Thread: Bolger Stretch Dory

I'm working on building the 19' rowing dory. I want to make it light because it will be a car topper boat. On my previous kayaks the stems were made by simply stitching filling and taping the precut sides of the boat with epoxy.

In Payson's book he recommends cutting and shaping timber stems that the hull sides are glued and nailed into, a messy job. I have found this type of construction to be problematic and troublesome on my kayak gunnels: leaky issues where glue squishes out resulting in poor bonding and voids.

Do you see any problems with laying up the stems with epoxy glass and fillers instead and leaving off the timber stem?

He also calls for this type of construction on the transom: 3/4" X 2" wooden cleat strips beveled glued and nailed into the outside edges of the 1/4" plywood sides and transom. How about some serious wood near the landing points for the gunnels and breasthook knees, transom top and then just tape/fill epoxy the rest?

The bottom of the boat is to be made with 1/2" ply could I use a high quality ply of less thickness say 6mm and use glass inside and out up to the water line to save weight and still have the strength necessary for serious service?

This will be a boat for camping and swimming/snorkeling off as well as ocean rowing so I like it to hold up and not be too terribly heavy for a couple to handle or for me to be able to manage.

I have been thinking about some form of wheels to aid the loading and unloading from the car top. Any ideas here?

What kinds of gunnels would work best? I can get teak but I wonder how well that will hold up. Will epoxy and stainless screws be good or are boat ring nails better? What about using a metal extrusion for the gunnels?