Seeking Original Plans for a Small Kinney Dory
I am writing in reference to the 2011 article “Builder’s simple boat serves up special times,” by Ben Woodworth. That piece prompted me to reach out because it mentioned a small dory similar to one I have owned for the past 16 years. For many years I believed my boat to be a Skene’s Dory, but I have recently discovered that the design is actually credited to Francis S. Kinney.
Over the last decade I have tried to locate the original set of plans for this particular Kinney dory without success. I am sharing this note in hopes that readers who recognize the design or who know where original or reproduction drawings might be obtained will get in touch. Accurate plans would be invaluable for restoration, repair, or simply to document the boat’s provenance.
A little background for anyone who might be able to help: dories as a class of small boats are traditionally narrow and lightweight, often built with a flat bottom and high sides, and historically used for fishing and work along coasts. The Skene’s Dory is one well-known pattern among several classic dory types. Francis S. Kinney is the designer attributed to the particular plan for the boat I own, and it is that Kinney drawing set I am trying to track down.
If you have information about Kinney’s drawings or can point me to archives, plan libraries, museums, clubs, or private collections that might hold these plans, please contact me. Helpful leads may include maritime museums, regional boatbuilding associations, historical societies with maritime collections, plan libraries that specialize in small craft, or individuals who collect or reproduce classic boat plans. Online forums and small-boat communities sometimes turn up rare plans as well, so any recommendations for reputable communities or resources are welcome.
For clarity, I am not seeking to publish or market the plans; my interest is personal — to preserve, repair and better understand a little vessel that has been part of my life for many years. If you have copies, photographs, or references to publications that include Kinney’s design, that information would be greatly appreciated. Even a citation or a direction toward a library catalog entry or archival reference could be the lead that locates the drawings.
Please contact me directly with any information. My mailing address and email are provided below for anyone wishing to send copies, scans, or details about potential sources. I am based in Knysna, South Africa, and can arrange to receive digital files or coordinate local pick-up if necessary.
Contact:
Dave Reynell
P.O. Box 360
Knysna 6570
South Africa
Note: This request originally appeared in the January 2013 issue and is being shared to reach a wider audience of small-boat enthusiasts, historians, restorers, and anyone familiar with Kinney’s work or with classic dory plans. Thank you in advance for any assistance or direction you can provide toward locating the original Kinney plans for this small dory.