Greetings-Because of the recent threads concerning Stur-dee Dories (Skiffs) I thought I'd add some of
what I know.
I grew up on Stur-Dee skiffs in the 1950s and 60s in Buzzards Bay. .At that time they were built of oak and
These boats were the mainstay of most boat liveries(rentals) from New Jersey to Maine.
They are a classic Amebury style skiff of lapstrake construction with unusually high freeboard and a handsome bow and sheer line.
Since the late 1970s their construction is of hand laid fiberglass with a balsa core floor, mahogany seats and oak trim. Fiberglass tanks filled with foam floatation run the entire length on both sides making the boat n-sinkable and very stiff sided. The middle and front seats are NOT used for bracing and can be removed
if you want areally wide open boat. The H.P. rating for the 14 ft is 18 and 25 H.P. for the 16 footer, each rating is for more than required.
Being flat bottomed these skiffs pound quite a bit in a moderate chop, Because of the high sides and extremely shallow raft(2-3inches) they can be a problem to get back on a trailer by yourself on breezy days.
The highs and shallow draft also make a slow drift difficult when the winds up..
Here's the specs for the 14 and 16 ft models:
Amesbury 14 Length-14' 0" Beam 5'5" Depth 1' 10" Weight 275 lbs 18 HP(Short)
Amesbury 16 Length 15'11" Beam 6' 3" Depth 2' 2" Weight 450 lbs 25HP(Long)
The best place to buy a Stur-Dee is right from the company if you want to save money and save
on Marina type handling and yard fees. The company located in Tiverton, RI is a 3 person operation with Ernie(the owner), Ernie's brother and daughter. Easy to deal with and will do anything you want.
Why do I know this ? Well I bought a new 16 ft Stur-Dee last summer and live 30 minutes from the company.
I equipped it with a 25HP Merc with tiller handle. The motor is more than enough to push it along.
If you want more info on them e-mail me directly-I'd be glad to help.
Regards
Ray Bondorew-Author of "Stripers and Streamers"
Visit my homepage at: http://www.osfn.org/~af602 .