Beachcomber Dory Alpha Rig 16'3"
Description
The Beachcomber-Alpha Dory is a classic one-design racing dory designed by maritime historian and boatbuilder John Gardner in the early 1970s, featured prominently in his seminal book The Dory Book (1978, International Marine Publishing). Inspired by the late 1800s Marblehead, Massachusetts, dory racing tradition, Gardner adapted historical lines to create a modern, plans-built wooden dory suitable for recreational racing, daysailing, or coastal cruising. The design emphasizes simplicity, speed, and seaworthiness in protected waters, with lapstrake (clinker-built) construction using white cedar planks on oak frames for authenticity. It's a fractional sloop rig with a centerboard, ideal for short-handed crews (1–3 people) in bays, lakes, or regattas like the Swampscott River Race.
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 11.25 ft - (3429 mm) |
| Foot | 11.29 ft - (3441 mm) |
| Leech | 13.38 ft - (4078 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 72.26 ° |
| Diagonal | 13.29 ft - (4051 mm) |
| Head (inches) | 1.5 in - (38 mm) |
| Area | * 61.07 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 7 ft - (2134 mm) |
| Foot | 3.75 ft - (1143 mm) |
| Leech | 6.25 ft - (1905 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | * 3.34 ft - (1018 mm) |
| Area | * 11.67 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite.