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PT Watercraft designs dinghies that are efficient, functional, modern, and attractive—available as kits you can build yourself. We also carry small boat parts and instructional books.

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September 20, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, For Sale, PT Skiff

PT SKIFF For Sale (PNW)

PT Watercraft Skiff For Sale: (Click photos for larger view)

“deep blue” is an 18′ 6″ center console PT Watercraft skiff, carefully built by her original owner Mark Ramsby in Portland Oregon using stitch-and-glue construction from a precision CNC-cut kit made of 12 full sheets of premium Okoume plywood.  She was first launched in 2015. Mark customized seat tops with mahogany for additional visual elegance.

She is hull #11 of the 16 total PT Skiff design kits from Port Townsend Watercraft. Mark did a superb job of construction and he documented the project in a 32 page build log which will come with the vessel.

Features:

Engine: 2015 Suzuki 20HP  4-stroke, flushed with fresh water after every use; estimated at well less than 100 hours of use.

Flotation & Storage: Meets USCG standards with foam flotation beneath the foredeck, gunwales, and stern seat.

Two watertight bow compartments with additional dry storage is found under the center bench and hinged helm seat.

Un-ballasted weight with motor is ~550 lbs. Average fuel consumption 1 gallon per hour.

Skeg for smooth tracking in turns.

Full Fiberglass Reinforcement: Hull fully glassed inside and out with West System Epoxy; tabbed and filleted seams reinforce all joints.

Trailer: 2015 EZ Loader 14-17/1250 galvanized trailer.

Always covered when not in use.

Design Heritage 

The PT Skiff earned recognition as a finalist (2nd place out of 73) in Woodenboat Magazine’s 2009 Design Challenge; praised for combining fuel efficiency, speed, and handling.

Designer: Eric Jolly / Bieker Boats, Seattle, WA.

Kit Manufacturer: Russell & Ashlyn Brown / Port Townsend Watercraft, Port Townsend, WA. http://www.ptwatercraft.com/ptwatercraft/PT_Skiff.html

Unique Benefits of the PT Skiff

Exceptional Performance & Fuel Efficiency: Capable of 22 knots lightly loaded and 16 knots with four passengers and gear — powered by just 20 HP and burning only 1 GPH.

Narrow Hull for efficiency and smooth ride in a chop.

Ballast System: built-in 32 gallon/256# water ballast system for added stability at rest and underway. Tank can be drained underway or when hauled.

Easy Trailering & Launching: Lightweight design allows towing behind small SUVs or cars, with simple launch and retrieval for single-handed operation.

“deep blue” has been gently used only as a “knock around” skiff and has never been used for fishing on any other harsh uses.

Only 16 PT Skiff kits were sold and it is extremely rare to find one for sale. See designer gallery HERE.

_____

The boat is located in the Seattle WA area. Initial contact: Ashlyn Brown PTWATERCRAFT@GMAIL.com

‘DEEP BLUE’  Additional PHOTOS :

August 17, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Instructional, PT 11 Nesting Dinghy, PT SPEAR

Build your own oars

PT Watercraft recommends 7′ 6″ spoon blade oars for the PT 11 and PT Spear. Making oars is a craft all its own so we have never offered oars or oars kits when there are companies that specialize in making oars and do a much better job than we could.

Well made oars are an additional expense that perhaps you’d rather spend in time than money. Chesapeake Light Craft has templates and a guide for making your own oars. Even though they are not spoon blades, they could be both a pleasure to make and to use.

I would like to include a link to that information here from CLC themselves:

CLC Oars kits

A great rowing boat is pleasing to all the senses. It’s exercise, sure, but also the scenery, the chuckle of water under the bow, the feel of a beautifully-balanced pair of oars… A great pair of oars is an essential part of the experience. You can build your OWN oars that are a perfect match for your boat and your style. CLC’s oar plans include comprehensive, step-by-step instructions. We also offer full-sized patterns to make it easy to transfer the subtle shapes to the lumber.

Learn more about CLC Oars

July 22, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Instructional, PT 11 Nesting Dinghy, PT SPEAR

Hanging the PT 11 on davits or halyards

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 wells-swallow-on-davits2

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
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!

 

June 30, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Events, PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

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

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.
T-Fisher-article-PT11:Camper
Now that his PT 11 is almost finished, his next camping trip will include the dinghy.
PT11-TerryFisher626
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.
June 25, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Events

Mystic’s Wooden Boat Show June 26-28, 2026

East Coasters and beyond who have not yet attended this wooden boat show, really should consider making the trip. The setting is stunning and the vibe super fun. While there, check out the PT 11 and ask out PT11 & PT SPEAR kits for us!

Mystic Seaport
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic, CT 06355
Dates: June 26th – 28th, 2026

Hours: Friday-Saturday-Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Screen Shot 2026-06-25 at 9.29.18 AM

June 9, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, PT 11 Nesting Dinghy, PT SPEAR

Canvas covers for the PT 11 and PT SPEAR

Chesapeake Light Craft has developed canvas covers for the PT 11 nested and assembled. For years we have offered only a pattern for builders to make their own or hire someone to stitch the canvas but we think these custom made covers, made in the USA by Chesapeake Light Craft team members, are a great development. Photo captions lead to detailed information on each style of cover.Screen Shot 2026-06-09 at 5.06.12 PMSuitable for the PT Spear and the assembled PT 11 nesting dinghy

PT 11 cover nestedIdeal for the PT 11 when it. is nested and stowed.

Construction details:

This rugged custom cover will protect your PT Eleven when it is nested, hull up.

This custom-fit khaki cover is made specifically to fit over the nested hull of the PT Eleven, providing a “glove-like” fit that is well suited for use during storage or when traveling. The padded reinforcements at key stress points provide extra durability for many years of trouble-free performance.

This product is made from TopNotch® 9, a 100% solution-dyed 7.6oz marine grade polyester with a fluorocarbon finish, creating a fabric that is breathable, reversible and water repellent. The solution-dyed polyester fabric won’t fade and provides superior strength compared to other solution-dyed fabrics. Excellent protection against cold-cracking also. The fabric is breathable to help allow interior moisture to escape.

This cover features:

  • Khaki color.
  • Heavy duty 1/4″ draw rope encased in the hem for easy installation and snug fit.
  • Vinyl reinforcements* sewn in at stress points (*when applicable).
  • Loops sewn into the four corners for tie-down.

Join seams are folded four-ply with no raw edges. Double-stitching and weather-resistant anti-wick thread are used throughout construction to add strength and durability. Double reinforced tie-down loops are sewn into the hem.

Note, this product is made to order and may take a couple weeks to produce.

February 7, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Announcements

Presidents’ Day Sale at Chesapeake Light Craft

This 2026 Presidents Day Sale includes the PT 11 NESTING DINGHY (~$200 off)PT Spear sailing

and the PT SPEAR (~$150 off) !

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 started on your next project now so you can be on the water this summer!

Shop President’s Day Sale  

Sale ends February 18, some exclusions apply.
January 22, 2026 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Instructional, PT 11 Nesting Dinghy, PT Skiff, PT SPEAR

Printable instructions

This list had many resources for our builders.

Links to Instructional and Informative pdf pages.

( mostly arranged alphabetically under categories. Also listed are a few blog posts or you can search the blog with keywords or categories)

Maintenance

#1 : Dinghies maintenance & troublshooting
#2 : Foils and sailing rig packing notes .pdf (pre-CLC)
BRIEF PT 11 build overview photos Opens in a new window (pdf) RB/brochure

Detail installations or Replacement – PT 11 or SPEAR

Back seat attachment point and 4th leather pad

BALER for the PT 11 & Spear (pdf)

Bumper installation (PT 11 & Spear)color .pdf

Carbon eyestrap installation Opens in a new window (pdf)

DETAILS from the end of the manual updated 2019 Color Photos

EYE Strap installation instructions (pdf)

Fillet Stick & Chisel stick instructions (pdf)

GASKET installation / replacement Opens in a new window (pdf)

GUNWALE FIX printable PDF for the PT 11 Nesting Dinghy

Leathers installation (PT11)

LEATHER PADS patterns (use 8.5×11 paper to print)

HANDLE for the aft section of the nesting dinghy (pdf)

Installing the PT11 back seat cleats after the aft buoyancy tanks are assembled.

Non Skid Ideas, photos and links

Sail-hank installation-e (color PDF) – PT 11 & SPEAR Sail snap hook replacement

Simpler puzzle joint gluing method pdf.

String loops and tether gluing instructions (pdf) TURNDOG installation (pdf)

DIY IDEAS

DIY DOLLY (PDF) by B. Crutchfield

DIY garage ceiling dinghy rack (PDF) by B. Crutchfield

DIY sailing Rig notes Opens in a new window (pdf) (Booms)

Cheap Oars – one way to make them better Opens in a new window. (PDF) by a PT 11 customer

Electric Motor

Mounting the EP CARRY on the PT 11 & Spear(pdf)

EP carry website

EP Carry sampling at the Port Townsend Boat Festival

EPOXY and Varnish

Epoxy Basics e-book. “working with epoxy cleanly & efficiently”

EPOXY Video short: Epoxy gloss coat & tipping

EPOXY coating small parts Opens in a new window (WEST SYSTEM article) (printer friendlyPDF:Coating Small Parts by Russell Brown)

EPOXY: Metering and Mixing TASK SHEET Opens in a new window (pdf) by Russell Brown and published by Proboat Magazine. Shared with Proboat permission.

EPOXY Lessons series preview on Off Center Harbor (membership recommended to view in full. Builders of the PT 11 or Spear: Contact us for exclusive access)

Notes on Epoxy & “toxic waste” Opens in a new window(pdf) by Ashlyn Brown

Varnish (UV protection) over Epoxy  (WEST SYSTEM article)

WEST SYSTEM Safety information and resources

FLOTATION and PRESSURE

Flotation and the PT 11 and the PT Spear

Pressure relief valve ideas for air buoyancy tanks:

MANUAL intros

PT 11 builders manual introduction Opens in a new window (pdf) by Russell Brown (pre-CLC)

PT SPEAR builders manual introduction Opens in a new window (pdf) by Russell Brown (pre-CLC)

PT SKIFF

Flotation and the PT Skiff (blog)

PT Skiff Cleat Schedule (printable pdf)

PT Skiff tools list


Alternative information from PTW

Beginning Tortured Plywood Opens in a new windowpdf by Russell Brown

OLDER:

PRE 2019 kits: PT11 2019 preliminary updates (pdf)

SCAMP Hatch instructions Plywood SCAMP hatch kits are not available from PT Watercraft. These instructions may provide a loose basis for making your own.

December 31, 2025 by Ashlyn Brown in All, Announcements, For Sale

Hats, T’s, Mugs, Notebooks New Year sale

PT Watercraft has a gift store on Zazzle where you can find our themed hats, t’shirts, mugs, notebooks, puzzles and more. I have used the site to create a variety of “SWAG” and other art based cards and odds and ends.  The quality on Zazzle is excellent and you pay for what you get so sales are always a bonus!

Limited time 20% off – Check it out: https://www.zazzle.com/store/ptwatercraft/products

PTW-Zazzleimage