Wittholz 11' Dinghy

Description

This 11-foot dinghy is a charming American traditional-style wooden daysailer/rowing tender designed by Charles Wittholz (1918–1993), a prolific naval architect known for catboats and small craft. It was never produced in series by a commercial builder; instead, detailed plans (WB #50, 5 sheets) were created specifically for amateur/home builders and are available from the WoodenBoat Store. The design draws inspiration from classic 1840s New England catboats combined with elegant Whitehall rowing boat features, emphasizing a beamy yet fine-lined hull for protected waters, with options for gaff rig (most common for the traditional catboat look) or marconi rig. Construction is typically cold-molded wood (no frames: fore-and-aft ¼″ western red cedar layer covered by two diagonal 1⁄16″ African mahogany layers for a light, strong monocoque structure), though some builders adapt to strip planking; it includes a daggerboard (original spec) or optional centerboard, wineglass transom, sweeping sheer, and high-quality details like white oak keel/tiller and Sitka spruce spars. A modest number have been built since the plans' release.