The Grand Banks Dory

The Grand Banks dory was named so because the boats were originally used in the mid-to-late 1800s for fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. This small, slab-sided, narrow-flat bottomed, open boat, also referred to as the Banks dory, has a very narrow transom and is the most common variation of the boats known as dories. If you look closely at Winslow Homer's "The Fog Warning" painting, you will see a Banks dory.

Grand Banks dory boats are relatively inexpensive to build and because they are simple to make, they can be easily mass produced. Yet, they are a rugged boat, which made them a favorite among fisherman. Among the towns famous for producing dory boats for the Grand Banks are Massachusetts towns Gloucester, Essex, Beverly, Salisbury (Amesbury), and Newburyport. In fact, Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in America. In 1911 alone, Lowell's produced 2029 dories. Lowell's has been designated as a National Landmark and serves as a working museum for dories and skiffs. Other towns known for their dory boat production include Portland and Bremen, Maine, Seabrook, New Hampshire, and Lunenburg and Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Shelburne, the home of the Dory Shop Museum, had a running rivalry with Lunenburg in dory production. Shelburne builders preferred the metal braces to join frames while the builders in Lunenburg preferred the natural wood frames, which while more expensive, were also stronger.

Some of these are built for one person while others can seat two people. The long overhangs at the bow and stern allows the Grand Banks dory boat to lift over the waves. Even the larger dory boats, 12 feet along the bottom, can be stacked inside each other for easy storage on other fishing vessels, often referred to as mother ships. The dories can effortlessly be launched from the mother ships and then later return for the fishermen to unload their catch. Commercial fishing boats have also used these for lifeboats and tenders. They are also loved by recreational boaters and because they are easy and inexpensive to make, amateur boat builders love to build them.

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