Grand Bank Dory plans

[Paul F]

I am seriously considering building a Grand Banks Dory as my next project. I am currently collecting any and all possible data pertaining to the particular design. I have purchased "The Dory Book" by John Gardner http://www2.mailordercentral.com/wbstore/prodinfo.asp?number=300-043&variation =&aitem=3&mitem=45 and will be ordering "Dories and Dorymen" by Otto Kelland http://www.nfbooks.com/bookpages/doriesand.htm My biggest obstacle so far seems to by the lack of plans available for this particular design. I plan on powering the dory with a 9.9 Honda. The "Alaskan" by Jeff Spira http://home1.gte.net/jspira/boatbuilding/hd_alas.htm seems close to being what I'm looking for i.e. able to row and power, 19' loa, frame and plywood construction. I also like the fact that thwarts are not necessary for structural integrity. However, I would like to explore as many dory design plans as resonably possible. The boat will be used for pleasure/fishing here on coastal North Carolina. I will feel comfortable going 5,10 or more miles offshore with such a proven seaworthy design. If anyone knows of any Bank Dory plans please let me know. There seems to be quite a few plans for light rowing dories and I've also located a couple places where I can buy the completed boat http://www.doryshop.com/index.html & http://www.lowellsboatshop.org/ but I'd rather build my own. Paul



[This message has been edited by Paul F (edited 10-28-2001).]

[mmd]

Contact The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg NS and/or The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax NS.

[TomFF]

Plans can be had from Mystic Seaport

[Bruce Hooke]

I don't mean to second guess you but are you sure a banks dory is right for what you are planning to do? Banks dories are great for carrying heavy loads in rough sea conditions, but they are a lot of work to row and under power you can't really go much over "hull speed" because the hull is too fine aft to allow the boat to plane. Going 12 miles offshore at, say, 6 knots could feel pretty slow. If you haven't already you might want to talk to Jeff Spira about what speed you can expect out of his design and what size motor to use. Also, will you need to run inlets to get to home? If so you might want to talk to Jeff about how his design is likely to handle under those conditions...

[whb]

You might want to take a look at www.bateau.com. They have a couple of decent looking dory plans.

Howard

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

If have the ofsets somewhere around here for the last banks dory on the banker, Gazela of Philadelphia.
I am building a repro for them between paying jobs, or so the plan goesI can try to find the ofsets, But the dory was pretty warped and the lines were a bit open to my interpretation.

[Paul F]

Bruce,

Please don't feel that I may take offense to your opinion or suggestion. I am open to all and from everyone who would like to join in.

First I would like to say that I've given this design much consideration. I have only ever owned one, what I would say "fast" boat. A 1968 13' Zodiac inflatable with a 20hp Merc. It was too fast and beat the hell out of anybody who dared twisting the throttle! Everything else has been either rowed or sailed, with the largest being a 22' fiberglass sloop that I sailed on Lake Ontario.

I will only row the dory if the motor fails, and that's not to likely with a properly maintained 9.9 Honda. I can always ask for a tow on the VHF. Speed does not excite me anymore. In fact, I rather dislike going fast. Particularly when I'm on the water, a place where I go to unwind and relax. 6 to 10 knots is plenty fast enough for me. And if it takes 2 hours to go 12 NM, so what, what's the hurry? Through my father's guidance and my own experiences' I have learned not to challenge and fight the sea, but to accept it for what it is at the time and to "go with its flow." If clearing a channel means waiting a few hours for the tide to change or waiting for another day, that's fine with me. I can wait. It'll still be there tomorrow. Besides, there's plenty of inland waters to explore.

Sure a Bank Dory has it limitations, but don't all boats? It is comforting to me knowing that should something go wrong, my family and myself will be an a craft that is a proven seaworthy design that is capable of withstanding anything this side of a hurricane! Not to many open power boats can make that claim. Also, one that I know how well it is built because I built it myself. I think if more boaters where in less of a hurry we'd probably see more dories and sailboats and less PWC's. Wouldn't that be nice?

I have spoken with Jeff Spira. He estimates top speed @ 10 to 12 knots with a 9.9 depending on weight etc.

Thaddeus,

It does not surprise me that a "Dutchman" such as yourself has interest in the dory. My father also had a strong interest in the design. He came from a family of North Sea fishermen. He was raised in a small resort town on the North Sea. I can say the name but I'll be damned if I can spell it. It (the name of the town) was a code word the Dutch used during W.W.II to determine if you were a German spy. A German could not properly pronounce it. Sounds something like "Skka-va-ni-ga."

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Please feel free to tell me your thoughts, ideas or explanations. Thanks.

Paul.



[This message has been edited by Paul F (edited 10-29-2001).]

[Venchka]

bump

[Hal Forsen]

North Carolina?!
Simmons Sea Skiff!
HF

[Skiff Junkie]

AMEN, Hal!

Long time - no hear from.

AS

[TimH]

True Grand Banks dories dont have engines do they? That design is a compromise of carrying capacity, seaworthyness, and ability to be stacked inside other doeies in a big pile. An engine was never a design consideration as far as I can tell. I think you have the wrong design for what you want also.I would think for going that far offshore speed would be what you want to be able to get back quickly in a squall instead of a heavy displacement hull trying to ride it out.

[Venchka]

This thread dates back to 2001. I bumped it the other day when we discovered problems with Design/Plans.

Dories are a timeless design. With all due repsect to modern designers and their plywood dories, real dories are planked dory lap fashion from lumber. OK, even Lowell does the garboards out of plywood. I suppose that expediant makes sense.

Motors were added to dories about a hundred years ago. A commercial necessesity among fisherman trying to feed their families. Yamaha's 8hp 4-stroke high thrust outboard in a well as shown in John Gardner's The Dory Book should make a good combination. Of course we would all like to have something like the motorized dory on The Dory Shop's web page. A make and break Acadian with a haul up shaft. Oh yea!

A second bottom, cross planked with hardwood, is worth the effort.

There was another thread, probably pre-meltdown, in which Ian McColgin described how to build and use a dory along the wild coast of British Columbia. Perhaps he can recall his words once more. I remember him saying something to the effect that a dory will take you places you didn't want to go and bring home safe.

If you build a proper Banks dory, don't forget to put a half a ton of fish in the bilge. She'll settle down and ride real nice.

Cheers!

Wayne

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Saw a dory-umentry on TV the other day. It was produced in Nova Scotia and consisted of an extensive interview with an old timer who recalled his apprenticeship as a dory builder in a factory.

He earned around 43 cents a day and the dory's sold for 18 dollars each. The Portugeuse, Spanish, American and Newfoundland fishing schooners would arrive each season and buy them up by the dozen. They were cheap, rugged, tough, stable work boats used by fisherman for hand lining and for hauling nets. The removable thwart made room for extra stowage.

Don't recall he mentioned any plans or drawings used in building these boats, do recall he said he used a pattern for the garboard and for the floor. Carefully planed dory lapped pine planks, oak frames, clenched square nails about 2-3/4" in o/c and buff paint.

[ 05-26-2004, 07:31 PM: Message edited by: J. Wellington Wimpy ]

[Don from NB]

Having roots in Nova Scotia, I have alyways admired the Grand Bank Dory. I am restoring a Nova Scotia built 22' dory gaff rigged sailing ketch, built to a Ted Brewer design. Pictures of some of my favorites are at http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4290591743
Don