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

More Photos
Dory Movie


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