The Grand Banks dory was so named because the boats were originally used in the mid to late 19th century to fish the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. This small, slab-sided, narrow, flat-bottomed open boat, also known as a Banks boat, has a very narrow transom and is the most common variation of the boats known as dinghies. If you look closely at Winslow Homer’s “The Fog Warning” painting, you’ll see a Banks boat.
The Grand Banks Dory boats are relatively inexpensive to build, and because they are simple to make, they can be easily mass-produced. However, they are a tough boat, which made them a favorite with anglers. Among the cities famous for producing dory boats for the Grand Banks are the Massachusetts cities of Gloucester, Essex, Beverly, Salisbury (Amesbury), and Newburyport. In fact, Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in the United States. In 1911 alone, Lowell’s produced 2029 dories. Lowell’s has been designated a National Monument and serves as a working museum for boats and boats. Other cities known for their production of dory boats include Portland and Bremen, Maine, Seabrook, New Hampshire, and Lunenburg and Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Shelburne, the home of the Dory Shop Museum, had an ongoing rivalry with Lunenburg in the production of Dory. The Shelburne builders preferred metal braces to hold the frames together, while the Lunenburg builders preferred natural wood frames, which while more expensive, were also stronger.
Some of these are designed for one person, while others can accommodate two people. Long overhangs at the bow and stern allow the Grand Banks dory to rise above the waves. Even the largest dory boats, 12 feet along the bottom, can be stacked inside one another for easy storage on other fishing boats, often referred to as mother boats. The boats can be launched effortlessly from the mother ships and then returned for the fishermen to unload their catch. Commercial fishing boats have also used them for lifeboats and dinghies. They are also loved by recreational boaters and because they are easy and inexpensive to make, hobby boat builders love to build them.