently published.

As of 1/30/25 This PT Skiff is for sale!

Leland-Lat38-PT11. This pdf of an article by cruisers with a PT 11 from the January Issue of Lattitude 38.

Visit the official magazine website!

UK PT 11 Production to begin soon

Ashlyn Brown — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:56:24 +0000

FYNE BOAT KITS in the UK has been producing Chesapeake Light Craft kits for over a decade. They have wanted to produce the PT 11 for equally as long but we had not figured out how to make that work.

With the collaboration of Chesapeake Light Craft, and a stipulation that almost all parts be produced on the Eastern side of the Atlantic to avoid hefty shipping costs and import duties, progress towards this goal has been made. Fyne Boat Kits has spent valuable time and energy over the last 2 years to source and procure what they need to make an authentic PT 11 kit.

It sounds like they have reached the point where they can start production of the PT 11 Nesting Dinghy kit by the end of 2024. This is a huge accomplishment and we tip our hats to owner, Phil Smith, whose dedication and persistence are truly admirable.

Click this image to reach FYNE BOAT KITS PT 11 page.

CLC LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE = PT 11 & SPEAR

Ashlyn Brown — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 02:15:17 +0000

Chesapeake Light Crafts Labor Day sale includes major discounts on the PT 11 and PT SPEAR kits and their options.

Check it out if you have been waiting for a price break.

PT 11 for sale in WA (6/3/2024 listing)

Ashlyn Brown — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 23:11:21 +0000

SOLD!

As of today, June 3rd 2024, this PT 11 nesting dinghy is listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. These do not come up for sale very often. This boat is nicely built, lightly used, includes sailing options and oars. For someone who can pick it up in Washington State. Click the image to visit the full listing, see more pictures and contact the owner.

A brief guide to setting up and sailing your PT 11

Ashlyn Brown — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 17:09:18 +0000

In the building manual for the PT 11 it says: "The PT 11 sailing rig is designed to be light and easy to use, not to be bullet proof." In developing this rig, weight and ease of use were the biggest priorities. "Hiking (sitting on the rail and leaning out) is okay for one person to do but not two. Sailing with two and having one person hiking and the other sitting inside is okay too, just not two sitting on the rail."

The PT 11 sailing rig arrives ready to use with all of its running rigging. One small item is up to you and that is the traveler line. This is the line needed to clip your main sheet to.

You can tie a line with a little slack, using the existing holes on the transom inwale to clip your main sheet onto that. This self steering blog post shows this method.

The traveler can be be made shorter as shown below by drilling holes about 7" from the centerline (14" apart). We drilled 5/16" holes and then applied a few coats of epoxy to the walls of the holes to seal the plywood.

The traveler line can be around 3/16 diameter and be held with stopper knots underneath the inwale.

A short PT 11 traveler

This image shows the tiller/hiking stick in the self-steering position. This is good for brief periods and works best when going upwind and only works when the boat is heeled.

When sailing, if you feel resistance on the tiller, check to see if the rudder is completely down or if you have caught kelp or other debris. Keeping the threads in the knob clean and greased is important. The threads in the knob are brass and the pin is stainless steel so it will corrode. A bit of maintenance will insure the knob does its job and keeps the rudder down.

For post-2021 kits, use the forward daggerboard cap turndog to hold down the daggerboard by closing it over the hold down pin.

Pre-2021 daggerboards are thicker and shaped differently at the top. A loop of line at the right length becomes a hold down when captured by the aft turndog.

The Tack clips onto the boom as shown. (This image shows an older style gooseneck.)

The outhaul (asymmetric) snap hook clips into the clew and the outhaul line should be snugged through the v-cleat on the boom:

PT 11 Outhaul configuration during a regatta. Schooner Sir Isaac in the background.

The vang clips into the eye strap on the mast.

The vang controls the twist of the sail. Controlling twist is important for getting the most power out of the sail, but don't overdo it! Some twist is good but the boom isn't un-breakable.

When adventuring or in fluky winds, we carry our oars with the oarlocks in the forward sockets and the handles tucked under the bow as shown above.

If you are new to dinghy sailing, avoid this use of a slip knot on the main sheet. Unsuccessfully yanking the slip knot free in a puff is a recipe for capsize.

If you capsize when sailing, after righting the boat, make sure the mast is fully seated in the socket before taking off again.

If you are new to dinghy sailing, it is better to start in protected waters or when there is an onshore breeze, preferably steady but not strong.

Keep your weight forward for speed, but move aft in stronger breezes and downwind sailing.

If the water is cold in your area like it is on Puget Sound, wear a wetsuit or drysuit in case you end up in the water. Hypothermia is no joke. It is always advisable to wear a life-jacket/PFD.

Learn to stall, or "park" by pointing into the wind and letting the sheet go. When the wind picks up more than you feel ready for, or you have taken water over the rail and you are feeling a little out of control, this is a good way to take stock: bail, check your rudder and daggerboard for kelp, sort out lines, and take a swig from your thermos before heading off again. The sail will flap and make noise but that is not a problem. When you are ready, reign in your sheet, and continue or head for safety.

PT 11 videos page: