Dories are made of white pine, red pine, red oak, spruce roots and hot dipped galvanized nails. The hot dipped part is very important. They are painted dory buff (yellow) and ship's green trim. The yellow shows up on dark water. The green shows up in white fog, without a doubt the best value in a traditional wooden boat. Dories are made primarily to row. They have a five to one length to width ratio and are double ended on the waterline. Built on a generous flare they are dry and stable, especially when loaded. A notable characteristic of a successful dory is that it is narrower in the after portion of the bottom than forward. This is to make the dory draw more water aft, allowing it to track straight without a keel. The bottoms are flat and rockered fore and aft. This is helpful for launching from a beach or slipping down a wave. They excel in surf or white water and are acceptable as lifeboats with the Canadian Coast Guard.
Dories sail well too and can be coaxed upwind by the use of a centreboard or twin keels. They are steered with a rudder or an oar on the quarter.
The first internal combustion engines were installed in dories with haul-up propellors. The shafts are installed with a universal joint which allows the prop to be hauled up into a well in the dory bottom. This enables a dory with an inboard engine to be landed on a beach or hauled up on a slipway.
The preferred method of powering a dory today is the clean, quiet, four stroke engine. It can be installed in an outboard well or hung directly on the stern of the Grand Manan dory. It takes very little power to move a dory through the water. A 9.9 hp. is the maximum required for the largest dory we make. They are, as a result, very fuel efficient.
Dory Specifications
| Bottom Length | Overall Length | Sheer | Rocker | Maximum Beam | Depth | Weight (approx.) | Oar Lengths | Capacity (lbs) | |
| Little Sister | 8' | 11' 3" | 8" | 2½" | 3' 10" | 1' 3" | 95 lbs | 6' - 6½' | 800 |
| Admiral's Dory | 10' | 13' 7" | 10" | 4" | 4' 3" | 1' 4" | 190 lbs | 7½' | 1000 |
| Black Rocks Dory | 11' | 14' 8" | 11" | 4" | 4' 6" | 1' 4½" | 220 lbs | 8' | 1200 |
| Lunenburg Dory | 12' | 15' 6" | 12" | 4" | 4' 8" | 1' 5¾" | 260 lbs | 8' | 1400 |
| Handline Dory (single) | 13' | 17' | 1' 3" | 4½" | 4' 11" | 1' 7" | 325 lbs | 8½' - 9' | 1700 |
| Bastard Dory | 14' | 18' 4" | 1' 5" | 5" | 5' 4" | 1' 10½" | 400 lbs | 9' | 2000 |
| Trawl Dory (double) | 15' | 19' 9" | 1' 5" | 5½" | 5' 5" | 2' | 455 lbs | 9½' | 2400 |
| Fishmaker's Dory | 16' | 21' 1" | 1' 6½" | 6" | 6' 1" | 2' 1" | 535 lbs | 10' | 2900 |
| Fortune Bay Dory | 17' | 22' 2" | 1' 7½" | 6½" | 6' 4½" | 2' 2" | 700 lbs | 10' | 3500 |
| Newfoundland Dory | 18' | 23' 1" | 1' 9" | 7" | 6' 8" | 2' 4" | 760 lbs | 10' | 4200 |
| Seine Dory | 20' | 25' 9" | 1' 11½" | 8½" | 7' 1" | 2' 7" | 890 lbs | 10½' - 12' | 5400 |
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