PT11: Leo’s new nesting dinghy

[Frogmogman]

I was extremely impressed by the Port Townsend PT11 dinghy that Leo tested (and has purchased) in his latest Tally Ho video. Beautifully built, nice and light, and bursting with loads of clever design features. It seems to sail ok and clearly rows like a dream.

 

[Concerto]

There was a similar dinghy at the Boat Show on the Drascombe Stand (IIRC), but was in glassfibre.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Not cheap, I bet it costs more than some peoples boats.

 

[Wansworth]

I would have thought a nice clinker lugrigged dinghy stowed upside down over the skylight,which can then be left open at sea for ventilation

 

[geem]

I would have thought a nice clinker lugrigged dinghy stowed upside down over the skylight,which can then be left open at sea for ventilation

Our 3.8m nesting dinghy does just that whilst being nested. It pouring with rain here in Curacao but front hatch is open under the dink.
The dinghy is solid glass hull with cored bulkheads and buoyancy compartments. Unlike The PT11 that has a 2hp engine limit, we use a 15hp two stroke. It rows and sails as well. We know of a few nesting plywood dinghies around but they are not robust enough to take the knocks of liveaboard life.

 

[westernman]

It is the nicest nesting dinghy I have ever seen.

 

[doug748]

Talking about the Southampton Boat Show, the last time I went (which may have been 15 years or more) there was a new nesting dinghy from, I think, Nestaway. It was 2 grand, a lot of money then but was absolutely magnificent, finished like a musical instrument. Don't think they do them now.

Anyway the PT 11 kit alone is about 5k so I don't think I will be in the market. 80 quid would buy plans for something similar.

 

[geem]

Talking about the Southampton Boat Show, the last time I went (which may have been 15 years or more) there was a new nesting dinghy from, I think, Nestaway. It was 2 grand, a lot of money then but was absolutely magnificent, finished like a musical instrument. Don't think they do them now.

Anyway the PT 11 kit alone is about 5k so I don't think I will be in the market. 80 quid would buy plans for something similar.

Pal has just built the updated version of mine in full glass and core. Plans are $300US but come so you can print them off full size as templates.
He just fitted the same 15hp Yamaha Enduro outboard as us, he is super happy with it. Fast and dry. He didn't go for the sailing version.

 

[Pete7]

Sailing Yacht Florence, Ami and Matt have done quite well sailing nearly all the way around the world with their nesting dinghy.

 

[Hacker]

Talking about the Southampton Boat Show, the last time I went (which may have been 15 years or more) there was a new nesting dinghy from, I think, Nestaway. It was 2 grand, a lot of money then but was absolutely magnificent, finished like a musical instrument. Don't think they do them now..

I think they sold that part of the company. There was a company next to us during Falmouth Classics that was selling them. Can’t remember the name.

 

[dansaskip]

Hacker is right Nestway sold the rights the Eastport nesting Pram to Drascombes and they are available as a fibreglass nesting dinghy Adventure Boats
Alternatively you can buy a kit from Fyne boat kits
Nesting Eastport Pram - Fyne Boat Kits

Anyway that what I did and I am very pleased with the result. It has proved a real joy to row out to my mooring. and tows well too and I can fit it (nested) on the foredeck of my 28ft sailing boat.

 

[geem]

Hacker is right Nestway sold the rights the Eastport nesting Pram to Drascombes and they are available as a fibreglass nesting dinghy Adventure Boats
Alternatively you can buy a kit from Fyne boat kits
Nesting Eastport Pram - Fyne Boat Kits

Anyway that what I did and I am very pleased with the result. It has proved a real joy to row out to my mooring. and tows well too and I can fit it (nested) on the foredeck of my 28ft sailing boat.

You mentioned towing. Before we had our nesting dinghy we occasionally towed our 9ft Caribe rib on short trips between anchorages. It was a nightmare. It would never tow straight and would knock about 1kt off our boat speed. By comparison, the nesting dinghy tows really well and we can't detect any loss of boat speed. When towing down wind in 30kts of wind with 2 metre following seas and the occasional larger one, the nesting dinghy surfs and wants to ram us, even on a very long towline. We cured that by towing a warp in a bight from each cleat in the stern of the dinghy. It now tows straight and keeps the towline tight

 

[seumask]

Another Vote for the Spindrift 10', I built one 2 years ago and although not yet live aboard's it was built with that in mind. We use it currently as our land based tender for the yacht on a mooring and I sail it to the boat. As mentioned above it is designed to go easily nested on the foredeck.
I built it with Robbins finest marine ply , epoxy stitch and glue etc and picked up an old topper dingy rig for it. All up Inc posh ply it came to just under £1000 and around 70 hours of my time. Ours is the next size up from sailing Florence's 9', who inspired the build for us and looks very similar to Geem's Tender. It will be relatively easy to repair or toughen up with further glass or plywood.
I expect we will also take an inflatable as well as leo points out its important to have several options for the crew.

 

[Mudisox]

PT11 is well designed and beautifully built. What particularly impressed me was the excellence of the joining fittings. I also like the split rear buoyancy chambers, the midships "tongue", and the sealable watertight front locker.

 

[Slowboat35]

I looked closely at getting a PT11 but was shocked by the prices.
With sailing rig and one or two necessary 'extras' there was no change from seven grand! Then add 20% vat, freight and probably an import tarriff and you're looking at not much shy of £10K!
Lovely looking tender, but not for the cost of a half decent 26ft yacht...

 

[seumask]

I looked closely at getting a PT11 but was shocked by the prices.
With sailing rig and one or two necessary 'extras' there was no change from seven grand! Then add 20% vat, freight and probably an import tarriff and you're looking at not much shy of £10K!
Lovely looking tender, but not for the cost of a half decent 26ft yacht...

My view was the PT11 was more of a lovely sailing dinghy than a tender that sails well. I thought about making it it myself but plans are not available nor were kits in the first lock down. Just looking at the pictures of their kits its clearly more complex than most other stitch and glue boats, my guess is that if plans were available and sourcing your own 2nd hand rig you could get the cost down to around £2k, but it would take twice as long to build.
It's possible that a discussion with Fyne boats could make a kit available in the UK, I'd like to think that the kits now available for the Spindrift from them are a result of me asking them to look at it while I was building mine in early 2021.

 

[Wansworth]

Didnt Slocum take a saw to a Dory?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I would have thought a nice clinker lugrigged dinghy stowed upside down over the skylight,which can then be left open at sea for ventilation

That is exactly what he did not want on the boat. There is a video where he explains what and why he wants. There will also be an inflatable becuase it offers greater utility.

I thought the PT 11 was very good, it looked easy and quick to assemble and easy to use. I did wonder why the boom on the sailing option, instead of a loose foot sail, but at the end of the day, the boom did not retract from the portability of the boat.

 

[Wansworth]

No reason a clinker lug rigged stem dinghy could not be light built with modern glues

 

[Wansworth]

Dinghies that can be Putin the water quickly to run out a kedge or run a line ashore beat hands down inflating a rubber boat or assembling a delicate nesting craft.