In love with my mostly finished Dory!

Builder's Forum
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Hi all!

I started my dory on April 28th and building her has been my meditation, my therapy, my escape, and my fun this summer. She's not quite finished - needing varnish and paint as yet - but I made the decision to do preliminary coats of varnish for sunblock and to enjoy the rest of the summer and fall sailing. This fall I'll bring her in, strip her down, and do the final sanding and finishing.

She has scuppered inwales, a folding rudder, and two watertight compartments at the bow and stern. 

Wednesday I got to spend about three hours out on Lake Lanier in northern Georgia while the family tooled around in the grandparents' power boat. I promise, I wasn't jealous in the least! I had a couple of boats slow down on the way in and out of the marina to ask me about her, did I build her, etc, with the general response of "that's an awesome boat!" 

When I got out into the open water, it was just all fun! Several times I ended up lying in the curve of the boat, my head on one rail and feet on the other, flying along so fast my rudder thrummed on a closehauled starboard tack. I'm accustomed to sailing a 24' Seafarer on that lake, sailing the dory was a whole new and more enjoyable experience.

I unfortunately don't have any pictures from that trip, however, as my phone went swimming with me when the dory drifted away from the trailer prematurely! Replacement, thankfully, arrives today.

The photos below are from my test trip about two and a half weeks ago. I took my two dachshunds along and we did some lazy sailing and rowing on the lake at Stone Mountain park. It was that trip that decided me on waiting until winter to do the finicky finish work. I'm the one who sees the drips, lows, and so forth...no one else does! 

Now I just need to repair the mast thwart(note to self, drop the mast before driving off the boat ramp when there are trees around or you'll split the thwart!) so she's ready to sail again when weather permits! 

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   Nice looking boat !  Did you build the boat from scratch ?  I have been on and live close tonLanier it can get pretty choppy with boat wakes, how did it handle that ?  Or was that when you were lying sideways ?   I am trying to decide on this dory or others.  I like that you can sail and row! I Want to launch my it boat on the inter coastal and along the beach as well!  I will do some fishing off it , can you stand in it ? Thanks sorry for all the questions ! Matt

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Matt,

I build her from CLC's kit - they do a fantastic job and I didn't regret my decision to tackle the project one bit.

Where I was Wednesday(up north of the Brown bridge, sailing out of Gainesville Marina) there weren't too many powerboats about and those that were seemed to take measures to avoid waking me too badly. When I was lying in the boat I had her heeled over and was trying to see how close to the wind I could sail and still manage control. I definitely think you'd be able to fish from a dory with no trouble whatsoever. Summer on Lake Lanier is always dicey with regards to the powerboats, as you know, and even on my 24 footer I avoided sailing on the busy weekends. It's just too iffy. 

I plan to trailer my dory to the Gulf coast when we take our family trips there and I'm even considering driving her up to sail around on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario(when I visit my family). I think as long as you know your limitations, and the boat's, you'd be able to do all that you are hoping to do with no issue. :)

I debated between the dory and the skerry for a while - the dory's 800# capacity is what decided me - I often have company when I sail and wanted to be able to camp from her as well. 

~Jennifer

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   Jenn, thanks for the info !  I have some beautiful sapeli(sp)  ply already so will be going from scratch  on this one !  Now you are brave I grew up on Lake Erie and we had a 28 foot Lyman ! I would much rather be in the ocean than on Erie do to how shallow/ fast it can kick up !  Erie is is beautiful though have fun. But like you know Be certain of the weather conditions and you fine !    Happy sailing you did a nice job !  Matty

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Jennifer,

Did you stain at all? or is that the natural color?  Im building a Dory, and Im staining the exterior and thinking of stripe of natural color. 

 

thanks,

 

andy   

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   Hi Andy,

that's all original color, no stain. 

 

~Jennifer 

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Although you will swear that based on the unfinished wood your boat will be very light, after you epoxy it AND lay down a few coats of varnish it will be plenty dark and luxourious enough. the varnish has an amber tint keep in mind.  I built a dory from the kit. It will be reddish honey colored even without any stain, and the contrast with the darker woods, such as the rails, will be very pleasing.

 

David

 

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 Beautiful!   

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Jen and David,

 

Thanks for the info!