Dory boats are great fun and easy to build. What's more they move through the water easily, whether you row, or they are powered by wind or an outboard engine.

Dory sailboats have sailed across oceans for years, covering thousands of miles in safety. One of the most famous wooden dory sailboats is Badger, a junk-rig schooner used for long-distance cruising. The Grand Banks dories are also famous. These were used by the large fishing boats when they reached the fishing grounds. You can now build a 16-foot Grand Banks Dory easily with the right plans.

It is not easy to buy one unless you live in Newfoundland, because not many firms make them and they are expensive. But you don't need to buy one! Now you can build your own- easily and simply. But only if you have the right plans and method – you can get it here.

Most dories are much smaller, and are used for creek crawling or messing about in boats. Although dories cut through the water easily, one of their main advantages is that they have a very shallow draft, and so can be sailed into shallow creeks, and beached easily.

A dory boat is a simple shape, but without the right information it can be a nightmare to build, because you need to get the dimensions exact, and get location of the panels just right when you assemble them.

Of course it is also important that you get plans, etc, from someone who has been building dories for years - experience really counts here. You really need digital images to get the best plans, so that you can actually see each step in the process. Build you own 16-foot Grand Banks Dory, and you can save hundreds of dollars. You will end up with a quality product that could last 30 years!