Sailing and row/sail craft will be posted this page. Call or email if you want to discuss building one of these fine boats . The above image is of the 17' Swampscott dory, sailing version. This one was built for Mait Edey, before I built the 35' Phil Bolger designed dory/sharpie Dakini. Mait and his crew are reefed on a blustery day.

11/17/25 - A few years ago, (2005!),I built a Swampscott style dory for a friend of mine. The lines were from John Gardner’s “Dory Book”, the design was the Nahant Dory, starting on page 184. This dory was designed for the U.S.Navy, and the drawings were originally published in about 1913, and again in the 1915 revised edition of “Standard Designs for Boats of the United States Navy”, Standard Plan No. 225. John re-designed it a bit, mostly making the scantlings a bit lighter as he considered the boat heavily built as designed. I built it using mostly traditional construction, cedar lapstrake on grown hackmatack frames. We did modify the boat for sail, I think the only plywood in the boat was the centerboard case and centerboard. The owner took the boat to Nova Scotia, where he has a house. The boat is still in regular use for both rowing and sailing. He recently sent me a couple of photos of the boat sailing, which are below. Nice to see a boat well used and well taken care of.

Here's a boat to think about if you want a comfortable, seaworthy boat- the San Francisco Pelican. The Pelican is a combination dory/scow, available in at least 3 sizes - 12'Pelican, 14'7''Pacific Pelican, and 16' Great Pelican. There is also a rumor of an 18' version. I built a 12' Pelican in 1990, it's a very heavy duty little boat. Google "San Francisco Pelican" and you will see a lot of info . Sorry I don't have a photo.

I think the 16' would be a great boat for camp cruising, not good to row, but lots of room!

Here's a very good sail/row combination, a little bit bigger than my original Swampscott Dory - the Deblois St. Dory, by Clint Chase. specifications are :

LOA 18'8"
Bottom length 13'6"

Beam 4'10"

Depth Amidships 18 3/8"

Hull weight 180-225 lbs (can be built ply or solid)

More info is available on Clint's web site.