A dory is a lot a boat for the money, which explains the enduring popularity of this type of boat since more than 150 years. The origin of the dory as a work boat explains the simplicity of its construction, justified by its low cost. The narrow bottom yields a hull that is fast under oar or sail, and the flaring sides provide ample stability, as soon as the boat is loaded or heeled. The carrying capacity of the dory hull was legendary et this one is no exception with a maximum loaded displacement of 260 kg.

The origin of the dory is rather obscure, but it's most famous type is the "Banks Dory", which was used for cod fishing in the cold seas over the banks off Newfoundland and Iceland. The Banks Dory was heavy and rather unstable until loaded with a few hundred pounds of cod. Their conversion to pleasure craft in Northern America used other dory types, less "specialized" than the Banks Dory, such as the Swampscott Dory, whose rounded bilge provides a less "professional" behavior on the water... The Swampscott dory was used in coastal fisheries, and was lightly built to be easily beached and pulled out of the surf.

The photo on the right shows how the sides flare from a rather narrow bottom panel. It's plain to see that, the more you load this hull, the wider it becomes in the water, and the more stable it gets. To enhance the Doris 12 safety, flotation tanks are built in the bow and stern under the seats.

The Doris 12 uses the patented Lapstitch™ technique, which makes it surprisingly easy to build. Building is also very quickly done using copper wire stitches and requires only two sawhorses as far ar building jig. The hull is made of 6 mm marine plywood, and its lower part (bottom panel and both lowest planks) are "sandwiched" in fiberglass inside and out in order to stiffen and harden the hull bottom. This gives a very stiff hull, though amazingly light.

On frame in the middle and two bulkheads fore and aft are all the internal structure that's needed. All three are bonded to the planking with epoxy fillets, which yields a very strong and homogenous hull. The Doris 12's maximum loaded displacement is about 8 times its own weight, which gives her a very wide range of possible uses. As all dories, she features good tracking under oars, goes easily through chop and won't wet her crew. There is ample seating room for three adults.

A "sailing" version of the Doris 12 is under development: see below the prototype built by Arwen Marine.

The Doris 12 measures 12 feet (3.66 m) by a width of 1,27 m, and a few centimeters draft. Its bare hull weight is 29 kg: no problem to set it on your car's roof rack!

Building the Doris 12 presents no difficulty. You'll just need patience and neatness to build the "stitch and glue" hull using the patented "Lapstitch™" technique.

The planking is 6 mm okoume marine plywood, while the transom, the middle frame and bulkheads, the seats and tank tops are 9 mm okoume marine plywood. The lower hull is "sandwiched" in fiberglass set in epoxy, inside and out.

The "fiberglassing" strengthens the part of the hull which gets the most beatings, and stiffens the whole craft. The mahogany rails "hold" the sheer. The middle frame and two bulkheads make up the internal structure. Everything is covered with a minimum of two coats of epoxy in order to "seal" the plywood from the elements.

Why build "just" a Doris 12? The building kit can be the basis from which you can build YOUR own boat, diverging a little (or a lot!) from the original design. See the photo on the left: I build a nifty little sailboat from my Doris 12 by adding a mast foot and partners, a daggerboard and its slot and a complete standing lug rig. The 3.20 m2 sail is very small because I wanted it as auxiliary power, the main propulsion remaining the pair of oars. The idea is to have the ability to sail home in the evening after a good day's rowing.

See the trials of the "sailing" Doris 12 in July 2009.

Note: there is currently no "sailing" kit for the Doris 12, but I can provide you with a list of the "conversion" I made. Remember that the Doris 12 is a little boat which must be used in sheltered waters near shore by fair weather (corresponding to the EC category D). Indeed, a capsized Doris 12 will remain afloat thanks to her flotation compartments, but getting underway again will be a challenge...

See the price list

If you would rather have me build your Doris 12, ask me a personal price quote.