My Favorite little boat

The Echo Bay Dory Skiff

I recently built another quarter scale model of the EBDS as part of an eventual workshop. Unlike my first model of the boat, which was just hull panels stitched together to check the lines, this one is a full build; all parts are scaled down to one quarter size. Additionally, the rig was modeled. It was fun to build I have a nice addition to my living room space!

Echo Bay quarter scale model with sprit rig

Boothbay High School students are making progress on their second EBDS build from plans and full size patterns. These two boats they built were actually the first ones of the MkIV version of the boat. Their first boat was sold to a couple in Gardiner and the second one will also be auctioned off.

Boothbay Regional HS students' build as of April 2015

The

Echo Bay Dory Skiff

is about as much fun as I have ever had in a 12' boat. It sails and rows beautifully, weights just over 80lbs, and can be built within a week from a kit with two people, I miss my skiff but will build another!

EBDS at rest in Mystic, CT.

Planking the Deblois Street Dory

Deblois Street Dory Building

Bar Harbor, Maine

Planking the hull

I spent the last 24 hours in Bar Harbor helping a customer get the planking going on his DSD. He has been pining after his own D' Street Dory for a few years and is very excited about his project. We met at the Small Reach Regatta, where he and his wife row and sail their current stitch-and-glue dory. He wanted to build a real dory and one with more performance and capacity than the others available. He chose the DSD!

Hull #1 built in 2007, on the shores of the Maine Coast

He set up the strongback very accurately, scarphed planks, and got everything ready for my visit. I arrived at 11am and after the 10-cent tour of his new, beautiful, custom house perched on the edge of Acadia National Park, we got to work. By 8pm we had the garboards fit and glued and looking perfect. Pretty good time for 2 people going hard at it and taking a lunch and dinner break, too. Garboards are often a two-day project because they can be the trickiest to fit.

The latest mkII version of the DSD under construction on MDI

The DSD kit is available, just give a call at 207.602-9587 or email boatkits@gmail.com

Calendar Islands Yawl

The Calendar Islands Yawl (CIY) has been built. Hull #1 was built in Minnesota and is a success. Launched late in the year after only about 6 months of part time building on weekends, the owner is really happy with the project and the boat. See his Google + site for pictures of the build.

CIY hull #1 on sea trials, September 2014.

Now, the work is on my plate. The next steps are to take the information from build #1 and make some revisions to the computer model, draw up plans, and set up the kit for retail sale. I hope to do this early in 2015.

The CIY is a sail-and-oar dinghy designed for single- or double-handling in conditions that can be found on the Maine Coast. We wanted a boat that handled well going to windward in choppy water, easy to roll up a beach on the Maine Islands Trail, and could still go fast. Moreover, when the wind goes, we wanted to enjoy the row back to land, rather than dread the row. The CIY is available with a centerboard or a daggerboard.

Hull #1 under construction: after the turnover, May 7th, only 6 weeks after kit delivery!