Davis
A reproduction of the original Davis rowboat made by CWB students during a nine day boatbuilding class. Photograph courtesy of The Center for Wooden Boats.
Boat Type
Location
Year Built
1900s
Beam
4' 1/4"
LOA (Length Overall)
16'
Boat Plans
Project Sponsors
King County 4Culture
Website Link
“Grandfather had no formal training as a boatbuilder; he just figured things out in his mind. He kept remembering the long boats and gigs he’d seen as a kid, and eventually figured out how they were built.” ~John Davis, Jr.
Boat Story
The Davis family, members of the Tsimshian Tribe of Metlakatla, Alaska, were the dominant small craft builders in Southeast Alaska from 1900 to 1950. The first Davis design was a flat-bottom skiff with a transom stern used by miners, trappers and fisherman. The skiff was an ideal work boat because it could carry large loads, had good stability and just two boatshop workers were needed to build two skiffs in one work day.
The Davis family came up with their next model, a double-ended, round bottom, row boat, by making a few alterations to the original design. The newer double-ended design made the boat easier for one person to manage and was often used by seal hunters.
Additional Images
