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The Dory was a very common sight in any seaport on the east coast of the US and Canada. The Banks Dory was used by fisherman who rowed or sailed out to the fishing grounds often many miles from home they were carried aboard fishing schooners to off shore fishing grounds where they were used to tend nets or hooks. These boats can often still be seen holding seine nets in harbors in Maine or the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Dories have evolved into Yacht tenders, sailing dingies and motor boats. Lightweight dories are also used by lifeguards and are a frequent sight on TV's Baywatch.

This model is of a 12 foot Banks Dory, which means the bottom planks are 12 feet long. The overall length is 15-1/2 feet. This model is based on a drawing in the Dory Book by John Gardner, which is an excellent source of more information. This boat was designed to be rowed by one person an is typical of smaller Dories such as those used by a lobsterman. Another source of information is a book by Harold "Dynamite" Payson called The Dory Model Book.

Building this model requires several tools including a hobby (X-Acto) knife, drill, sandpaper, glue, cloths pins, paint, brushes and a good work area. If you have purchased the kit, the pieces have already been cut out for you if not you can cut most of the parts with a hobby knife or use a coping saw, jeweler’s saw or jig saw.

I have built this model using Cyano-Acrylate glue better known as super glue or instant glue. This is available for hobbyists in several consistencies, thin medium and thick. I use thick. This glue is waterproof and fast. It is however a hazardous product with nasty fumes and it bonds to skin better than anything else. Waterproof carpenter's glue is a safe alternative if you want your dory to float. You can use regular Elmer’s glue, it is excellent for this type of project if you take your time and don’t need the model to be waterproof. Other glues can be used including epoxy and airplane glue.

A fine fleet of dories built by students at the Holmes School in Darien Connecticut.

A sailing dory built by Calder at the Tokeneke School in Darien. The rest of the class built beautiful boats too but my camera wasn’t working that day.

Building Instructions

The process of building this model follows the process of building a real dory. Start with a bottom plank, add frames, stem and transom, bend on the side planks, add trim and seats and paint. Study the plans to get an understanding of the boat.

1. Start with a clean work space, spread out and identify the parts supplied. The parts are rough sawn, you should sand them before assembly. Lay a sheet of 120 grit sand paper on the table, and carefully rub the parts flat against the paper to smooth them. Rip off a small piece of sandpaper to use to smooth the edges, but note that several parts are marked on the edges, do not sand these edges or loose the marks. Do not over sand...do just enough. You will sand the bottom and outsides of the model later so you do not have to get these surfaces perfect.

2. Identify the transom and the transom knee. Glue the transom knee to the small end of the transom. The point of the knee should line up with the short edge of the transom. The knee can go either way. Make sure the knee is centered and straight, the angles between the knee and the two sides of the transom should be the same. When the glue dries, use the knife to trim the bottom of the transom so it is flush with the transom knee.

3. Identify the stem. Mark a line on both sides, 1/8" in from the long curved

edge. Mark a centerline on the long curved edge. With your knife, carve a bevel on the front edges of the stem between the lines on the side and the centerline on the edge. This will make the sides fit snugly to the stem.

4. Identify the bottom, and the stem. The bottom is marked on the edge for the frame locations. Using a ruler and pencil, draw a line between opposite marks these will be the frame locations in the next step. Glue the transom and knee to the blunt end of the bottom. Line up the bottom edge of the transom with the end of the bottom. Make sure the knee is centered and straight, the angles between the knee and the two sides of the bottom should be the same. Glue the stem onto the pointed end of the bottom. The corner of the stem should line up with the point of the bottom. The knee should be centered and straight, with the angles between it and the two sides of the bottom the same.

5. Identify the frame knees, 10 in all, pairs of 5. Each should be marked on the out side edge of one leg with tick marks indicating which frame it is / for frame 1, // for frame 2, etc. The marks are on the side leg of the frame, the other leg gets glued to the bottom. Start with frame 1 at the front of the boat. Glue one frame knee to the bottom such that the corner of the knee is at the edge and centered on the frame mark on the bottom. The second frame knee is glued oppositely with its leg overlapping the first. See the photo below. Glue the two frame knees at the same time so adjustments can be made so that both frame knees are as close to the frame mark as possible.

6. When all the frames and the stem and transom are glued to the bottom and the glue is completely dry, the transom, stem and bottom must be beveled to provide a good fit with the sides. Lay 120 grit sand paper on a flat work surface. Grasp the bottom, rub it on the sand paper such that the frames just touch the paper. Roll the boat so that you sand the whole length of the side with each pass. Try to smooth the curve of the bottom as you bevel the edge. Sand until the sand paper just touches the whole length of all the frames. Also, sand the transom to bevel it. This is done by holding the transom and using the bottom as a guide like you used the frames as a guide when sanding the bottom. Sand until most of the edge is sanded and beveled. The stem is already roughly shaped, sand it like the transom until the entire bevel has been sanded. Check your work as you go by taking the long strip used for the gunwale and bending it around the frames. It should touch all 5 frames and meet the stem and transom bevels such that it touches the whole bevel. You can also check the bottom bevels by holding the side in its place against the bottom, frames, transom and stem.

7. Glue the sides to the transom and the rear 1/2" of the bottom. Line up the straight (rear) edge of the side with the edge of the transom. If you are using a slow curing glue, clamp the side in place or pin it with common (sewing) pins. Glue both sides (one at a time).

8. If you are not using "super glue" apply glue to the bevels created in step 6 and all frames where they meet the sides. Bend both sides around the frames. Clamp them in place with cloths pins. Adjust the position of the sides so that the bottom edge of the sides follows the bottom edge of the bottom. The bottom will be bent slightly up at the ends. Elastic bands and common pins will help pull the sides tight against the bottom. "Super glue" may be applied by placing drops in the joints and allowing it to soak in. Apply sufficient glue to fill the joints.

9. When the glue has cured completely, remove all the clamps, pins and elastics. Using sand paper laid on the

work surface, sand the bow of the boat "flat" so that the false stem may be bonded to it. The bow has a curve to it which must remain, so sand just enough so that the stem just shows between the two sides. Glue the false stem on holding it with pins and elastic bands until the glue is dry. Trim only the bottom end now. Trim it flush with the bottom.

10. With the sand paper on a flat surface, sand the bottom and transom to make the edges of the sides flush. Check that the glue joints are complete (waterproof.) Add more glue if needed. Sand the sides so that the false stem is flush (it may also be slightly set in.) Continue sanding until you are satisfied with the surface.

11. Trim off the tops of the frames (if needed.) Put a ruler across from the top of one side to the other to mark the frames for cutting.

12. Identify the Stern cleat. It will fit across the inside of the transom near the top, covering the two holes. Bevel the ends so that it fits snugly between the sides. Glue it in place.

13. Identify the seat stringers. Measure down 1/2" from the top of the sides and mark each frame. Glue the seat stringers to the frames so that the top edges of the stringers are at the marks. The stringers should extend about 1/2" beyond the first and last frames. Clamp them in place with cloths pins.

14. Identify the gunwales (cap bands.) Glue them to the top edge of the sides. They should extend above the top edge of the sides so that a ruler place from one gunwale to the other will just touch the top inside edge of the sides. Clamp these with cloths pins. Trim the rear end flush with the transom. Trim the forward end flush with the false stem.

15. Identify the cap rails. Glue these to the top of the sides, frames and gunwales. The two should meet in the center of the bow on top of the stem. The edges of the cap rails should be flush with the gunwales. The rail should lay flat on the frame ends. The stern cleat may need trimming to accept the cap rails.

16. Sand a bevel on the outer edge of the cap rail. Round the gunwales and cap rail around the bow

17. Glue the breast hook under the cap rails in the bow. Its edges may need beveling to fit the sides and stem

18. Drill through the two holes in the transom and through the stern cleat with a 3/32" drill. Clean up any splinters with sand paper.

19. Mark the cap rails for the thole pins (oar locks.) Mark a line 1/4" in from the outside edge along the length of both sides. Mark 1" and 3/4" back from seats 2, 3 and 4. Drill a 5/64" hole through the cap rail only (stop before drilling through the sides.) Sand off the pencil marks if you plan to varnish the boat. Cut the point off each toothpick and cut two 1/2" lengths with your knife by rolling the toothpicks under the blade. Glue one pin into each of the 6 holes.

20. Paint or varnish the inside of the boat before installing the seats. If the boat will get wet, be sure to paint all surfaces thoroughly including the bottom of the seats. Paint or varnish the seats before installing them.

21. Glue in the seats. Each seat is marked with the frame number. The notch in the seats fits around the frames.

22. Touch up your sanding job, remove excess glue and wood chips and paint or varnish your boat. Two coats of paint or varnish are better than one thick one. Paint on even coats with no drips.

23. The holes in the transom and bow are for a becket or loop of rope used to tie the boat up or lift it aboard a fishing schooner. Use thin string or twine to make the becket. The string should be about 1/16" in diameter. Tie an overhand knot in one end of about 1-1/2" of string. Pass the other end out through one hole (in the bow or transom) and back through the other. Tie another over hand knot in that end. This leaves a loop of rope hanging out through the two holes held by the knots.