Design and Construction
The Pintail's hull form is deliberately very full, paired with generous freeboard, and that volume is what lets her claim a thousand-pound payload while still weighing only about 350 pounds on the trailer capable of carrying over a thousand pound load. The bottom is built of cored fiberglass with extra reinforcement at all stress points, and the hardware throughout is stainless steel, so the structure was meant to take punishment rather than pamper it. A galvanized steel centerboard and a painted aluminum rudder blade hang from a rugged cast aluminum rudder stock and gudgeon plate secured with half-inch pintles, which speaks to a no-nonsense small-boat build rather than a delicate racer.
Rig and Handling
Rigging the Pintail is a one-person job that the National Pintail Class Association describes as easily mastered, and the boat launches with minimal effort — a real virtue in a 14-footer meant for frequent family use. The fractional sloop carries 122 square feet of sail with a mast standing 23 feet from keel to masthead, and once afloat she shows just enough weather helm and never too much, a balance that keeps her manageable for novices without feeling dead. The kick-up centerboard runs on a simple pendant and cleat, and the kick-up rudder mirrors that arrangement, so both can be raised for shallow-water sailing with no drag and recovered quickly after a grounding.
Accommodations and Cockpit
Below the boom there is clearance for even a tall person, and the cockpit gives upright sitting room for four adults with plenty of leg room plus 10 inches of back support for older sailors. Wide coamings let the more adventurous sit out in a good breeze, and an extra-large dry storage area under the foredeck adds real convenience for family gear. A beautiful wooden tiller with a comfortable feel rounds out a cockpit that is practical rather than plush.
Stability and Seakeeping
The full hull and freeboard combine to make the Pintail an exceptionally stable, dry boat, and importantly she is not dependent upon a bailing system for the dryness of the interior — a meaningful statement for a small daysailer that youngsters will flood if given the chance. With the board down she draws 3 feet 9 inches and with it up only 9 inches, so she balances stability to weather with the ability to dry out on a ramp.
Power and Ownership
A built-in motor mount accepts a small outboard, and more than one owner has reported being very satisfied with an electric trolling motor that moves the boat quite well, a tidy solution for a lightweight trailer-sailer. Over 20-plus years of production the Pintail produced several second- and even third-generation owners, a quiet testament to a simple boat that families keep rather than trade.
The Verdict
The Pintail is a straightforward, overbuilt little daysailer that trades speed for bulletproof family utility. She is easy to rig, dry in the cockpit, and stable enough for teaching, with a shallow-draft centerboard scheme that forgives mistakes. The cored bottom and stainless hardware suggest longevity, though the small size limits anything beyond daysailing.
Pros
- Exceptionally stable and dry for a 14-foot daysailer, without reliance on a bailer
- One-person rigging and quick shallow-water board/rudder handling
- Cored fiberglass bottom with reinforced stress points and stainless gear
- Four-adult cockpit with good back support and foredeck storage
Cons
- Only 350 pounds and 14 feet — strictly a daysailer, not a cruiser
- Modest sail area limits performance ambition
