Pintail: A 10 ft Plywood Rowboat You Can Build in a Week
A light 10 ft rowboat with a one-piece convex bottom, sized for one adult or two children and meant to be built in a week.
Pintail is a slim, personal rowboat built around a satisfying promise: one week from start to launch. It measures 10 ft (3.05 m) with a 40 in (1.02 m) beam and is sized for one adult or two children. Exterior plywood goes over a stressed frame, and the convex bottom is applied in a single piece, which keeps the construction quick and tidy. It is ideal for solo rowing, birdwatching at dawn or giving kids their own small boat.
Pintail at a glance
| Detail | Pintail |
|---|---|
| Type | Rowboat |
| Length | 10 ft (3.05 m) |
| Beam | 40 in (1.02 m) |
| Capacity | 1 adult or 2 children |
| Construction | Exterior plywood over a stressed frame; convex bottom applied in one piece; built in one week |
| Designer | William D. Jackson |
| First published | Boat Builder's Handbook, p. 76 |
| Craft Print | No. 159 |
| Plan sheets | 5 |
What makes it quick
Applying the convex bottom as one piece removes a lot of fiddly fitting and seam work. The stressed frame lets the plywood do much of the structural job, so there are fewer parts to cut and fewer joints to glue. That economy is what makes the one-week timeline realistic for someone working evenings and a weekend.
The narrow 40 in beam keeps the hull light and easy to row for one person. That same narrowness is a reminder of its purpose: a nimble single rower or a small boat for children, not a family hauler. Treat it that way and it rewards you with an easy, gliding stroke and a hull you can carry yourself.
The original plan sheets
These are the 5 original sheets, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
William D. Jackson designed Pintail, published in the Boat Builder's Handbook on page 76 as Craft Print 159. Jackson specialised in light plywood boats for home builders, and the one-week build time stated for Pintail is typical of his practical approach.
Before you build
- Load it as the plan intends, one adult or two children, since a narrow 40 in hull gets tender when overloaded.
- Dry-fit the one-piece bottom before mixing any glue so you know exactly how it will bend over the frame.
- Set the seat low and the oarlocks close to it; a narrow boat feels steadier when your weight stays down.
Download the plan
Pintail's five original sheets come together in one file, ready for printing or for quick reference on a tablet beside the build.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 5 sheets, 1 MB)
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