Design
Clarence River Dory
Designed by John Welsford
This began as aid work. After the militias destroyed every fishing canoe along the East Timorese coast, a volunteer organisation needed a replacement boat cheap enough to build and freight in quantity, and Welsford drew it; this is the tidied-up civilian version. It carries more load faster on less power than anything he has seen, is stable enough to stand up in, holds a pile of people or gear and is still light enough to manhandle. The East Timorese use them to chase tuna miles offshore; he thinks they suit estuaries, tidal flats, sandbars and fast shallow water best.
The civilian version of the boat drawn for East Timorese fishing villages: long, narrow and efficient, built either at 20 ft 10 in or 16 ft 6 in from the same plans. About 140 kg, carries up to 1200 kg, and reaches 20 knots on a 25 hp outboard while drawing very little.
What building a Clarence River Dory actually takes
Medians from the build logs kept on this site, not the designer’s estimate. Nobody has logged this boat here yet, so they are empty until the first builder does.
Those medians firm up as more people log this boat.
Builds of this boat
Nobody has logged a Clarence River Dory here yet.
If you are building one, yours becomes the reference: the page the next person building this boat finds when they search for it. One photo and one line is a valid first entry.
Start the first log of this boatBoats like this one
Same type, closest in length.
| Design | Plans from | LOA | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS-20 | Glen-L Marine | 19′ 10″ (6.05 m) | 0 |
| Caladesi Carolina Dory | Spira International | 20′ 0″ (6.1 m) | 2 |
| Jersey Girl | Jim Norman | 20′ 0″ (6.1 m) | 1 |
| 20 ft Cat Joy or Tug Yacht | Benford Design Group | 20′ 0″ (6.1 m) | 0 |
| 20 ft False Creek Ferry or Friday Harbor Ferry | Benford Design Group | 20′ 0″ (6.1 m) | 0 |
| 20 ft Supply Boat Båten or Lake Union Cruiser | Benford Design Group | 20′ 0″ (6.1 m) | 0 |