How Many People Can Fit in a Dory?

Two adults comfortably, with room for gear. Three or four for shorter trips on calm water. The total carrying capacity is around 1,200 pounds.

The Short Answer

A 16-foot Grand Banks dory is a two-person boat. That is how it was designed, and that is where it handles best. Two adults, a cooler, fishing gear, maybe a small outboard on the transom. Plenty of room, good balance, easy to row or motor.

Can You Fit More?

You can. Three adults fit without a problem. Four is doable for a short trip on calm water. The boat's carrying capacity is around 1,200 pounds, so the weight is not the issue. It is a matter of seating and balance. A dory rides best when the weight is distributed low and centered. More people means more shifting weight, and the boat gets livelier.

How the Design Handles Weight

Here is the interesting thing about a dory: it actually gets more stable as you load it. When the boat is empty, the narrow bottom sits low in the water and the boat feels tippy. Add a couple hundred pounds and more of the flared hull enters the water, widening the waterline and increasing stability. The Grand Banks fishermen loaded their dories with hundreds of pounds of cod, and the boats handled it. The design wants weight in it.

What About Kids?

Two adults and a child or two is a great fit. Many of our builders specifically want a boat they can take out with their kids or grandkids. A dory with two adults and two kids, plus a packed lunch and fishing rods, is well within the carrying capacity and a perfectly comfortable day on the water.

Don't forget your life jacket!