Build-Your-Own Northeaster Dory Class at Great Lakes Boat Building School

Graceful round-sided lapstrake dories like this 17-footer were once the primary recreational craft on the New England coast. You’ll assemble a faithful reproduction in just a week, using plywood and epoxy. Capacity is three adults, and you can add a sailing rig after the class if you choose. Enjoy fast rowing with one oarsman or two, or even add a sliding seat unit. www.clcboats.com/boatbuilding_classes/368.html

A dory is a lot of boat for the money, which explains the enduring popularity of the type for 150 years or more. This John C. Harris design uses Chesapeake Light Craft’s patented LapStitch process, which yields boats of 19th-century appearance but with 21st-century weight and durability.

By the end of the week, hulls will be assembled, ready for sanding and finishing at home. If there’s time, we’ll get started on sailing rigs during the class for those who choose that option.

With the help of the instructor, each student will assemble his or her own dinghy from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit. The hull utilizes CLC’s patented LapStitch construction method, in which stitch-and-glue techniques are used to create lapstrake hulls of traditional appearance. First, the hull planks are glued to length using scarf joints. The planks are wired together to create the hull shape, then bulkheads are inserted before the planks are neatly “welded” together with epoxy. The students reinforce the hull with fiberglass cloth and mahogany rails, then add the daggerboard trunk and seats. (The sailing rig is optional, but the class will proceed under the assumption that the boat will be used for both rowing and sailing.) As with all of our courses in which students build their own boat, this will be a busy week, so expect to spend a few evenings in the shop. By noon on Saturday you’ll have an assembled hull, ready for sanding and sailing rig.