Strip Plank Dory

[whitebd]

I've been working on this for a while.
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/176/dscf1532qs7.th.jpg (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf1532qs7.jpg)

She is strip planked in 3/8 western red cedar with a doubled Okume ply bottom. 6 ounce fiberglass set in epoxy inside and out. All hardware and non wood supplies sourced from Chuck over at Duckworks. Stern, thwarts and false stem are all Red Oak. (RO should last as long as I keep her - 2 to 3 years). The bright wood has six coats of Helmsman Spar varnish on all sides. I usually keep 'em a while and give them away. Drives my wife nuts....
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7952/dscf1522nz5.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf1522nz5.jpg)
Took her out for a tooling around on Travis today and had a great time. She tracks fine and is a real pleasure to row. That is- until the front hit and I had the 1 1/2 mile row against the brutal north wind. Right now I just have some short 6 foot oars that I had lying around on her. Over the next week or so I'll lay out a pattern for some 7 1/2' oars.
Built to do some fly fishing for striper on the Colorado, whites on the Pedrenales/San Gabriel during the early spring and may even take her down to the flats around Port A this spring/summer. I've got an old mast from a sailboard that I just might have to drop in her this summer...
Happy New Years!

[Thorne]

Looks interesting! What plans, dimensions, etc? Those oars look shorter than 6' if they can lean up with the handle on the centerline and the blade touching the gunwales...

[whitebd]

Basically she is my own design. I took some measurements off an old dory I found and started playing with them. I was looking for something to fly fish out of in the rivers around here and on a small community lake. I've got several kayaks but wanted something a little more dry and accommodating for my fishing buddies (two miniature wiener dogs). They love to go fishing but don't like getting wet.
At 11' 4" in length and a 54" max width she is easy to move around by myself and launch from either a trailer or a dolly. It has a slight rocker and a transom just a tad wider than a standard dory in case I ever want to put an electric motor on it. The cedar was coved and attached with both edge glue (TB III) and ss brads.
The oars are indeed 6 foot in length. They look shorter because of the angle of the picture. I used them on an old john boat I used to fish from on the "no motor" community lake.

[DGentry]

Your boat looks great - congratulations!

I'm guessing you're not a fan of plywood?

[botebum]

I'm surprised you chose to use red oak on the boat considering its propensity to rot quickly. Aside from that, it's a fine looking boat.

Doug

[whitebd]

Your boat looks great - congratulations!

I'm guessing you're not a fan of plywood?

Love ply. The bottom of this one is two layers of ply. Just wanted to try something a different this time around!

[whitebd]

I'm surprised you chose to use red oak on the boat considering its propensity to rot quickly. Aside from that, it's a fine looking boat.

Doug
Thanks for the praise. The boat will live on a trailer in the garage most of the time and will only need to last 2 to 3 years so the red oak will do. If it rots, that'll give me a reason to build something else.

[meuritt]

Two Mini Weenies for traveling companions, me too! I just bought a 14' Whitehall that my boys will join me in, they're all set up with doggie pfd's, tethers in case they jump and we are ready to go. Both have a bit of experience in the kayak, but this will be more fun for us all.

First post on this board so I should introduce myself. I am Mike living in San Rafael, off San Pablo Bay just north of San Francisco. I just purchased the Whitehall 12/23. It is the reason for joining this list Gilpin was built in 1979 by Ray Speck, then of Sausalito. Due to holiday travels and a aching back, I've only rowed about 15 minutes, the sea trail. But I've wanted such a boat for years.

Dogs are Joey, 17# and 14 years and Rocket, 11# and almost 3 years.

I've joined the local branch of the Traditional Small Craft Assoc. but I am sure I'll have questions for you guys about maintenance and sailing with the spritsail in the near future when I gain some experience.

Mike