# Looking for info about a small dory



## Skiou (Dec 12, 2011)

Does anyone have info on who may have designed or built this small dory? I have lost track of where I found this photo.


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## Skiou (Dec 12, 2011)

Hmm. I'll try that again. THIS dory.


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## chuckd (Nov 25, 2014)

That looks like a 14' McKenzie witch is 12'9" long
Don hill drift boat sells the best plan for that!! 
I have both 14' and 16' standard and currently 
Building a fret water Briggs! Good luck


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## Skiou (Dec 12, 2011)

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up! 

I have built a 10 foot dory (54" beam) and would like to hear from other people who have built or rowed sub-12 foot dories about their experiences. I very much made the build up as I went, so I have some modifications I need to make. I need to move my seat back, and possibly lower it. To move the seat back, I need to cut into a bulkhead, and possibly cut out a substantial portion of the deck. I am considering lowering my seat while I am at it.

I am most interested in knowing how high people sit. My seat is currently 12 inches off the bottom of the boat. 


Here are some pictures of the Lil Bastard, one of her sitting on top of my Hyside Mini-Me, the other from her maiden voyage.


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## barry hatch (Mar 26, 2006)

Don't know about that particular boat pictured, but here is a link where you can get plans for a 15ft (stem to stern) decked dory. Not sure why you'd want to go smaller. The model name is the 'Hunky Dory" Small and maneuverable enough for northwest rivers and stable enough for Cataract, Grand, High water Main Salmon.
Montana-riverboats.com


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## Skiou (Dec 12, 2011)

barry hatch said:


> Not sure why you'd want to go smaller.
> Montana-riverboats.com


I am looking for a small boat that can make it through Lochsa Falls at high-ish flows. I have fairly conclusively established the Mini-Me cannot make it at 15k cfs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2PvZntpN9Y


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

I've never run Lochsa falls but I have rowed a mini-me down the Grand and part of it was during the high flows ( 40,000 cfs ). I think a little weight in the front would help. As far as a small boat i've just put some row frames on the Hyside paddle cat and it's impressive what it will go through. It would be a lot softer when you flip and it lands on your head. Enjoyed your video.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

I've seen two dories on the lochsa in high water 7+ at 3 river bridge. Both sunk!


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

The Mini-Me, as I understand it, is one of the least stable crafts you can take down a river. They are a hoot and tons of fun, but very prone to tipping over. I haven't tried any of these small craft but I've been around them some, and the general consensus I've heard is that the paddle cat variants are quite stable for their size and less prone to flippage compared to a boat like the Mini-Me. I've been considering an Aire Sabertooth lately, but having been a kayaker in years past I'm up in the air on whether I want to get one of those or just get back into one of the kayaks I have hanging up in the Garage. Good reasons for both ways though and I wouldn't be surprised to see a paddle cat style boat in my quiver in the next couple years.

My estimation of using a Dory is they are great for big water where hitting rocks is less of a problem, but even the decked ones are prone to filling up with water(even if its just the captains and passenger footwells). Definitely ways to mitigate this, but I'm told they become quite hard to manuever when they are full of water. They look like a hoot and I'd love to row one down one of the higher volume desert rivers some time, but not sure I'd be pushing my limits on stuff like the Lochsa in one.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

I'd agree with the consensus that a small Cat would be about the most stable for high water in a little boat. 11' Culebra has surprised me a few times, think I would have flipped in anything else that length, except maybe another small cat.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Nice lookin boat though! 
Something intrinsically awesome about something built of wood, by your own two hands, cool little boat!


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## Skiou (Dec 12, 2011)

So...

I have built a 10 foot dory (54" beam) and would like to hear from other people who have built or rowed sub-12 foot dories about their experiences. I very much made the build up as I went, so I have some modifications I need to make. I need to move my seat back, and possibly lower it. To move the seat back, I need to cut into a bulkhead, and possibly cut out a substantial portion of the deck. I am considering lowering my seat while I am at it.

I am most interested in knowing how high people sit. My seat is currently 12 inches off the bottom of the boat. 

I would love to hear from anyone who has built a small dory, or rowed a small dory.


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## kwagunt2001 (Jun 9, 2008)

*small dory in the grand*

Hey-
I know that I've seen a blog about his build somewhere. Can't find it now but this might help you along. His contact info might be in there somewhere or maybe he visits MBuzz.
MC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly-hmSaIBsw


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

After thinking about it a bit more...it occurred to me that it might be worth looking at a boat similar to this...










Dayak images

They call it the Dayak on the Montana Riverboats page and it looks like it solves/eliminates some of the problems involved with dories but still has some of the benefits of them. As long as it was well sealed and re-enforced I bet it could run some fairly difficult water. Much less space on that boat to carry water, it sheds it off the sides easily, and looks both quick and maneuverable. I think they sell plans for it or you could just use the pictures as inspiration. For harder whitewater I think the key is to not hold any more water then is strictly necessary plus making sure you have right amount of width and length for stability but not so much that you want fit down stuff.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

The Dayak looks like a dory built by a squirtboater...


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Dude, that was awesome Kwagnut!
Maybe there is something to be said for the "Squirt Dory"! 
Video made me want to be in my small boat so bad!!


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