Near the entrance of the re-vamped National Maritime there is a boat of special interest to DCA members. It is the “Dodo”, amateur-built in 1896. She is 14'6" long x 5'4" beam, carvel built, with a steel-plate keel with ballast bulb bringing her draught to 2'4". (This keel can be unbolted from inside the boat and dropped off for beaching.) The sail-area is 150 square feet. The mainsail, with a short gaff, is fully battened at the three reeling positions, and the foresail is roller-reefed using split bamboo at the leading edge. A tent-cover allowed sleeping on board and a canvas spray-dodger could be used when sailing. The rough sketch is from memory.

According to a National Maritime display not only did the Vikings reach Canada in their open boats, but most of the east coast of the USA too. Furthermore, recent archaeological finds have revealed that early Europeans or North Africans had somehow got to South America in prehistoric times.