The good old fashioned charm of building your own boat can become a reality with dory plans. Dories are small boats usually about 15 to 22 feet in size. Although they are commonly used for recreational purposes, they can also be adjusted for commercial use. Dories are ideal for fishing trips even though they are not used exclusively as fishing boats. They are used as dinghies for yachts and as lifeboats for ocean liners. These boats are also typically inexpensive to make and although lightweight can hold a lot of weight.
As you search for your Dory plans, you want to find a blueprint that not only shows you how to build the boat but also identifies all the materials and tools you will need to complete the task successfully. In other words, you will need to know exactly how many and how long your wood pieces need to be (as well as the best type of wood to use) and what kind of nails or nuts and bolts are best for the Dory. You may go with a basic wooden Dory or you may decide to look into one of the various styles available including an Alaskan, Canadian, Chinook, Eureka, Juneau, Kodiak, Labrador, Lone Star, and Tortuga among many others.
Many of these boats have sailing options if you do not want to create a rowboat. For instance, you may build a 16-inch Nova Scotian with a sail rig. Even though you will be using modern materials and building methods, you will maintain the classic lines that make this design a great sea keeping boat with exceptional row-ability qualities. You may also decide to choose a boat that does not require too many complicated methods for building. In this case, something like the Glousterman may be the right choice for you as it is built with a stitch and glue construction method and does not require forms and jigs. Such a boat is ideal if you are a novice boat builder.
In fact, most Dory plans are ideal for those who are interested in boat building but probably lack the experience. It is possible to find free plans online, but more than likely you will pay for many plans. You may also find various online communities that feature videos on boat building to help get you started in your endeavor. In any case, you should find something to help.
