It’s been called the “ballerina of whitewater,” and the whitewater dory definitely can dance. Sleek, elegant, and nimble, these wooden boats are precise in a way rafts aren’t, especially in the big water of western rivers — in particular, the Colorado through the Grand Canyon.
“These boats represent the elegance of the river itself,” muses Cindell Dale in a new film about female dory guides. “You and the boat become one out there.”
Dories like big water because it protects them from rocks. At sixteen, eighteen, nineteen feet, they’re handcrafted from wood and their hulls break easily. 
“Dories require us to be alert and always in-tune with the river, setting a careful and intentional line at all water levels,” says guide Mia Clyatt.
The river dory’s closed decks also have an elegance rafters in particular can celebrate — waterproof storage compartments. Food, clothing and equipment stay protected, without the need to strap down multiple dry bags every morning before launching.
Dories and dory-like boats have been used in North America for centuries, for exploration and for transportation especially up and down rivers like the McKenzie in Oregon and the Penobscot in Maine, where rapids and eddies required maneuvering while going both up and downstream. Beach lifeguards on both coasts also still use a version of the dory for rescues and racing.
A defining characteristic of most dories is a flat bottom and construction that features hewn planks that run from fore to aft, making them relatively easy to build and repair. Some are pointed only at the front, while others, like the river runners we are concerned with here, have points at both ends.
Today, the OARS dory fleet continues to honor the tradition on iconic rivers like the Snake, Salmon, and Colorado, including Cataract Canyon. The outfitter also runs a dory rowing school on the Lower Salmon River, which begins this year on July 23. Participants’ ages will range from 22 to 81, with about half dory newbies.
OARS’ dory fleet is legend. Some vessels date from the early 1970s when famed environmentalist Martin Litton and designer Jerry Briggs first adapted the McKenzie Drift Boat — designed for fishing and eddy hopping — to conditions on the Grand Canyon.
Litton had gone down the newly-dammed Colorado in a dory himself and was charmed. He founded the outfitter Grand Canyon Dories to share wild places and educate guests about the need to protect them. He even named his boats after places lost or damaged due to human intervention — the Hetch Hetchy, the Dark Passage, and the Emerald Mile.
In 1983, three of Litton’s guides rowed the Emerald Mile, a famous stretch of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, to set a new speed record. This section of the river, known for its powerful rapids and vibrant green waters, has become legendary among river runners. The 277-mile journey was completed in just 36 hours and 38 minutes. This feat, which was only recently broken by kayakers, remains a significant moment in whitewater history.
The Emerald Mile is chronicled in Kevin Fedarko’s book The Emerald Mile, which tells the story of this record-setting run and the challenges of navigating one of the world’s most formidable rivers in a dory. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the history of whitewater adventure.
On the Emerald Mile’s record run was Kenton Grua, who like many early dory guides, worked at California’s Bear Valley Ski Resort. Curt Chang recruited him and others and came to inherit Litton’s fleet to create Northwest Dories, which later merged with OARS. You can still see the Emerald Mile in OARS’ Flagstaff warehouse.
Marty Schlein of Blue Sky Woodcraft, has built 16 dories using the original Briggs designs. He says, “Dories are less likely to get damaged today than when they were used in exploration during the ‘70s and ‘80s. Routes are well known now, and you can use roofing adhesive as an emergency repair on the water.”
While dories may be less common on California’s rivers, their legacy remains a powerful symbol in the world of whitewater adventure. Whether navigating the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon or carving through the rapids of other iconic rivers, dories offer a unique and intimate experience that connects guides and adventurers to the natural world in a way few other vessels can. The men and women who row these boats don’t just paddle — they carry forward a tradition that honors both the river and its history.
The next time you find yourself by the riverbank, watching a dory glide through the rapids, know that it’s more than just a boat. It’s a legacy of elegance, adventure, and conservation, moving forward with each new generation of guides and explorers.
Want to learn more about dories?
For further reading, The Dory Book by John Gardner is a comprehensive guide to dory design and construction, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of these iconic boats.
For those interested in hands-on learning , The McKenzie River Discovery Center, located near Vida, Oregon, is a great place to start. They offer workshops where you can learn about the history and construction of dories, including the opportunity to build your own drift boat. Used dories also trade among individuals — usually by word of mouth — who also put together their own trips.
If you are in Southern California, the National Doryman’s Association puts on a series of summer races using surf dories favored by local lifeguards. They are a little longer and thinner than whitewater dories, but they also pack a punch cutting through waves. The longest race takes rowers all the way to Catalina.
To learn more about the legacy of female dory guides, OARS’ new 23-minute film, About Damn Time: The Dory Women of Grand Canyon, explores the challenges they’ve faced and is available online.
If you’re new to river running, starting with a traditional rafting trip on one of California’s iconic rivers is a great way to experience the thrill of the water before venturing into the world of dory boats.
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Read other articles by Anthea Raymond here.
