When I found this boat is was lying in a heap on a pile of debris in a barn. It was a total wreck, with broken and missing parts, filled with trash, discarded garden chemical containers, and a grim assortment of dead insects, rodents birds etc. I bought the dory for $1.00. I then proceeded to clean and scrub and scrape, for days. Measuring carefully and copying closely, from the plans I got from from Mystic Seaport, and John Gardener’s “The Dory Book,” I was able to replace all of the missing parts. Almost all of the wood and hardware I used came as leftovers and scraps from various friends local boat projects. It took too long and it cost too much, and I wore on the patience of several friends who allowed me to use their garages, barns, sheds, etc., over two years, to restore the boat. The only original parts in the boat today are the ten planks. It’s the most expensive $1.00 I have ever owned. After all of that, I named her “HOPE.” I use this dory for guiding fly fishing trips on the Puget Sound and Hood Canal area saltchuck, where we fly fish for sea-run coastal cutthroat trout. I also donate fly fishing trips and rowboat picnics to numerous local charities fundraisers. www.searuns.com
