- For the fishes known as dories, see dory (fish).
A dory is a small, shallow-draft boat of approximately 5 to 7 m (15 to 22 feet) in length. Lightweight and versatile, these boats are used in the open sea for commercial fishing applications, as well as in whitewater rafting on interior rivers. McKenzie River Dory versions usually seat from two or three to four people including the oarsman.
The hullform is characterized by flat sides angled approx. 30 degrees from the vertical, and a bottom that is transversely flat and arced fore-and-aft. (This curvature is known as 'rocker'.) The stern is frequently a raked surface that tapers sharply toward the bottom forming an nearly double-ended boat. Nested stacks of dories were frequently carried on the decks of fishing schooners out to the fishing grounds, where they were then deployed to lay longlines or tend nets.
More glamorously, dories were once used to travel dangerous whitewater rivers, where their superior maneuverability made them preferable over other watercraft available at the time. They have since been supplanted in this purpose by inflatable rafts which require less skill and are generally more durable for collisions with rocks. However, fishing guides on many western U.S. rivers still use drift dories because of their maneuverability and ability to be rowed upstream. Additionally, their high rocker and extremely shallow draft give them low resistance to the flow of water, effectively holding the boat in place for the prolonged fishing of holes in the river. Typically salmon, trout, and steelhead are fished for this way.
The term "dory" is also used for a different and otherwise unrelated type of modern boat. This is a rectangular plastic or fibreglass dinghy with a cathedral hull, used as a working boat, tender, or fishing platform. The rectangular shape provides maximum space for a given length and beam. Its cathedral hull makes it extremely stable while still being easily-driven and hence reasonably fast with a small outboard.
One renowned authority on dories is John Gardner. He has written extensively regarding the history and design of the dory. His book "The Dory Book" (International Marine Publishing) is very good. He is quite a traditionalist, and most of his work appears to be related to East coast dories, with little mention of the West coast McKenzie River dory or the surf dories on the Oregon coast.
Dory was also the name of a small fish in the Pixar film Finding Nemo. Voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, Dory was accompaniment and a friend to Marlin, the father of the title character, Nemo, who got lost in the ocean after a deep sea diver collected him to be added to the diver's personal fish tank.
