2019 Lowell Surf Dory

Newly rebuilt (2019) 18’ Lowell Surf Dory, a classic beauty, which the owner tows on a custom hawser (with a 6 hp outboard in a well).  Exceptionally rugged and seaworthy, this elegant tender can safely carry 10 people and it tows perfectly with virtually no drag on the afterwave at 9 knots cruising speed.  She is the ideal companion and nestles alongside on a single fender when maneuvering in tight quarters or tied off the swim platform when at anchor.  Unlike most tenders, can take you to town in style at 10 knots and run for hours with its separate gas tank under the center thwart.  Its motorcycle gel battery powers the automatic bilge pump throughout a summer season, open to the rain, on a single charge.  And it has two sets of Shaw and Tenney oars, an easily removable mast, a gaff rigged mainsail and an easily detachable rudder and a jib.

The round-sided Surf Dory, often referred to as the Swampscott-type dory, was developed from the original dory designed by Simeon Lowell with the founding of his shop in 1793. Even after the later development of the Banks Dory, fishermen who had to come into the beaches through the surf preferred the Surf Dory. The rounded bilges give extra buoyancy amidships, taking the boat up and over the waves onto the beach. As a result of the success of this design, the U.S. Life Saving Service, forerunner of the Coast Guard, used these dories for life saving missions for almost a hundred years. Surf Dories are wonderfully seaworthy boats and more stable when light than the Banks Dory, thus we offer them in shorter overall lengths. They row extremely well and, because of their outstanding stability, lend themselves even better to sailing and family boating than the Banks Dory. Our standard Surf Dory and Sailing Surf Dory hulls are offered from 14’ to 20’ overall.