Rossiter Pintail Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Rossiter Pintail means looking at a 14-foot fiberglass daysailer that was built from 1967 onward in substantial numbers, with a very full hull and generous freeboard that made her a family favorite for training and relaxed sailing. The cored fiberglass bottom, stainless hardware, and kick-up centerboard and rudder are simple enough that most examples survive as straightforward trailer boats rather than project hulls.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Pintail is an open cockpit daysailer, not a cabin boat, with upright sitting room for four adults and 10 inches of back support along the sides upright sitting room for four adults with plenty of leg room. A wide coaming lets a crew sit out in a breeze, and there is a large dry storage area under the foredeck for gear. The centerboard and rudder both kick up, so trailering and ramp launching are uncomplicated, and a built-in motor mount at the transom takes a small outboard or an electric trolling motor.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A chartplotter and a furling main are commonly fitted, which together make a small daysailer far easier for a single handler to keep moving. Often-seen gear includes cabin heating, an inverter, AIS, autopilot, and a life raft — the last three being sensible for owners who venture beyond sheltered water, though none change the boat's basic character. For a buyer, the furling main and chartplotter are the upgrades that most improve day-to-day use; the rest are comfort or safety additions to verify rather than expect.
What to Inspect
The cored fiberglass bottom is the one structural area to probe, since a core that has taken water will soften under foot or sound dull on tap compared with the surrounding solid laminate. Check the galvanized steel centerboard for rust at the pendant and the painted aluminum rudder blade for paint loss or distortion where it meets the cast aluminum stock and half-inch pintles. Stainless hardware should be free of crevice corrosion at the stress points where extra reinforcement was built in, and the kick-up rudder and centerboard pendants and cleats must operate smoothly, since a seized fitting defeats the shallow-draft advantage.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These daysailers turn up in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and United States. Before you commit, run through this short list:
- Check the cored bottom for soft spots with a tap test
- Inspect centerboard and rudder for corrosion or distortion
- Verify kick-up pendants and cleats move freely
- Confirm furling main and chartplotter function if fitted
- Test the built-in motor mount for an outboard or trolling motor
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Rossiter Pintail. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 2 | $10,266 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $21,828 | +112.6% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $12,487 | -42.8% |
Where they're listed
Rossiter Pintail listings appear across 2 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by United Kingdom.
Country view
3 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $15,783 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| United Kingdom | $15,236 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |