Want to build a dory?
Unique opportunity being offered
Shelburne’s Museums by the Sea is offering a unique opportunity this May to anyone who would like to spend a week learning and applying the skills to build a 13-foot Shelburne style dory in the historic dory shop on Dock Street.
“This is truly a unique opportunity for registrants to get in and do the work themselves and get some hands-on experience,” says Shauna Allen, museum director for the historic Shelburne waterfront complex, who says people will be working alongside master dory builder Milford Buchanan in the dory shop.
The dory building workshop will be hosted in the historic Dory Shop Museum just prior to the season opening.
“It will be a nice intimate, interruption free setting because we’re doing it before the start of season,” Allen says.
The workshop is scheduled to run from Monday, May 21 to Saturday May 26.
“They will be full workdays,” says Allen, explaining participants will be constructing a dory from beginning to end.
A minimum of four registrants are needed to run the course not only to make it feasible, says Allen, but “we will need that many hands to do the work over the course of the week.”
“It’s a really intensive workshop.” The maximum number of participants that will be accepted is six. The cost is $800 per person.
At the end of the week, the course participants will put their names in a hat and whose ever is drawn will have the option to purchase the dory at cost price.
The dory building workshop was developed after a private group contacted the Shelburne museum complex about the possibility.
“We did all the planning and coordination to make that happen,” says Allen, but a personal emergency forced the group to cancel.
“So, we thought we’d put it out there as a pre-registered workshop and see,” she says. “This is a trial for us. Milford has done workshops like this before, but it has been some time since a workshop like this has been offered here.”
Allen is encouraging anyone interested in attending the workshop to register as soon as possible, noting spots are limited. For more information or to register contact Shelburne.museum@ns.sympatico. ca or 902-875-3219.
The Dory Shop Museum is part of Nova Scotia Museum family. It opens for the season on June 1.
Billed as Puttin’ on the Ritz, the event was held at the Yarmouth airport, which was specially decorated for the occasion. There was music – provided by the Moonlight Swing Band – food, an auction and more.
“It was a fabulous time,” said Bernadette MacDonald, a member of the organizing group and now retired as executive director of the Tri- County Women’s Centre.
About 150 people attended the April 7 event and it was just the right sized space for that number, MacDonald said.
“It was a great success,” she said. “I kept hearing people say, ‘ what a great event.’ Music, de-
— Bernadette MacDonald, organizing group member