Dories

What is a Dory?

Information on dories is varied and contradictory. This is because there are many different styles of dories.

The name dory usually brings to mind the Grand Banks Dory, with its straight sides, flat bottom, narrow transom and characterictic straignt bow. Light and stackable they were used as fishing dinghies.

There are many types of dory type boats in the world. VanGogh left us a drawing of dory like boats. Another example is the Portuguese fishing boats that have very similar lines.

Various designs of dories show more or less rocker (curve) on the bottom depending on the use. Portugese fishing boats show lots of rocker while some of the grand banks dory considerably less.

Dories were cheap and quick to make and as in the case of the grand banks dory stackable. The narrower transom is also a typically "dory-ish" feature.

Grand Bank Dories were notoriously unstable and unpleasant to handle unless they carried some weight. They then settled down. It is not surprising that modern interpretations of the dory are designed to improve stability.

Dories can vary a lot in shape. It seems that every locality has a brand of dory. Various designs evolved depending on the use the dory was to be put to and the nature of the water in the area.

Michael Storer has a very interesting analysis of dories. Its well worth reading his article.

Video of a Portugese fishing boat using grand bank style dories 1960's. about 10 minutes.

Great Banks Dory

Thinking about GreatBanks Dory make you want to break out in a rousing chorus of "squid jigging ground". The legend is dear to modern boaters but the reality of these dories was harsher.

They were tricky boats to handle until you had half a load of fish. Luckily they were rarely empty. Going out the boat would have fishing gear and bait, coming in they would have fish. Their great claim to fame was that they were quick and cheap to make and stackable. This was a great advantage.

The big boat would reach the fishing ground and launch the smaller dories. When they had a load of fish they would go back to the mother ship, unload, and head out for more fish.

At the end of the day, the dories were stacked up on deck and the big boat went home.

I once rode in an empty fishing dory. It tended to roll to one side if your weight went too far out, then it stopped short of tipping and it was quite hard to push it any further.

Shearwater Boats has instructions and plans to make a MODEL Grand Banks Dory, based on John Gardner's plans. This is an interesting project to understand the anatomy of a dory. For a quick model just print the free plan on light card and put it together with tape.

St Pierre Dory

St Pierre Dories are large often motorized dories. They hail from St Pierre et Miquelon islands off Newfoundland where they were commonly seen. Their size and weight make them a reliable and stable boat. The rowing version has higher sides and more height to the bow and stern.

Modern plywood versions are made and some have been reported tender if not loaded down, as some dories often are. Builders often add a small cabin.

Video of a 9 plus hour row from St Pierre to Grand Banks by Dory These are rowed traditional St Pierre Dories. The shape is quite distinct with high sides and ends to accommodate the large waves where they are used. Interesting Video. In the background there are motorized versions.

Beach Dories

Beach dories were fishing boats developed for launching from the beach. According to Gardner the beach dories evolved from wheries. They are rarely shorter than 14 feet and very rarely seen larger than 20 ft.. The narrow transom, sometimes called tombstone, allows the boat to row in following and breaking waves without swamping. The Beach dory has slightly rounder curves than the Great banks dory. Swampscott dories are still being built and plans are readily available in stitch and glue construction.

Fabulous photo of a surf dory on a wave.

Swampscott Dories

At first glance these dories do not seem like dories but a closer look will show the flat bottom, narrow transom and the the dory profile. Where they differ is in the curve of the sides. Where the grand bank dories were flat sided with few boards, the swampscott dory is curvier and has more strakes. Selway Fisher offers these plans for his interpretation of the Swampscott dory.

Some swampscott dories have so much curve in the sides and such narrow bottom that the boat becomes a round bottom boat for all intents and purposes.

Swampscott dories have a long history, first as fishing boats but also as pleasure sail boats.

Chesapeake Light Craft presents a time lapse photography of their Northeaster Dory being built at one of their sessions.

Drift Dories or Mackenzie River dories

These are a peculiar adaptation of the dory design. These rowing dories are made wider and with greater rocker than other types of dories. They are used in fast rivers with rapids. The high rocker and wider design makes them more stable as they bounce over rapids. They have very narrow transoms.

Mention the word Dory and you immediately get an argument. There is a great deal of controversy as to the tenderness vs stability of dories. Not all dories are created equal and not all traditional designs translate to pleasure boats gracefully. If you plan on building one do your research otherwise you might find yourself looking for 200 pounds of cod to stabilise your dory for your Sunday afternoon sail.