The Beginning of Boulder Boat Works and the Grand Canyon Dory
By Andy Toohey Founder and President of Boulder Boat Works, Inc.
I'd like to tell the story of why we built this boat, how long we have been working on this project and how she got her name. Back in 1994 in a coffee shop in Boulder, Dee Crouch and Steven Pomerance wondered if a dory could be made from plastic and if it could be a white water dory. Both of these guys are white water pioneers and have been river partners for many years beating up any number of nice wooden and fiberglass dories in the process. They saw the significant effect polymers had on the kayak industry. The first polymer kayaks of the early 80's offered stronger, lighter boats. What this translated into on the river was more and different ways to run rivers (i.e. the whole industry changed forever). Being practical and innovative they set out to build a polymer dory.
In the coffee shop, scaled models showed up the next day. After much thinking and coffee consumption they, Dee and Steven, ordered some materials, tools and begged and borrowed some other things, including shop space to get after their first prototype white water dory. They did well, the boat looked like a Dory, it floated and they learned a lot. There were still many issues to solve, the polymer material was not UV rated and after a short time she was falling apart. They needed a type of polymer that was suited for the sun, but at such small quantities they were unable to get any custom orders, it was just un-affordable. More coffee and more interest from others. Like white on rice, Crouch was on it, he started to spread the word about the dory to others in the Boulder town and particularly the white water dory people.
They started a new team, more guys, more buying power, essentially what Crouch needed to continue. So now it's Dee, Steven, Dee's son Spencer, Tommy Wells, Francis Raily, and Paul Siebly, who owned the shop and a couple of other guys helping out. They lined up to buy 6 boats of material and then went to work on the design that everyone would approve. After much coffee and meeting the group lead by Dee and Steven came up with a design that everyone agreed on and went to work on six more white water dories. Dee built his first, needless to say they again learned a lot, but this time were making progress for sure. They were working with a PP plastic that was UV protected to the 9's, it was black as coal, hence the UV protection was the 2% carbon mixed into the plastic for UV protection.
Black was going to present more problems than they thought, it was hot and ugly, and because the material cannot be painted it was going to be impossible to paint a different color on the hull. Enter the Dee Crouch effect, Dee knew he had to solve this problem other wise he couldn't use his new boat, so he broke out the sanding machine of his choice and began to rough it up so she'd hold paint for a little while at least long enough to get her on the river. Problem solved, sort of. They went on with it full tilt.
This is about the time I met Dee, I was just starting to build wooden fishing dories in town and trying to get myself out of fine woodworking in homes in Boulder. I was talking to a local artist, Elizabeth who introduced me to Dee Crouch, that night Me, Dee, Elizabeth and Spencer, Dee's son when out to dinner, After much sushi and sake I was invited to help work on this project. I was on cloud 9 and the next day I was working on polymer dories at the shop in Eldorado Canyon with the crew. It be came clear to Crouch that I was the missing link to this project, the craftsman they needed. I have been working with my head and hands all my life and had the tools to prove it – both power tools, and the skills that come with a lifetime of using them – the team was complete, or was it? I was in it for the present fun and for what could be a new career in the future, Dee, Steven, Francis and Paul were in it for a boat, Tommy and Spencer wanted a boat as well and maybe a boat building career. More coffee and more sushi, not at the same time, lead Me Tommy and Spencer to talk about starting a business. Well it wasn't going to play out , not that we had any kind of falling out it just wasn't going to come together. So what was I going to do now? First thing, call the leader, Dee Crouch, I did and told him that it wasn't going to work with Spencer and Tommy and asked him if he thought it would be OK to run with this on my own, he said YES ! he was thrilled and so was I. Now I had new life again and Dee's blessing and help.
That's the short story of the beginnings of Boulder Boat Works and the Grand Canyon Dory. So why did it take so long for us get this model out on the market? We started Boulder Boat Works in 2000 with the intention of building fly fishing dories – bigger market and simpler boats to figure out first. Not to mention I am a fisherman and I was already building wooden boats. So after some 65 polymer fly fishing dories we were ready to re-start the whitewater dory project again. After 3 years and lots of coffee we are ready to bring this boat to the public. This dory is dedicated to Dee Crouch my mentor and best friend, it's the 9th polymer whitewater dory in the world and we are going to call it the Grand Canyon DC9 , DC for Dee Crouch and 9 for how many dories it took to get it right. Six of the first prototypes are still being used on rivers today. Thanks Crouch for all you have done for me and the white water nuts out there, your legecy will live on, in rapids and adventures around the world.
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