The Dory Shop

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada | (902) 640-3005 | info@doryshop.com

Stories from the The Dory Shop


The CALANOVA Chronicles Chapter 16 - Building a schooner like CALANOVA

So, we are building a schooner at the Dory Shop. If this was a film, it would be called “per-production”. In our case, in the case of building a schooner we need a few things in place before construction begins.

In order to build us a schooner we need:

  • A design
  • An owner who wants she
  • A place to build she
  • An ocean nearby
  • timbers of many sorts
  • fastenings
  • a couple shipwrights that have a clue
  • some keen helpers
  • tools, need some tools
  • paint, tar, oakum, clamps, lead, masts, sails, blocks, trees for masts, and on and on.

White oak for the steam bent frames

Then you have to lay the keel. With the help of veteran schooner captains Matt Mitchell and Phil Watson on a cold winters day when the moon is right.

Getting the stern post in

Shaping up the deadwood

Bending the steam bent frames in

Getting the garboard plank ready to go. Note the heavy frames.

An artistic image of the violin of the inside of the schooner

Schooner in frame at the dory shop. Schooners built in this very spot for well over 150 years

Schooners, side by each.

Milling up futtucks for the frames

Springing in a plank of cedar

Shaping up some deck beams

Hanging planks

Getting the next plank in…

Doing something that looks important…

More planks…

One more – the “whisky plank” its called…

Up she goes

Now, that’s a sight…

At the launch

In she goes

Sailing along