Wheelhouse Design for Tall Guy?

Tinman · 12-22-2003, 06:02 PM

I'm 6'5", and looking for advice on wheelhouse design for a new 22 foot dory (Pacific City type). I would really like the shelter of a "phone booth" type wheelhouse instead of just an unprotected steering console. Does a phone booth wheelhouse make sense on a 22 foot plywood dory? Does anybody have pictures or plans of such wheelhouses? Are windshield wipers needed for the front glass, or is some sort of fold-down glass arrangement better? Can the wheelhouse be wide enough for two people?

I'm either going to build Glen-L's Hunky Dory, or order a new dory from Terry Learned in Pacific City. Length overall will be 22 feet, with an 8 foot beam and 5'6" bottom width. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Woody · 12-22-2003, 07:31 PM

Check on Glen-L's site, they have plans for four different cabins for the Hunky Dory. I just looked at my plans and I really don't see any structural issues with altering the height. Just stretch it out. It may look a little out of proportion, but hey, it's your boat, and it'll keep you dry.

fish assassin · 12-23-2003, 04:55 AM

If you have Terry build you a boat he will design in a phone booth type wheel
house for you. He has lots of experience and will make it look and feel right.

When I had my dory built for me in 1989 I bought the GlenL plans and intended
to build it myself. After pricing out all the materials I decided that for just a
couple of hundred bucks more I could get Victor (Terry's now deceased father) to
build me one ... and I wouldn't have to go out and buy all the new wood working tools
I would need to do the job. Besides, it got done a lot faster by having Victor and
Terry (who knew what they were doing) do the work.

Terry Learned builds a *quality* boat (IMHO). Fish Assassin is still as strong as
when it was built in 1989!

-assAssin-

DriftR · 12-23-2003, 09:12 AM

Assassin is right about having Terry build you a dory. My buddy has a roof over the wheel of his dory. And I can tell you that it really comes in handy during rough surf launching, heavy rain while fishing and on those non common days direct sun on your head. I'm just over 6'0 and his roof is about 6'4". Good luck and like Assassin says, Terry builds one very tough and stable dory.