In Belfast, dory owner offers rowing tours — even in winter

Photo / Courtesy DoryWoman Rowing At DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast, founder Nicolle Littrell offers rowing lessons, tours and workout and specialty rows in her traditional wooden dory.

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By Laurie Schreiber

Nicolle Littrell, who grew up on a dairy farm in New York and has lived in Maine for over 25 years, is the founder of DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast.

A Maine registered guide, she offers rowing lessons, tours, as well as workout and specialty rows, in her traditional wooden dory. Mainebiz caught up with her to find out more about the unusual business venture,

MB: What brought you to Maine?

NL: It was a total fluke. I was living in New York City, where I used to be an actor and small business owner. I had an organic produce and delivery service. A friend invited me to Maine for a week to work at kids camp. I completely fell in love with Maine. Come to find out my grandfather was born in Brunswick.

MB: How did you get into rowing?

NL: My first experience of rowing was living on a wooden sailboat in the early 2000s. We used to row back and forth from our mooring to the dock. I got into rowing in a meaningful way in 2012. That’s when I discovered Come Boating!, a community rowing and sailing program [in Belfast]. Those were six-person, 32-foot pilot gigs — very fast and seaworthy. I was instantly hooked.

Growing up, I was an athlete and very outdoorsy. This hit those marks — being on the water, rowing with five other people, plying a boat through the ocean with the waves and the wind.

I did that until the pandemic. The last row that year with Come Boating! was March 15, right before lockdown. So I thought, ‘What if I bought my own boat?’ I knew nothing about owning a boat and what kind of boat to get. Luckily I had friends who suggested a dory would be perfect for these waters.

I used part of that first pandemic stimulus check to buy it, launched on Mother’s Day 2020 and proceeded to relearn how to row a two-oar boat — smaller, more intimate, about 19.5 feet — and how to navigate a smaller boat in big water.

MB: How did a hobby become a business?

NL: In the fall of 2020, people started approaching and saying, ‘Can I come row with you?’ I found I loved having other people in the boat, guiding them to learn how to row that style of boat. We rowed through the winter. The wellness aspect was palpable. People were happy, in that time of confinement. I started saying, ‘What if I can get paid to do this?’ I had lost my job during the pandemic, so decided to go for it.

MB: Did you have to meet certain requirements?

NL: The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said I had to be come a sea kayak guide. I didn’t know anything about sea kayaking, so I had to learn and took to it pretty easily. I did guide preparation courses. When I was setting up my business, I started guiding with a few different local guide outfits.

MB: When did the business launch?

NL: August 2021. I’m based out of Front Street Shipyard. My service is a hybrid of a lesson and a tour.

MB: What were your startup costs?

NL: Really low. I already had the boat and the docking space. I needed to get permission from the owner of Front Street to operate from there. My major startup costs were marketing — it’s all e-commerce. People can reach out directly or book through my website. I’m also listed on Airbnb Experiences.

MB: What are your customer numbers?

NL: It’s around 700 to 750 customers. The high season is May to October.

MB: Who are your typical customers?

NL: At least 60%, especially as we get into the colder months, are locals, including regulars. In the warmer months, it starts to tip into people visiting the area. My main demographic is women age 35 to 75, along with men, a lot of couples and family pairs.

MB: What are some factors in your success?

NL: Storytelling is key. I believe I have a good story. I’m a middle-aged woman, I’m rowing a classic Maine boat. This is unique.