Our Association. Moving Forward
2013 marks 17 years since we were originally formed, and 10 years since we became one of
Oregon's incorporated non-profit organizations. Our Mission Statement has never been
amended and our goals remain the same. Memberships have increased every year since
1996.
We're proud of our heritage. The original double-end rowing dories first launched from the beach at Cape Kiwanda more than 100 years ago. Click the bar at the top of this page. You can see why we cherish our way of life on the ocean and why so many people believe in what our Association does. We support sustainable harvests of our fishery resource and we seek environmental protections when the resource is threatened. Where our non-profit status permits, we interact with state and federal governments because we don't want Oregon's Territorial Sea lost to commercial developers that jeopardize this state's vital recreational and commercial fisheries.
Over the years, we've made the transition to a modernized maritime fleet with an exceptional safety record. Our boats range far offshore for albacore, while salmon, halibut, rockfish and dungeness crab are harvested within a 10-mile radius of Pacific City. Fishery managers include our landings along with other west coast ports.
Community involvement is vital to our Association. We maintain a concrete beach access ramp for public use and work with local and state officials to promote safety and provide information. Contributions to other entities comprise about half of our annual budget and include student scholarships, salmon and steelhead production, and food distribution to needy families when school lunches are not available.
A Memorial Wall at the Cape explains some of our history and lists names of people who are no longer with us. Only three of those, however, were lost at sea--- in more than a century.
The "Blessing of the Fleet" is held on the beach in early June with outstanding musical artists. Then, it's time to have fun at the annual "Dory Days" celebration on the third weekend in July.
Marine weather on the left side of this page is current daily, complete with NOAA's west coast network of offshore buoy reports. There's more about us when you click the bar at the top of this page.
Dorymen Association Scholarships 2013
Scholarship applications are available for download here.
Smith Family Trust Scholarship
Nestucca High Scholarship
Do You Want to be a Member?
You can. Even if you don't own a boat. Look for the Dorymen's membership form on this website. You can be assured that almost all of your contribution will go to the programs (and more) mentioned above.
Our Mission:
To protect, defend and promote the traditional cultural and economic values of the dory fleet, and specifically
To protect the usual and customary access to, and use of, the public beach at Cape Kiwanda for all the traditional activities associated with dory vessels, and
To maintain and improve all traditional vehicle and pedestrian access and vehicle parking on public lands at Cape Kiwanda, and
To support safety regulations consistent with traditional dory vessel practices, and
To actively seek laws and regulations that provide the maximum recreational and commercial fishing opportunities consistent with realistic conservation of the resources, and
To establish and support projects and events that promote the traditional, cultural, historic and educational values of the dory fleet.
--Amended and Approved August 28, 1999