Royal Lowell, Jamie's grandfather I presume, is credited with what we think of as the New England lobster boat, which looks an awfully lot like this stubby little thing but with more length v.. freeboard, thus more grace to most eyes. Royal's brother Carroll built many of them, Other downeast workboats with somewhat similar profiles, such as the Jonesporter lobster boats, were skinnier, faster, often fitted with huge automobile V8s for racing, of all things. Many were designed by their builders, often the lobstermen who fish them.
They were designed for the conditions in which they're operated, which are a good bit different than usual for our West Coast waters. For pottering about in protected western inland estuaries, a lobster boat is plenty good if not finest-kind. Get into an open seaway or current & wind opposed situation in the Northwest and you could have a sticky wicket in a lobstah bot.
Besides the considered opinions expressed by others here about the house or lack of enclosed wheelhouse, inboard v. outboard, etc,. the hull shape deserves serious consideration. F'instance, the downeater's sharp, deep forefoot invites a stem-steer broach when a healthy Pacific swell overtakes from astern, lifts that broad buoyant rump and carries it past the bow now buried, trapped in the wave ahead.
In the short, steep Atlantic nearshore seas Lowell designed for, a lobster boat's fine, the right tool - but so's a C-Dory correctly trimmed, its speed & load prudent. But, you wouldn't want to stack a hundred lobster pots on the C-Dory's stern, which is no problem on a lobster boat. Like knives, each vessel is best when suited to place & purpose.
The wise new-to-boating buyer won't forget to consider that, get seasoned advice on the matter and listen well. It's not just whether the cabin suits your needs or what kind of power you prefer; a mistake in choice of hull design can ruin it all, including lives.
Experienced watermen choose C-Dorys for their yachts because they are a collection of safe & clever compromises enabling them to do many things plenty well enough, enough things superbly, and they are honest & well-built.
