Dory Construction Advice

[Dane Allen]

Hello All,

I have two small daughters who, in a few years, I expect will be lovers of water. I was gifted plans for a 20 ft., transom-free, flat bottom dory (redundant?). My idea is to have a stable, easy to row, boat that I can expose my family to the fun of picnics on lakes and sheltered waterways.

My question is how much bulk do I need to build into the boat. That is, the plans advise 1/2" to 1" bottom, 3/8" to 3/4" sides. This is a plywood make with 2 chines and about a 5' beam. This boat will be in the water a maximum of 4 times a year(with the grace of God but more like 1-2) for maybe 5 hours each outing, with the rest of the time spent covered and sheltered. Do I really need 5 gallons of Epoxy and a full fiberglass sheathing/encapsulation on top of the 6 layers of taped seams?

The plans from 1993 mention a build cost of about $350 so you can imagine the brick I dropped when I see today 5 gallons of just the epoxy resin and hardener cost upwards of $600:eek:. 6 Sheets of marine 3/8" 4x8 is $385 for the hull sides:eek:. 1" Okoume 4x8 for the hull bottom is $149 per sheet and I need 2:eek:. And don't get me started on marine primer, paint and spar unrethane (sp?) costs:confused:. What do you all suggest I really need for this project?

[Dave Ray]

Dane, build it once build it right. Remember it will carry the most precious people in your life. Expensive... Yes. And while we are talking the price is going up. Get started building it, enjoy the experience, then experience the joy with your family.

[Gary Breckenridge]

I agree that you should build a boat for your family. However...

Is this really the right boat?
What is the weight?
Will the dory be carried or trailered?
Have you talked to other family boat owners?
Will you use a motor, sail, electric or oars?
Will your seldom used boat have dry inside storage?
Will the dory hold double dating teenage girls and dates?
Can a 60 lb. girl row the thing?
Have you tried out another 20 ft dory?
Can two girls take it out alone?
Have you spent hours looking over boat plans?
What body of water and what are the wave like?
Can two people sit together for a romantic row?

I'm not sure this is the right boat. You will never be happy with the wrong boat.
If you are going to build a family boat the cost and a bit of extra heft does not matter.
Just do it.

[Jack Ganssle]

Why use epoxy resin? I use polyester for most boating projects (including putting a new hull on a dingy recently), and the cheapest source I know of is Mertons (http://www.mertons.com/), where it's about $27/gallon.

Jack

[Dane Allen]

Dave - I agree with the build it once, build it right philosophy. My question stems from the variability of the instructions. 1/2" to 1" hull bottom is quite a bit of variance. To the newbie it's like using plans to build a house that say one or two stories. Is 1/2" epoxy fiberglass sheathed hull bottom as strong as, say, 1" taped seam hull bottom? See my predicament. I definitely want the safety but I also don't need the overkill.

Gary - I have been scouring the net for months and it came down to this boat. The author claims these plans are based on proven life boat designs and is also used by fishermen to go out to sea and back, hauling nets full of fish. When built fully to it's design specs, it'll be 1" Okoume all around, 6 layer taped seams, Fiber sheath on top of that with flotation compartments. There is a version that is used for serious white water river rafting. I would image with some steel plating it would be torpedo proof should the Japanese ever get feisty again.

My girls are 2 and 1 now and I expect it will be 2 years before I get this project done. My wife is just a little thing so I expect to maneuver the boat into and out of the water myself. I will be rowing by myself. If the winds suddenly pick up out of no where I know this design will allow me to pilot the boat easily in those conditions. So, to answer your questions:

It's the right boat.
The lighter the better, under 400 lbs.
The boat will be trailered.
Don't know any other family boaters.
Strictly oars.
Yes, dry inside storage.
If a boy gets near my daughter in this boat you will hear about it on the news!!
It will be rowed by me. Once the kids get older they will have other interests. See answer to boys above:)
I have not tried any other dories.
Once the girls get older the boat will be just for the wife and I.
Hours and hours seaching though plans.
Flat, still water of a lake. Mild wave action of boat marina.
If it's the wife and I getting romantic then yes. Daughters, no!

Jack - Thanks for the link. I will investigate the poly resin.

[Bob Smalser]

While a dory isn't a bad choice for a first boat, a 20', 5-foot beam boat of 1" ply isn't a rowboat you can row easily, let alone your family. You'll benefit from studying a wide variety of dory plans to evaluate the scantlings you'll need for your intended use. Rocks, stone beaches and heavy loads and seas require heavy....mud and bays can be light. Buying Gardner's The Dory Book is a must....you may even find a better design for your needs....any boat you intend to use sans motor also benefits from a small sail.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7711190/101447442.jpg

This 19' 5" long, 4' 7" beam Chamberlain Gunning Dory specifies 7/16" cedar planks and a 3/4" bottom with a half-inch Doug Fir false bottom added to take the wear of our stony beaches. In plywood it could go to glassed 1/4" planks and a glassed, 7/8" bottom. A very flexible boat in a chop, it's a real handful to row with three adults in it.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7711190/101445607.jpg

And by all means spend the money to do it right and stick with epoxy throughout. Not all polyester resins stick well to wood these days and the material not only doesn't transmit water vapor as well as epoxy, it is hygroscopic as well as not as flexible as epoxy....it and the plywood it covers won't last as long as will epoxy. Get polyester on too thick, and rot results:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/6771586/104804800.jpg

Last....be careful of buying plans without talking to someone who has built from them. Many sets of computerized plans today are so inaccurate you can't even resolve them during lofting. You'll need to loft full size anyway even with proven plans, so you can get out your stem and frame patterns.