Custom Boats
At Lowell’s Boat Shop we specialize in flat-bottomed dories and dory-skiffs. We build several in-house designs in various sizes, most of which can be adapted for sail.
Our Amesbury Skiff is our option for power and can be built in sizes ranging from 12 to 22 feet. For the rowing enthusiast we suggest the Atlantic Rowing Skiff or the Salisbury Point Skiff; for the traditional sailor we build the Sailing Surf Dory and the Lowell Sailboat, and for dinghies and general use we build the Lowell Tender, Deer Isle Skiff, and Merrimack Skiff. All of our models are variations of original Lowell’s designs built from patterns that have been in the shop since the 19th century. While we offer any of our boats of entirely traditional construction, many of our customers tend to blend old and new methods by having the bottom and garboard encapsulated with fiberglass and epoxy—a method commonly used for those who intend to have their boat spend the majority of its time on a trailer.
Use the round arrow buttons below to scroll through our designs and compare their strengths.
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![Two Banks Dories on building beds with buff topsides and red bottom paint in the boat shop]()
Banks Dory
The straight and high-sided Lowell Banks Dory was developed in the early nineteenth century to meet the needs of the Banks fishermen. This sturdy, seaworthy and economical boat was ideal for hand lining from a parent ship and could be stacked in transport utilizing a minimal amount of space on deck.
In addition, Banks Dories have an exceptional ability to carry heavy loads and actually gain stability as they are laden. Their success was quickly recognized, and Lowell’s has built and shipped nearly a hundred thousand to fishermen and lifeguard stations in all parts of the world.
The Banks Dory is an excellent rowing boat and continues to be the choice of rowing clubs and lifeguard associations across the country. In the spring of 2006, the Long Beach Lifeguard Association of Long Beach, California commissioned Lowell’s Boat Shop to build a Banks Dory to commemorate their centennial and be “worthy of the rich rowing tradition in Long Beach Lifeguarding.”
The east to west business between the Boat Shop and Long Beach has been ongoing for over seventy-five years, and, remarkably, dories purchased in the 1930’s remain in service today.
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![A surf dory with a blue sheerstrake, varnished gunwales, and white topsides sits on a sandy beach with boats in a mooring in the background on a sunny day.]()
Surf Dory
The round-sided Surf Dory, often referred to as the Swampscott-type dory, was developed from the original dory designed by Simeon Lowell with the founding of his shop in 1793. Even after the later development of the Banks Dory, fishermen who had to come into the beaches through the surf preferred the Surf Dory. The rounded bilges give extra buoyancy amidships, taking the boat up and over the waves onto the beach. As a result of the success of this design, the U.S. Life Saving Service, forerunner of the Coast Guard, used these dories for life saving missions for almost a hundred years.
Surf Dories are wonderfully seaworthy boats and more stable when light than the Banks Dory, thus we offer them in shorter overall lengths. They row extremely well and, because of their outstanding stability, lend themselves even better to sailing and family boating than the Banks Dory. Our standard Surf Dory and Sailing Surf Dory hulls are offered from 14’ to 20’ overall.
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Sailing Surf Dory
The round-sided Surf Dory, often referred to as the Swampscott-type dory, was developed from the original dory designed by Simeon Lowell with the founding of his shop in 1793. Even after the later development of the Banks Dory, fishermen who had to come into the beaches through the surf preferred the Surf Dory.
The rounded bilges give extra buoyancy amidships, taking the boat up and over the waves onto the beach. As a result of the success of this design, the U.S. Life Saving Service, forerunner of the Coast Guard, used these dories for life saving missions for almost a hundred years.
Surf Dories are wonderfully seaworthy boats and more stable when light than the Banks Dory, thus we offer them in shorter overall lengths. They row extremely well and, because of their outstanding stability, lend themselves even better to sailing and family boating than the Banks Dory.
Our standard Surf Dory and Sailing Surf Dory hulls are offered from 14’ to 20’ overall.
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![A Salisbury Point Skiff tied to a dock with varnished sternsheets, white thwarts and bilge.]()
Salisbury Point Skiff
Inspired by the original Surf Dory, the Salisbury Point Rowing Skiff was developed by Lowell’s Boat Shop in the 1860s for recreational use on the river. The boat shown is the original design that was built until the mid-1920s when outboard motors became widely available.
When recreational rowing returned to popularity, this lovely and seaworthy rowing skiff was recreated from original patterns by master boat builder Fred Tarbox and continues to be one of our most sought-after models.
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![Two people in sliding rowing seats in an atlantic skiff with white topsides, a buff sheer strake, and varnished transom and gunwales.]()
Atlantic Skiff
The Lowell Atlantic is a light variation of our Salisbury Point Rowing Skiff that was originally introduced for recreational use in the 1860s. The Atlantic is designed for use on the open ocean by the experienced sculler or by the beginning recreational rower who wants a fast, safe family boat.
Traditional lines, exhilarating speed, and excellent sea-keeping abilities make this beautiful boat a joy to row. At 150 pounds, the Lowell Atlantic can be easily launched and recovered single-handedly. The Lowell Atlantic can be rowed by one or two people from standard stationary seats using standard oars; or, it can be fitted with a removable sliding seat for solo use.
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![Taken from the Merrimack River looking at the front of Lowell's Boat Shop, two people in a white amesbury skiff motor by with just a slight wake.]()
Amesbury Skiff
Over the past eighty years, the Lowell Amesbury Skiff has earned a reputation for being an exceptionally stable, seaworthy, and rugged boat. An adaptation of the Surf Dory, it was initially developed for inboard power and is now modified to take advantage of contemporary outboard engines.
The hull is flat-bottomed with flared, rounded, lapstrake sides, making these boats surprisingly dry and easy to maneuver. Since power requirements are lower than most boats of equivalent size and capacity, fuel requirements are also low – an important consideration in today’s world.
Commercially, Amesbury Skiffs have been used primarily for livery, fishing, and rescue work. The Amesbury Skiff is an ideal and extremely versatile family boat. Stern side seats and two athwartship seats are standard; steering and control consoles and lockers are optional.
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![A sleek Deer Island Skiff with its elegant sheerline and white topsides floats at a mooring with a grassy bank and woods in the background.]()
Deer Island Skiff
Derived from the time-tested Asa Thompson Skiff, the Deer Island Skiff is the newest edition of small rowing tenders that are built at Lowell’s Boat Shop.
Named after the small island that splits the Merrimack River below the boat shop, the Deer Island Skiff has become a popular choice for families as well as the serious yacht owner.
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![A white Merrimack skiff with red bottom paint sits at the edge of the water on to short saw horses.]()
Merrimack Skiff
The Lowell Merrimack Skiff is designed to be a pleasure to row. This variation of the Salisbury Point Skiff dates from the 1920’s when outboard motors were first being developed. It is widened at the transom to more easily handle a small outboard motor, and has a single rail and three planks per side to lessen the cost of construction.
Also available is an upscale, fifteen-foot version of this versatile craft that is featured at the Mohonk Mountain House with a double rail and brass half-oval rub strips.
Lowell’s Merrimack Rowing Skiffs have been used by generations of fishermen, campers, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and rowing enthusiasts. They have proven to be extraordinarily seaworthy, safe and sturdy—boats built more than thirty years ago are still in use.
Comfortable and easy to row, this skiff is outstanding powered by oar and motor. For traditionalists, a notch can be cut in the transom for sculling with one oar.
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![A lowell tender, white with varnished sheer strake, in late evening light sits in the calm water of the Merrimack River with a bridge in the background.]()
Lowell Tender
The Lowell Tender is a delight for the discerning yachtsman who imagined that such craft only exist in nautical museums—to be seen but not owned.
Four lapped planks per side on three sets of white oak frames give it a deep, graceful hull that is excellent for rowing heavily laden as well as for towing. In addition, it is stable, dry, and seaworthy – a capable and elegant little workhorse.
In recent years, Lowell Tenders have been markedly improved. The hulls have been deepened to allow even the 9’ model to carry four adults and row exceptionally well.
The bottom and garboards can be sealed with epoxy, dramatically reducing maintenance and allowing “dry sailing” from a float, ship’s deck or trailer. Still, these boats are essentially as Lowell boats have always been: graceful, seaworthy, rugged dory-built boats.
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Lowell Sailboat
The Lowell Sailboat is the only model from Lowell’s Boat Shop that is designed with sailing performance as the primary consideration. With its outstanding performance by oar, sail, and power, this boat is the most versatile, all-round recreational design known to us at Lowell’s Boat Shop.
It has a lapstrake dory-type hull of traditional design that has been modified to provide fast, able performance with safe, sturdy construction. Oars are all that are needed to navigate when there is no wind; however, the broad transom easily accommodates a small outboard engine.
Sprit rig, Lug, and Marconi are standard options, while a variety of sailing rigs are available depending of the boat size and the buyer’s preference. While the sizes listed in the particulars are standard, we are able to build the Lowell Sailboat in any size ranging from 12′-20′.
