Cape Cod, dory

  In November 2010 Eva and I went to Stockholm Sweden and after that trip I posted a photo of a lapstrake dory as it was being built.  The boat was going to be a new copy of a design that goes back for 100s of year. blog entry 1/31/11


   Today Eva took my picture in the back of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum beside a very tattered Cape Cod dory.  This sad old boat had five oar locks and I would like to think it had had a good life on the sea.

  You can see from the photo of the inside, it is a mess. In fact the planks have split apart at both ends of the boat.  None the less it is holding its shape and the difference between this dory and a modern tupperware boat is that this boat could be repaired.  In spite of the terrible condition, planks can replaced and rot rooted out. The old paint can be scraped off and...this pile of lumber could be a boat again. Not only that, the repairs could be done with basic tools and average skills, because the man that designed and launched this boat used a time tested design and a superb material, wood.  If this were a fibre glass boat it would have collapsed into a heap that was not recognizable, long ago.


   I doubt that the dory will be restored, I am a realist not a romantic, however I do take comfort it knowing that it could be restored. Another reason why I like wood.