Keeping Shelburne Dory Tradition Alive

As hardy and practical as the Atlantic fishers who handlined and set trawl in it, the dory was a vital part of the east coast fishery for almost a century. Now a 12 foot Shelburne dory, built with the signature "clip" technology that made it unique to Shelburne, is headed for Ottawa and national recognition as part of the collection of the National Museum of Science and Technology.

The official handing over of the oars takes place Tuesday, July 21 at 2 p.m. at the Dory Shop Museum, Dock Street, Shelburne. David Monaghan, National Museum of Science and Technology will accept the dory. Deborah Scott, Nova Scotia Museum will make the presentation.

The public is invited to the brief ceremony and reception.

Donated by the Museum Services Division of the Nova Scotia Museum, the outfitted dory, was made by the late Sydney Mahaney, master dorymaker, when he was 92 years old. Mahaney, who died in 1993 at the age of 95, spent most of his 70 year career building dories at the John Williams Dory Shop in Shelburne, which is now part of the Nova Scotia Museum family.

The "clip" technology refers to the metal clip that joins the floor frame of the dory to the side frame.

What does an outfitted dory contain? A trawl tub and trawl, two buoys, a bailer and gaff, knife, handline, hand of trawl, sounding lead with line halibut bat, roller gurdy, a floating compass, a metal dinner box and water tin, not to mention thole pins, dory plug, a set of 8 foot oars, thwarts, two anchors, a fog horn and flare, all in keeping with the quality product exported from the John Williams Dory Shop from the 1880s onward.

The Dory Shop Museum, Shelburne, is open daily until Sept. 30.