sob sob - I did a comprehensive reply to this yesterday but musn't have saved it properly.
My rowboat is great for flat water and good for any day when you look at the ocean and think it is a nice day to be out there in Redback (Daddle's 8ft boat).
But more symmetry - pointy or near pointy ends gives more directional stability.
Dories have this but small plywood dories don't have enough stability in rough water - they are pretty touchy in flat - but DO give effortless rowing.
Bolgers dory is the best of the bunch because it has a lot more width in the bottom panel fore and aft that give the boat just enough residual stability - most other designers don't understand this and draw a very cool looking narrow ended bottom panel on the assumption that pointy is fast - it is but what's the point if the boat wants to fall over itself.
Here it is compared to my rowboat
http://www.storerboatplans.com/Faq/d...comparison.jpg
So something double ended with a bit of curve to the sides to give a gentler stability curve - and you end up with the Herreshoff rowboat or similar.
You don't want more beam than 4ft - it is enough for oars and anything wider will blow around.
Narrower with outriggers is a good option too as it makes the boat a lot less bulky to move around on shore by yourself and gives speed and directional stability and less tendancy to roll with the swell (narrower boats roll more gently than fat boats). It also allows a hull with firmer bilges and a flatter bottom to give a greater feeling of stability.
But an outrigger boat will not have the hull volume to deal with a passenger very well.