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

Drake 19 hull #1 built on Cape Cod

I took a pleasant 3 1/2 hr trip down to Wellfleet, MA, way out on the arm of Cape Cod, to meet Walter Baron of Old Wharf Dory Co. and see the first ever Drake 19 "in the flesh".

Walt of Old Wharf, boatbuilder on Cape Cod

The boat looked great to me. I was so pleased. Even as the designer, I was struck by how much boat there is; it is 19'2" LOA afterall. Designed to be an open water, cruising rowboat for one, the boat would also make an excellent tandem rowboat for rows in the harbor or in more open water.

Drake 19 rightside up.

The interior has two side tanks on either side of the sliding seat system. The tanks will help the boat be self rescuable, with some additional flotation in the ends, The rails slide right into precut holes in the frames of the boat. Everything fits just so.

Sliding seat system integrates into the CNC cut structure of the boat

After this build, and with a few months to finish out the drafting and writing of the manual, the boat will be available as a kit.

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!

Paddling!

Happy Summer

Paddling & Rowing Season is upon us

Gear up. I thought it would be good to discuss this summer some aspects of using boats and get away from all the design talk for awhile. I recently bought a new Bell Magic fast, solo canoe and have only taken it out once, but loved it. Until I finish my next rowboat design for racing, I'll mostly be paddling. This boat is fast and beautiful. Made of Carbon Fiber on the outside and Kevlar on the inside with Ash and Walnut gunwales and thwarts, this boat is not only light and responsive, but strong and beautiful. I couldn't be happier

The new Bell Magic being launched on the Saco River. It looks tippy, and is a little bit, but I quickly got used to it.

Paddling my new canoe on the Saco River just above Saco/Biddeford

For rowing and paddling I really recommend tush-for-your-cush. These GelSport seat pads have been great and allow me more hours on the water in comfort. I can't recommend them enough!

GelSport cushion: this is the rowing one. They also make one for Dragon boats and I use that one for paddling my canoe. 

http://www.gelsport.com/index.html

Boats For Sale

For Sale: Echo Bay Dory Skiff Demo Model

Price $1,500 SOLD!

This is the mkIII kit that was built for shows and demos. Until it was sold I car topped and sailed/rowed it a lot. This hull was the test bed for the latest version of the boat see the EBDS page for specs and info). I've left the pics here for your inspiration!

Daggerboard and spritsail mast

Stern seat (foam flotation not shown)

Mast partner (there is foam flotation under the seat)

A handsome boat and super fun to own

Young sailor "driveway" sailing

Ready for adventure. Are you?