Shelter Island Boat Works

While I haven’t convinced myself of the next build, I am leaning heavily toward the Mower Dory. Based on the design of Swampscott Dories from the 1890s, noted yacht designer Charles D. Mower designed his rendition for racing (ca. 1938), a smaller version of his Mower 21′ Dory.

John Gardner discovered Mower’s design from 40 year-old plans sent to him unsolicited in 1978. He was so taken by the design he modified it slightly with the addition of a forward rowing thwart and a reduced height centerboard trunk to accommodate a rowing position. He published his redrawn plans with a brief chapter in his well-known book Building Classic Small Craft, Vol. 2.

Reputed to be quite fast in light and heavy air a recently built pair (2005 -2007) have shown just how fast Mower’s design is, by winning consecutive RAIDs in the Northwest. Traditionally Swampscott Dories had short unstayed masts with very low aspect boomed mainsails and small jibs. The more recent examples have high aspect, sliding gunter-rigged mainsails with larger jibs. With more beam (at 5′, it is 8″ to 10″ wider than the average rowing dory of the same length) making it a stable sailing craft allowing for the increase in sail area.

Traditional Swampscott Dory

Mower’s Sail Plan – as drawn by William Gardner

Modern Mower Dory

Gardner’s chapter in his book holds the only available plans (such as they are) for Mower’s design. As Gardner assumed that whoever might build from his book’s short chapter would know dory construction well, there are not many construction details. Dimensioned fixed frames are provided as well as offsets. Lines planes are minimally dimensioned and not easily reproduced at scale. There is a dimensioned traditional low aspect rig shown. That is about it.

At LOA 18′ with a beam of 5′ it would be about the limit of my shop space. It will be a challenge but there appears to be just enough to build from. I certainly will need to make some decisions on those issues that Gardner did not provide. Sounds like fun! She meets all of my criteria well and has an unusual pedigree that suits me.

Here a few photos of two modern examples:

More here