K263 - Atkin 13 Ft. Swampscott Rowing Dory Custom Built Boat, Wood/Composite

Specification: Item K263 - 0L x 0W x 0H Inches (0L x 0W x 0H Cm)

Note: This is a special made to order item, delivery usually take 30-90 days.
Custom features such as name plate or different paint schemes are available for additional charges. Please contact us for details.

Price: $ 8,250.00

Description:

The Swampscott Rowing Dory is a traditional New England boat design from the mid-19th century, originally crafted for fishermen along the Massachusetts coast. Known for its graceful lines, rounded hull, and excellent balance between seaworthiness and light handling, the Swampscott Rowing Dory remains one of the most admired wooden rowing boats in maritime history.

Our master craftsmen recreate this historic dory in stunning detail, using time-honored plank-on-frame construction and premium materials such as Western Red Cedar mahogany, teak, and US -made Hexcel fiberglass with System Three marine spar varnish. Each model requires 4–5 months of meticulous handwork, ensuring that every curve, plank, and joint reflects the precision of the original design. Custom options are available, including size, wood type, finish, and deck detailing.

Measuring approximately 13 feet, this dory is designed for both stability and comfort. Its flat yet slightly rockered bottom, rounded bilges, and flared sides provide excellent buoyancy and dryness when rowing through surf. The seating arrangement ensures perfect balance whether rowed solo or with a crew of two or three.

Graceful in form and reliable in performance, the Swampscott Rowing Dory embodies the spirit of classic American craftsmanship—simple, strong, and beautifully built for life on the water.

Dimensions:

Overall length (LOA): ~13 ft 4 inches (13′4″) — approximately 4.06 m
Waterline length (LWL): ~11 ft 6 inches (11′6″) — about 3.51 m
Beam (width): ~4 ft 4 inches (4′4″) — about 1.32 m
Draft: ~4 inches (with one person aboard) — about 10 cm

Weight & Load

Approx. empty weight: ~145 lbs (about 66 kg)

Freeboard (height above waterline)

Bow freeboard: ~1ft11 in (approx. 58 cm)
Lowest freeboard amidships: ~1 ft 0⅞ in (approx. 32 cm)
Stern freeboard: ~1 ft 5⅛ in (approx. 43 cm)

Performance / Use

Designed primarily for rowing; will also take a small outboard motor (typically ~2½–5 hp recommended)

Hull form is traditional Swampscott dory style: flat bottom with slight rocker, rounded bilges, generous flare — built for buoyancy, seaworthiness, and ease of rowing

Tops out comfortably at moderate displacement speeds; pushing beyond ~8 mph will raise the bow significantly

Construction Notes

Traditionally built as lapstrake planked wood (plank-on-frame), though modern plywood or composite adaptations are possible
Seating (thwarts), footrests, and rowlocks are positioned for balanced rowing with 1–3 people

Every wooden boat crafted by us is built from Atkin plans, with full credit given to the original designers. For each custom commission, we acquire the appropriate plans and construct the boat to order—offering both full-size vessels and finely detailed scale models.

Contact us to discuss specifications and customization options now!

History:

The Swampscott Rowing Dory was developed around 1840 in Swampscott, Massachusetts, by Theophilius Brackett for fishing and hauling lobster pots. It features a rounded hull for better buoyancy and surf launching, a flat bottom to rest upright on the beach, and no keel to pass smoothly through waves. Typically measuring 14–18 feet in length, it was admired for its easy handling and excellent seaworthiness.

Evolved from the earlier Wherry and bateau designs, the Swampscott Rowing Dory later became popular as a recreational sailboat—known as the clipper, alpha, and beachcomber dories—raced along the Massachusetts coast in the early 20th century. Praised for its fine craftsmanship and graceful form, the Swampscott Rowing Dory is regarded as the “aristocrat of the dory clan.”