Posted by Bill Lovelock on May 16, 1998 at 02:58:56:
In Reply to: V-Dory posted by Jon Staples on April 26, 1998 at 00:49:34:
: Hi,
: Has any one ever built the V-Dory as an 18 footer with a cabin?
: We need a boat that can take ocean like conditions up here
: on Kootenay Lake (BC) yet pull a water skier with ease.
: Hard to find a safe boat that does it all. Though a bit odd
: looking for this neck of the woods the V Dory has might
: be worth a closer look.
: Any thoughts ?
: my thanks,
: Jon
Hi Jon,
I just finished V-dory as a 25 foot center console with a bimini top. I live at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and use it in the pacific ocean for trolling and bottom fishing. Since I'm in the tropics, I opted to make it an open boat although I had ordered a set of the 5 cabin plans Glen L offers. I have twin 70 hp outboards mounted on the transom and two 50 gallon gas tanks mounted aft in the center of the boat. The console is just forward of midship and although it's only been in the water two weeks, I'm pretty happy with the design. It doesn't pound in choppy seas like I thought it would, but like all open boats, it's a wet ride. Once I'm comfortable with the motors and have all the bugs worked out, I plan to visit neighboring islands and atolls up to 80 miles away. We have about fifteen 22 foot Boston Whalers on island which have the same motors on them and the V-Dory is considerably faster. I was concerned about passengers falling overboard once I finished the boat due to the sharp angle of the sides. I took the advice of a friend and made 8 ft. bench seats with hinged lids that start at the splash well near the transom and go forward. They are perpendicular to the deck and go up about 17 inches. They don't take up any deck space, are comfortable to sit on and are excellent for storing fishing rods, tools, tackle,etc. If I lived in BC, I wouldn't hesitate to put a cabin on it, but out here on this big pond, it wastes space and would make you swelter in the heat. If you have any more questions you can email me at Blovelock@Hotmail.com and I'll be happy to try and help.
Best Regards,
-Bill Lovelock