Pacific Yachting April 2024

SPRING COMMISSIONING MADE EASY

With ten of the top marine service providers all on site, Lions Gate Marine Centre is a one-stop service yard that can attend to your spring commissioning needs for vessels 15’ – 60’, power or sail.

20%

Book by April 30th to save on your boat lift!

Let us book you a lift, put your boat on the hard and our incredible marine service providers will get your boating season off to a great start.

Two ways to request a quote:

1. Contact any of our service providers directly

2. Contact us at LGMC

604-985-5468

LionsGateMarineCentre.com/AprilPromo

Lions Gate Marine Centre is proud to achieve five-anchor eco-certification by the Clean Marine BC program.

CLEAN MARINE BC

Aloha Marine Services: Detailing, waxing, antifouling, gel coat repairs, teak maintenance and bottom painting

info@alohamarine.ca 778.953.6637

M&P Yacht Service: Mercury & Mercruiser authorized dealer, parts and services, full yacht services, MRAA five-star certified dealer

service@mpyachtcentre.com 604.692.0333

RIPCURL MARINE

Ripcurl Marine: De-winterizing, plumbing, bottom painting, electrical and mechanical services for outboard and inboard motors

ripcurlmarine@gmail.com 604.809.5833

ON-SITE SERVICE PROVIDERS

Ignition Marine:

Premier Yacht Sales & Service: Representing excellence in electical, mechanical repair, and custom installation, bottom painting, canvas/upholstery

info@ignitionmarine.com 236.476.3392

North Shore Marine: Mechanical services, Yamaha & Suzuki outboard certified dealer, distributors of C-Dory, Rossiter, Double Eagle with Marine Store onsite

info@northshoremarineltd.com 604.924.3266

Tidy Boat: Bottom painting, cut and wax polishing, detailing, zinc and galvanic corrosion survey, stainless polishing and waxing, and refueling

info@tidyboat.ca 604.789.4344

Yacht Care System: Pacific Northwest yacht care and preventative maintenance experts

info@yachtcaresystems.com 604.218.9125

www.lionsgatemarinecentre.com

Morin Marine Services: Installation and repair of Webasto Airtop and hydronic diesel furnaces. Electronic installations and mechanical repairs

grldmorin@gmail.com 604.728.2157

Pleasurecraft Marine Services:

Certified Volvo & Yanmar dealer, bottom painting, electronic installation, mechanical and engine technicians

info@pleasurecraftmarine.ca 604.904.9615

Watertight Boatworks: Structural, fiberglass, bottom painting, detailing, certified Rainman dealer

info@watertightboatworks.ca 778.232.2562

If you have spent any time in a boatyard you’ll be familiar with Nadia Dale’s story “Wallflower at the Boatyard” on page 50. The spring boatyard is a hive of activity as boat owners, tradespeople and lookieloos scurry about the yard. It’s busy, busy, busy and there’s always a sense of urgency, at least among the boat owners.

I love spending time in the yard, whether working on my own boat or helping with someone else’s. But time can be of the essence, and when you start running out of it, well, you don’t want to run out of it.

On my last spring haul-out (a quick one-hour lift to replace an anode) I encountered a snag. Neither of the two prop shaft anodes I’d bought would fit. The first, claiming to be the right size, clearly wasn’t as it didn’t fit over the shaft as advertised. The second, designed to screw onto the end of the shaft, was poorly machined and wouldn’t screw on for love nor money, despite valiant attempts by myself, a friend and the Travelift operator.

We thought we’d found the solution when one of the guys from Skookum Yacht Services said he could quickly rethread the misaligned prop nut anode. He took the janky part to his shop to work on it. While we waited, one of those aforementioned lookie-loos showed up with some advice of his own. There’s nothing like unsolicited advice from a stranger while you’re on the clock at a boatyard. Thankfully, Skookum returned with the anode and the drifter moved on in search of another victim.

Despite best efforts to correct the threading, the anode still wouldn’t screw on. Time was running out. Rather than continue trying to fit a round prop shaft into the proverbial square hole, Skookum suggested he order the part he knew would fit and dive the boat the next week to install it.

In the end, the haul-out proved to be for naught (talk about sunk cost) but a solution was found and the anode was properly installed a few days later. Much appreciation to everyone at Granville Island Boatyard for their efforts.

I’m refraining from the boatyard routine this spring, electing for a fall haulout instead, and not because I am still traumatized from last year’s experience. Oh no, I’ve moved on.

Instead, this spring I’ll have a wander through the yard and see if I can offer help to those scrambling to finish their own task lists before splashing back into the water. I think I have some sage advice to offer.

–Sam Burkhart

THE CUTWATER FLEET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING MODELS: C-248C, C-288C, C30S, C-30CB, C-32 & C-32CB

THE R-27

THE RANGER TUGS FLEET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING MODELS: R-23, R-25, R-27, R-29 S, R-29 CB, R-31S, R-31 CB, R-43S & R-43CB

LETTERS

WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS

Send your letter, along with your full name, and your boat’s name (if applicable), to editor@pacificyachting.com. Note that letters are selected and edited for brevity and clarity.

island would be the best policy. As it happens, we are no strangers to re-anchoring at night, having had a few adventures over the years, so the thought of doing it in very calm waters gave us no concern. We could have taken the other options I outlined in the article, but had anything gone wrong, we would be the idiots that failed to follow his advice.

The problem with the anchor was due to the bow roller being higher than the winch, which reduced the amount the chain engaged with the teeth, so when the winch failed to grip the chain because of wear, the anchor saw its chance and leapt back into the sea. It took a half a day for the boat charter company to dismantle and repair it on our return to their base.

—Sam Tein

ANCHOR ALARM

I was very surprised, perhaps shocked, about the action taken by Sam Tein in his article “Anchor Watch” in the January issue of Pacific Yachting. In situations like Mr. Tein found himself in, it would have been far safer if he had contacted any of the adjacent boaters (who were either anchored or tied up to a buoy) and ask if he could raft up to them overnight. The other piece of advice I offer to boaters is to buy a carabiner that attaches to an extendable boat hook. The carabiner is specially designed for catching buoys. The base of the carabiner is tied to one of your bow mooring lines. Once the carabiner is hooked onto the buoy, it detaches from the boat hook. Since the carabiner is tied to your mooring line, you are secure and not at risk of being pulled into the ocean. Lastly, I suggest

mariners install a winch about midship that can be used to pull up the anchor. If the windlass fails, a line can be connected to the rode and pulled up, a section at a time. It takes a little practice, but it works and it’s far easier than the “arm-strong” method.

Sincerely,

—Scouter Ron Wasik

Having established we were drifting, rather than being driven on to a lee shore by a force eight gale, we knew we had time to think and consider. I had looked for other boats as a positional check and there were two or three yachts and a few local fishing boats some way off. However, they were so near the shore it was obvious they too must be on a buoy.

Having contacted the flotilla leader and received his advice, we agreed finding a more secure buoy on the other side of the

CHEF’S KISS

I leave the cooking to the Admiral because she’s good at it, but I enjoy baking so I clipped Roxanne Dunn’s recipe for scones with cheddar cheese, chorizo and jalapeno peppers, which go really well with a bowl of soup or stew. Then I wondered if you could substitute white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Yes, yes you can! Dried apricots work too. Next up, blueberries. These scones are now a staple of our household and are much appreciated by friends and neighbours. Thanks Roxanne!

—Gordon Currie

CORRECTION

In our New Boat Showcase (February 2024) we incorrectly claimed that the Cutwater 24 is powered by twin F250s when it is powered by a single F250. We apologize for the error.

—Eds.

6771

CURRENTS

04/2024

WE ENCOURAGE CURRENTS SUBMISSIONS

This is a local news-driven section. If something catches your attention that would be of interest to local boaters, send it along to editor@pacificyachting.com.

Do you know where this is?

Geo Guesser

Thank you to those who submitted answers for the March Geo Guesser. Unfortunately, despite many good guesses the location remains a mystery. We will let the March Geo Guesser stew for another month and announce the location in the May issue of PY. We hope this month’s location proves easier. Good luck!

The March location is still open for guesses.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service Introduces Automated Paper Charts

Most boaters have become accustomed to electronic charts—they’re convenient to use on chart plotters, laptops, tablets, even smart phones. But many mariners still like the feel and reliability of Canadian Hydrographic Services’ (CHS) familiar, sturdy paper charts, especially for planning longer voyages and as backup. Paper charts can be annotated by hand and they don’t need batteries or suffer electronic meltdowns.

The drawback of paper charts is that they can be out of date. Although boaters are required to check the Notices to Mariners—the corrections to nautical charts and publications that warn of navigational changes or hazards—many skip that task. CHS is now launching automated paper charts that cater to the needs of paper chart enthusiasts. These charts are derived directly from electronic charts, ensuring they are up-to-date and perfectly synchronized with the electronic chart, the primary charting product.

Louis Maltais, CHS’ Director of Navigation Geospatial Services and Support in Ottawa told me the new paper chart initiative is part of a multi-year project to make the agency’s operations as efficient as possible.

“The CHS will never phase out paper charts,” he said. “But the automated chart process is more efficient for both mariners and us.” Moreover, these new chart

versions will make it simpler for boaters to transition from traditional to contemporary digital tools. Or they can use electronic and the automated paper charts in tandem.

In the past, the CHS put together charts by hand, a time-consuming and expensive process. The automated versions will be much less costly to produce and employ the International Hydrographic Organization standards for electronic navigational charts as their base.

The automated paper charts will see some changes. The title block will be placed on the side panel. Symbols may appear smaller but will follow the IHO standard included in the CHS’s Canadian Chart 1: Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms publication.

The first Automated Paper Chart roll-out is No. 4654, Lark Harbour and York Harbour in Newfoundland and Labrador. Director Maltais said the charts for the rest of the Atlantic, Great Lakes and the Pacific will follow. The automated paper charts will be made available through the usual CHS chart dealer network.

—Marianne Scott

BRITISH COLUMBIA

ANCHOR MARINE

Victoria, BC 250-386-8375

COMAR ELECTRIC SERVICES LTD

Port Coquitlam, BC 604-941-7646

ELMAR MARINE ELECTRONICS

North Vancouver, BC 604-986-5582

GLOBAL MARINE EQUIPMENT

Richmond, BC 604-718-2722

MACKAY MARINE

Burnaby, BC 604-435-1455

OCEAN PACIFIC MARINE SUPPLY

Campbell River, BC 250-286-1011

PRIME YACHT SYSTEMS INC

Victoria, BC 250-896-2971

RADIO HOLLAND

Vancouver, BC 604-293-2900

REEDEL MARINE SERVICES

Parksville, BC 250-248-2555

ROTON INDUSTRIES

Vancouver, BC 604-688-2325

SEACOAST MARINE ELECTRONICS LTD

Vancouver, BC 604-323-0623

STRYKER ELECTRONICS

Port Hardy, BC 250-949-8022

WESTERN MARINE CO

Vancouver, BC 604-253-3322

ZULU ELECTRIC Richmond, BC 604-285-5466

Healthy Kelp Forests Mean Healthy Fish Stocks

Kelp forests are an extremely important component of the marine environment along BC’s near-shore coastline. Kelp forests have evolved to grow on this rocky, steep-sloping terrain by attaching themselves to dropoffs, reefs or rock-strewn sea floors. Bull kelp, with its long wavy fronds and easily recognizable bulb, is the primary species on the coast.

However, its real value lies in the amount of forage it provides and the protection it affords for a range of marine fishes, and other inhabitants of these rich environments, including

juvenile salmon. Basically, kelp forests are the marine equivalent of coastal rainforests.

According to a research team from the University of Victoria (UVic), some kelp forests are declining while others are not. The team’s goal is to understand why. The team is under the direction of Professor Maycira Costa, who specializes in coastal oceanography, wetlands and bio-geographical processes.

Costa lists numerous threats to kelp forests, including marine heat waves, cyclical El Nino events, longer term warming patterns and predatory foraging by sea urchins and kelp encrusting

bryozoans. Bryozoans are simple aquatic invertebrates that live in colonies.

Costa points to research done by Mora Soto, from UVic’s Spectral Remote Sensing laboratory, that reveals “even during warmer years, the dynamic coasts in the Strait of Juan de Fuca are still within the optimal temperature range for kelp growth.” However, “the east coasts of Mayne, Saturna and Galiano islands, in the Strait of Georgia, are more sensitive to warming ocean temperatures.” The difference could be due to factors such as more robust ocean currents and wave/shoreline interactions in the Juan de Fuca Strait in comparison to the waters of the Strait of Georgia. Costa concludes that if summer temperatures continue to increase, “there is a higher chance of negative impacts creating a damaging

cascading effect on the marine diversity that lives in kelp forests.”

Can this trend be mitigated? “This is a difficult question to answer” says Costa. Ocean temperatures above 20◦ C are not optimum for kelp, so “restoration efforts should always consider

the local environmental conditions to maximize the success of kelp restoration.” This uncertainty makes this type of research critically important should climate warming trends continue in the wrong direction.

—Tom Davis

UVic’s Maycira Costa in a kelp field study.

Shipyard Services

Haul out (30 to 130ft)

Custom stainless steel

Blasting, painting, coatings

Mechanical, plumbing

Pneumatics, hydraulics

Steel & aluminum welding

Custom woodwork & decking

Engine repower & retrofit

Steering controls, rudders

Shafts, propellers, zincs

Electrical repair & retrofit

Lianna

Gandell

The Importance of VHF

When it comes to boating safety, few tools are as essential as a VHF (Very High Frequency) radio. This compact communication device can make a significant difference in ensuring a smooth and secure boating experience. Here’s why having a VHF radio on board is crucial:

Reliable Communication: VHF radios provide reliable and instant communication with other boats, the coast guard, and marine authorities.

Unlike cell phones, VHF radios work even in remote areas, ensuring you can call for help or assistance in case of emergencies.

Distress Calls: In emergencies, time is of the essence. VHF radios are equipped with a dedicated distress button, allowing you to send out a distress signal quickly. This alert reaches all nearby vessels and authorities, increasing the chances of swift response and rescue.

Marine Weather Updates: Staying informed about changing weather conditions is vital for boaters’ safety. VHF radios can access weather updates and forecasts from designated channels, helping you make well-informed decisions about your route and activities.

Avoiding Channel Congestion: VHF radios have specific channels designated for various purposes, such as distress calls, safety broadcasts, and general communication. This separation of communication ensures that important messages are not lost in the crowd, reducing channel congestion and improving overall communication efficiency.

Collision Avoidance: VHF radios play a crucial role in collision avoidance. Boaters can communicate their intentions, positions, and course changes, helping others navigate safely and smoothly in busy waterways.

Sharing Local Information: VHF radios enable boaters to share essential local information, such as navigational hazards, best anchoring spots, or updates on marina facilities. This fosters a strong sense of community among boaters, promoting a safer and more enjoyable experience for all.

Required by Law: In many regions, carrying a VHF radio is a legal requirement for boaters. Compliance with these regulations not only avoids potential fines but also ensures that you are adequately prepared for any situation on the water.

Before setting sail, familiarize yourself with your VHF radio’s operation and available channels. Ensure it is in good working condition and adequately charged. Additionally, take the time to obtain the necessary licenses and certifications to use your VHF radio effectively. Many of our members offer courses to support you in learning and upgrading your VHF radio skills.

In conclusion, a VHF radio is an indispensable tool that enhances safety and communication on the water. Whether it’s summoning help during emergencies, obtaining weather updates, or sharing crucial information, a VHF radio keeps boaters connected and wellprepared for any situation they may encounter. Prioritize safety and make the VHF radio an essential part of your boating adventures.

—Courtesy Boating BC

THE EVOLUTION PREMIUM PERFORMANCE

Sidney, BC | 250-656-2639

INA MARINE

Victoria, BC | 250-474-2448

INLET MARINE

Port Moody, BC | 604-936-4602

LA MARINE

Port Alberni, BC | 250-723-2522

LUND AUTO & OUTBOARD LTD.

Lund, BC | 604-483-4612

MADEIRA MARINE 1980 LTD.

Madeira Park, BC | 604-883-2266

M&P MERCURY SALES Burnaby, BC | 604-524-0311

MONTI’S MARINE & MOTOR SPORTS Duncan, BC | 250-748-4451

ROD’S POWER & MARINE LTD. Tofino, BC | 250-725-3735

SEA POWER MARINE CENTRE LTD. Sidney, BC | 250-656-4341

MERCURY 5.7L V10 350 AND 400HP

VECTOR YACHT SERVICES LTD.

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FREEDOM MARINE APPOINTED THE RIVIERA YACHTS DEALER FOR CANADA

Freedom Marine International Yacht Sales has expanded their fleet of premium power boat brands with the addition of Australia’s luxury motor yacht builder Riviera.

Founded in 1980 through the launch of a single new 38 MKI model in Sydney, innovation has always been at the heart of Riviera. The Riviera collection continues to evolve today with seven distinctive model collections from 39 to 78 feet, exceptionally handcrafted by the luxury yacht builder.

The dynamic fleet at Riviera features the sleek Sport Yacht series, multifunctional SUV series, long-range cruising Sports Motor Yacht series, luxurious

Motor Yacht series, spacious Flybridge series and bespoke Belize and Belize Daybridge series. Freedom Marine will be introducing the Riviera 465 SUV to the West Coast this spring. “We are delighted to have the addition of Riviera to our fleet of premium motor yacht brands,” said Don Young, president of Freedom Marine. “There are so many exciting models in the Riviera collection that fit the cruising lifestyle of

boaters in the Pacific Northwest. We can’t wait to introduce these to the local boating community.”

YACHT BC YACHT SALES WELCOMES LORI SUTHERLAND TO GROWING TEAM

Yacht BC Yacht Sales has announced the addition of Lori Sutherland to its

Riviera 465 SUV.

expanding team. With a remarkable 32-year career as a trusted insurance broker, including a decade exclusively in the Marine sector, Lori brings unparalleled expertise and a profound passion for boating to her new role as a yacht broker.

Throughout her distinguished career, Lori has been known for her unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. Transitioning from the insurance realm to Yacht Sales, she will seamlessly bring her customer-centric approach to her new role. Lori’s extensive knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for boating make her a valuable asset to the Yacht BC Yacht Sales team, enhancing their dedication to providing exceptional service.

Clients and industry peers are invited to connect with Lori directly at 604789-6067 to experience the benefits of her expertise. For more information about Yacht BC Yacht Sales and its growing team, visit: yachtbc.com

Blackline Patos Island Race: VIRS 1 April 13–14

THRASH Regatta: VIRS 2 April 20–21

Halibut Bank/Popham Island April 27

Thetis Island Regatta: VIRS 3 May 11–12

Blossom Time Regatta May 17–18

Round Saltspring Island Race: VIRS 4 May 18–19

KYC Spring Regatta May 25

Swiftsure Race: VIRS 5 May 25–26

BMW Lasqueti Island Regatta: VIRS 6 May 31–June 2

ePropulsion Unveils Revolutionary Elite Electric Outboard Motor

EPropulsion has announce the global launch of its latest innovation, the eLite electric outboard motor. The eLite, which has been created for the tender and smaller boating market, represents a new era in clean, quiet and eco-friendly marine propulsion. The direct-drive motor and advanced design propeller deliver high efficiency with near-silent operation. With a focus on minimal maintenance and cutting-edge technology, this addition to the ePropulsion range raises the bar in electric

boating standards.

“We are excited to start the year by introducing the eLite electric outboard motor, a game-changer in marine propulsion,” said Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion. “With its innovative features and commitment to sustainability, we believe the eLite will redefine the eco boating experience for enthusiasts worldwide.”

Designed to be the most compact and lightweight electric outboard in its class, the ePropulsion eLite 500W electric outboard is an easy-to-use alternative to small internal combustion engines.

COLUMN GALLEY

Galley Essentials

Don’t leave the dock without them

BY JAMES BARBER

NNothing belongs in a boat galley unless it performs a clear, obvious and necessary function, and is made well enough to do its job for a long time. Decide how much you are going to spend and look hard for the best and most useful thing that amount of money will get you. I remember being delighted with a roll of linen thread ($5 at most) I used for

years to tie up rolled meat for the barbecue or to tie off ends of plastic bags to keep bugs out, and that encouraged me to spend evenings in the cockpit whipping and splicing the ends of spare lengths of line.

A GOOD NON-STICK FRYPAN

You use less fat, most times it can be cleaned with a wipe out and if you only had one pan aboard, this is it for fryups, stews, eggs, hotcakes, omelettes and just about any stovetop recipe. The operative word is good. Don’t buy the cheapest and don’t buy the most expensive. I’ve been using, seriously abusing and recommending, Canadian-made Paderno for years; dollar-store cheap

pans have a very short life, cast iron can be hard to maintain on a boat (I know many people swear by them), copper is fine if you have an onboard kitchen staff to polish and clean it.

A STAINLESS STEEL POT

You want a good, sturdy, heavy-based lidded saucepan for boiling crabs (see last month) or making a stew, changing the oil, bailing the dinghy or (if you’re desperate) as a helmet at the outstation fancy dress party. You don’t need non-stick or cast iron or Calphalon or—god forbid—copper. Depending on where and when you buy it (look for sales), it should cost less than $100.

16 hp to 271hp

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Fresh water cooling

Instrument panel

Over 100 years in business

4 kw to 280 kw

5 year warranty

Complete with digital remote panel

Available with or without sound shield

Best prices & availability

Commercial and

COLUMN GALLEY

KNIVES

There are two solutions. First, get a Wiltshire Stay Sharp (they can be found on Amazon), which uses a scabbard, effectively honing the blade each time it’s taken out or put back in. I’ve used mine for 20 years, for travelling to shows and demonstrations and I reckon it’s close to indestructible, despite being shoved into drawers and misused by stagehands. The other solution is to buy a really good chef’s knife and a small sharpening steel—and to take fussy care of them both. My best knife is a 10-inch Grohmann, made on Prince Edward Island: a Canadian tool and a thing of beauty with a balanced oak handle, big solid rivets, an aura of competent professionalism about it and a 25-year guarantee. It will also cost you a lot less than the heavily advertised imports. Whatever you do, don’t be tempted by the ceramic knives which are as fragile as they are beautiful and certainly not suitable for small boat galleys.

HANDY UTENSILS

If there’s a barbecue on the boat, you can’t do better than a silicon basting brush (any good kitchen store), about an inch wide, heat resistant up to 400° F, washable (no residual odours). You might also consider a silicon spatula (same advantages as the brush), small enough to efficiently get the last bit of whatever out of the corners of a jar.

A SPICE BOX

East Indian grocery stores sell kitchen boxes—stainless steel and tight lidded, about 10 inches across, each with eight or 10 small-lidded spice boxes inside. It should be solid enough to go in a drawer or cupboard without spilling, easy to take home and refill when necessary with your own choice of spices, and very quick to tidy up. They are very useful.

Hungarian Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium potatoes, chopped fairly large

• 1 garlicky Hungarian/Ukrainian sausage, sliced in rounds

• 3 strips of bacon, diced

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 red peppers, seeded and chopped fairly large

• 1 cup (250 ml) tomato passata or a 14-oz (398 ml) can diced tomatoes

• 1 cup (250 ml) stock or water or wine

• 1 tsp hot paprika

• Pepper

• Chopped parsley

RECIPE

1. This is a really lusty and comforting onepot dish for two hungry people. If you’re going to be three, add more potato. The proportions don’t matter too much.

2. Fry the bacon until just crisp, then add the onion and garlic and cook gently until soft. Add the red peppers and cook another three minutes. Add the potatoes and sausage and turn to coat them in the fat. Sprinkle with paprika. Add the tomato passata (a smooth tomato sauce) and stock or water. There should be enough to barely cover the potatoes. Put the lid on and cook gently for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are done and have taken up some of the sauce. Ladle into bowls, grind some black pepper over the top and sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley.

3. You can even adapt this recipe to use cubed fresh pork instead of sausage—in which case it becomes a stew from Abruzzo. Just brown the pork first. It’s a flexible recipe and smells wonderful. Just remember, the better the sausage, the better the stew.

First published in Pacific Yachting Presents James Barber in the Galley in 2009.

Buccaneer Bay, Thormanby Islands.

Revisiting Our

Part 2: Strait of Georgia

By Anne Vipond & William Kelly

STRAIT OF GEORGIA ANCHORAGES

IN OUR EARLY days of boating, we cruised the Gulf Islands on holiday weekends, but our summer vacations were a chance to head north and explore new anchorages. The challenge became choosing the best route to take up and down the Strait of Georgia.

1 COPELAND ISLANDS

Boating trips are at the mercy of the weather and this is especially true when sailing the open waters of the Strait of Georgia—where we learned the hard way to allow a day’s grace in case of bad weather. One summer, we were nearing the end of our two-week vacation when we found an ideal fairweather anchorage in the Copeland Islands. It lies in the passage running be-

tween the two southernmost islands, where a handful of boats can anchor. Most favour the south side but we picked the north side, choosing to anchor in a nook wedged between grassy bluffs. From atop their wooded crests, we could gaze upon our boat lying at anchor with a stern line to shore.

The next day dawned bright and sunny, so we decided to stay another night and enjoy the anchorage. After all, we still had three days of vacation left and could make it back to our marina in Ladner in two days from the Copeland Islands. These islands lie at the north end of the Sunshine Coast, just around the corner from Desolation Sound, and are a marine park popular with boaters and kayakers. Interesting

Copeland Islands anchorage looking southeast.

rock formations line the foreshore and there’s pleasant hiking inland through thin stands of spruce and arbutus. From our nook it was an easy row across the cove to its west entrance, where tiers of pink granite descend into the sea. Feeling our barefooted way down these smooth steps— warmed by the afternoon sun—we eased into the water for a swim.

That evening, as we lounged in the cockpit enjoying the fine weather, we noticed a row of mare’s tails spreading across the sky. It wasn’t until the next

morning, while preparing to leave, that we listened to the weather forecast: a southeasterly gale was expected in 24 hours. We were soon joining other boats hurrying south in search of a sheltered anchorage.

2 JEDEDIAH ISLAND

Deep Bay at the north end of Jedediah Island provides good shelter but it was already filled with boats when we arrived, so we proceeded down Bull Passage until we came to a small, empty cove opposite Boho Bay. A reef sits in

the middle of its entrance but, after a careful look at the chart, we slowly motored into the cove and set both anchors to lie parallel with the northern shore—a rocky bluff dotted with conifers.

The next morning we headed into Bull Passage to test the waters, for both of us were due back at work the following day. As we punched into a headwind, our Scottish terrier (who didn’t care about jobs) began to tremble inside his flotation jacket. We ignored him until we reached open water at

Sunset Cove, Jedediah Island.

the south entrance to Bull Passage. Here, an 80-mile fetch exposes mariners to the full brunt of southeasterly gales. Our compass told us the wind was coming from the exact direction we wanted to go. The pounding seas told us it would not be an enjoyable ride. So, we did what our dog was silently willing us to do—we turned the boat around and flew back up the channel to our hurricane hole.

That afternoon, Bill climbed to the top of the bluff to make a couple of calls on his cell phone. Then he went for a quick spin in the dinghy and returned with reports of boats packed into Deep Bay and others huddled against a log boom outside the bay in the lee of the island. The next day, we tacked our way south in moderating conditions, phoning our workplaces from the middle of the strait to make sure they had received our messages. “Anne!” exclaimed the receptionist, “Are you still trapped on that island?”

We’ve returned often to Jedediah Island, which became a marine park in 1995 after its owners, Al and Mary Palmer, offered it to the provincial government at a fraction of market value. Their wish was to see the island preserved as a park. A major fundraising drive, which included a large donation from the estate of Dan Culver, provided enough funds for the government to purchase the island.

Since becoming a marine park, Jedediah Island has become increasingly popular. On one of our subsequent visits we arrived at Sunset Cove—the anchorage that had sheltered us years earlier—only to find another sailboat anchored there. We decided there was room enough for us to squeeze in and turn their one-boat anchorage into a two-boat anchorage. If looks could kill, we would have been struck down as we slowly motored past their boat to the head of the cove, where we dropped anchor and tied a line

ashore. We spent the afternoon hiking the island’s sheep trails and left the next morning, leaving the other boat to its solitude.

Henry Hughes, a gentleman farmer from Ireland, owned Jedediah Island in the 1920s and ‘30s. After depleting his financial resources and losing all of his hired help, he lived alone on the island with his faithful dog Caesar. Suspecting trespassers of poaching his sheep, the reclusive Hughes once greeted a tugboat captain named Jim Anderson with the pointed barrel of a gun and an order to get off his land. Anderson, who regularly anchored his tug in Deep Bay, eventually befriended the bearded, bookish Hughes by bringing him back issues of city newspapers, then inviting Hughes and Caesar to dine on his vessel, where the dog enjoyed a special place set for him next to his

owner.

Al and Mary Palmer were the last private owners of Jedediah Island and were known for their friendliness and hospitality toward visitors. Their old homestead and fruit orchard is at Home Bay, where a hilltop meadow overlooks the water, as does a plaque commemorating Dan Culver. A local yachtsman and world-famous mountain climber who fell to his death in 1993 at the age of 41 after summiting K2, Culver’s wishes were that his estate be used to preserve a piece of coastal wilderness. His family chose Jedediah Island, and we are all the richer for this act of generosity.

Jedediah Island contains a network of sheep trails, one of which leads from Home Bay to the broad beach lying at the head of Codfish Bay—a narrow cove near the south end of the island. The cove is sheltered from

Powell River

Thormanby Islands

Hernando Island

Copeland Islands

Jedediah Island

Pender

northwest winds and partially protected from moderate southeast wind and swell off the Strait of Georgia by a cluster of small islands near its entrance. The setting is starkly beautiful, with a cliff-sided islet forming part of the cove’s northeast shoreline. A lone deer once stood atop this cliff and gazed down at our anchored boat, but we’ve more often sighted feral goats and sheep roaming the island. Their presence is being monitored because they graze on native flora and impact the island’s ecosystem.

The island’s highest point, dubbed Mount Gibraltar, stands at the south

end of the island and is reached by a trail that ascends 150 metres above sea level, winding past ferns, salal and dwarf conifers. The summit provides sweeping views of nearby islands and Jedediah’s rugged shoreline.

3 THORMANBY ISLANDS

In contrast to the rockiness of Jedediah Island are several nearby islands with sandy beaches. Lying a short distance to the east are the Thormanby Islands, where a sweep of sandy white beach stretches along the west side of Buccaneer Bay. Sheltered anchorage can be found in the Surrey Islets on

the bay’s east side, from which it’s a short dinghy ride to the beach.

4 HORNBY ISLAND

Another stunning beach lies west of Jedediah Island, at the head of Tribune Bay on Hornby Island. In settled weather, this is a splendid summertime anchorage. The bay provides good shelter from the prevailing summer northwesterlies and although it is completely open to the south, the holding ground is good in sand and mud. Keel boats anchor a fair distance from the head of the bay, where the gradually shelving bottom becomes a wide expanse of

Tribune Bay, Hornby Island.

sandy beach at low water.

Overlooking the entrance to Tribune Bay is beautiful Helliwell Park—a gift from an accountant named John Helliwell who donated this land to the province in 1964 because he felt “it was too beautiful to not share.” We have walked to this park after landing our dinghy along the bay’s eastern shoreline, where the sandstone bedrock has been eroded into honeycomb hollows. A path at the head of the bay winds through a picnic area to the road leading to Helliwell Park. Upon reaching the park, a sign-posted trail at the entrance takes you through a forest of Douglas fir which opens onto a sweep -

STRAIT OF GEORGIA ANCHORAGES

ing meadow of golden grass shimmering in the sea breeze. The panoramic view from this bluff takes in the Strait of Georgia and the mountains of Vancouver Island stretching across the western horizon. The sea cliffs below consist of sandstone and conglomerate rock, which attract great numbers of nesting cormorants and gulls.

5 HERNANDO ISLAND

Yet another beautiful beach lies at the northern tip of Hernando Island, extending in both directions from Spilsbury Point. On various visits we have dropped anchor either west of the point or east of it in Stag Bay. This is

a fair-weather anchorage, open to the north, but the sandy holding ground is good. We treat this as a lunch stop and like to spend a few hours lazing on the beach of soft white sand, enjoying the expansive views down the strait. To the northeast lies the entrance to Desolation Sound. Anne Vipond and William Kelly are the authors of Best Anchorages of the Inside Passage, a guidebook detailing anchorages and passes along the south and central coast of British Columbia.

Spilsbury Point, Hernando Island.

One of the Best Racing Challenges Around SAILING MINI 12s

By Marianne Scott

OOn a mid-Saturday morning in November, three Mini 12 volunteers board the Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s RIB and begin dragging a floating dock into the middle of Cadboro Bay. The dock will be anchored for the afternoon races and will host the officer-of-the-day and the score keeper, as well as provide room for Minis as they change racers and give room to someone dispensing hot chocolate, coffee and cookies. The volunteers position the three marks at a distance that allows for six 15 to 20-minute races to take place. The RIB will be in the bay again as the races start as a safety measure.

After returning to the club, they join the other racers for a quick lunch and a lecture on topics such as tactical sail-

ing or the racing rules. By 13:00, the competitors have craned their Mini 12s into the briny and begin jockeying near the start line waiting for the first horn to sound for each of the two Mini 12 classes, which start three minutes apart.

THE MINI 12S are RVYC’s largest fleet. They race every Saturday afternoon between October and May. Only heavy winds deter them. The one-person keelboat designs are based on the 12-metre rating class, a boat design serving in the America’s Cup between 1958 and 1987. The Mini 12 class has been around for more than 40 years and is reputed to have been designed by British naval architect Jo Richards, who launched the first “Illusion” in 1981 in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Today, the class contains two versions, the Illusion and the Deception. Royal Vic owns 11 Illusions which are rented (often two people share a boat) and an additional three are owned privately. Eleven privately owned Deceptions, designed and built in Victoria, make up the rest of Royal Vic’s Mini 12 fleet.

Mini 12s have spread around the world. The Seattle Yacht Club has 24 Deceptions, and two have found a home in Japan. The largest fleets of Illusions are in Victoria and at the Bembridge Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight. I googled Mini 12s for sale and found proffers in Texas, New York, Maine, Trenton, Ontario and the Channel Islands.

Regionally, Kevin and Lorraine Anderson of the Nanaimo Yacht Club each have a Mini 12, Thing One and Thing Two. Along with a third Mini 12 at the club, they’re engaging in match racing. “I want to expand the fleet,” Anderson told me. “We got the mould from Victoria and our goal is to have six Mini 12s by 2026. They have all the lines and trim of large boats but they can be sailed, and sailed fast, by anyone.”

SOME SNARKY PEOPLE have called the Mini 12s “a kayak with some ballast and sails” because the sailor sits deep inside the vessel. But that’s misinformation. It’s a true sailboat, a fractional sloop with a fin rudder and a lead ballast keel. The boat is steered with foot pedals—no paddles in sight—and has standard rigging lines. Main and jib sheets, along with lines governing the outhaul, cunningham and boom vang all lead back to the cockpit through cam cleats. Sailors control this nest of lines by hand. The Deceptions can also deploy a spinnaker; the Illusions cannot. One of the Mini 12’s virtues is that they don’t capsize or roll like a kayak. And don’t be deceived by the tiny

Right: Mini 12s are wet boats to sail, but as they have a ballast keel, they won't capsize. Above: The floating dock in Cadboro Bay is the hub for Saturday racing, providing an on-the-water platform for the race committee and sailors.

size of these boats. The racers who sail them are just as determined to outsail their challengers as those who once competed in the 12-metre races.

The Illusion’s overall length is 12 feet. The Deception measures just over 13 feet long. Both carry about 350 pounds of lead shot ballast. The Deceptions were designed by a group of Royal Vic sailors. In 1983, they’d been intrigued by the Illusions displayed at the Vancouver Boat Show. But the $5,500 price tag didn’t entice anyone so after a few beers at the club they decided that if they collaborated, they were talented enough and had sufficient experience with boats to build their own at a much lower cost.

SERENDIPITOUSLY, ONE OF the team’s member, Guy Tyrwhitt-Drake, had enrolled in a correspondence

course at the Maine Yacht Design Institute. He put pencil to paper and designed an alternate, slightly larger version of the Illusion that became known as the Deception. “I drew the marginally bigger version to provide more balance,” Tyrwhitt-Drake told me. “I wanted the weight of the ballast to balance the weight of the sailor which influences boat speed.” Its modest total weight of 550 pounds allows it to be trailerable or launched with a manual or electric crane. The Deception also has a larger sail area and is consequently more effective in light air.

Tyrwhitt-Drake along with volunteer boat builders Andrew McBride, Gerry Porter, Peter Kleyn and the late Lyle Hayden, designed, lofted and created the plug and then made the mould for the Deception class.

To cover the cost of the materials for this first boat, 10 people threw in $100 each. The cost of Pretty Baby with sail number 1 owned by Andrew McBride, launched in 1985, totalled $2,200, including rigging, sails and the cradle. It seemed like a bargain. The later Deceptions, built by the late John Booth, included the labour costs and no one else ever obtained a Mini 12 at that price.

IN THE MEANTIME in Vancouver, John Newton bought a company that had a group of Illusions in their inventory. Newton hoped to start a first-class fleet at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Unfortunately for Vancouver sailors, English Bay proved too rough for Mini 12s to sail safely—the boats often shipped water in the chop. Eventually, Newton opted to donate the six

Illusions he’d acquired to Royal Vic. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place and soon eager racers—most of them frostbiters—lined up to sail them. It turns out that Cadboro Bay, where Royal Vic is located, is ideal for small boat sailing. “It’s the right size and protected enough for Mini 12s to compete,” said long-term sailor Geoff Buck. “We are very lucky. We leave the Club and 15 minutes later we’re launched and on the water. And after the races, it’s only 15 minutes to the bar.” He added that Seattle Yacht Club (SYC), located on Portage Bay, has similar advantages. The three clubs do race together. Sailors gather in Seattle and Victoria and share the local Mini 12s. SYC members also sail them in their club’s huge opening day ceremonies.

WHO SAILS MINI 12s? Many sailors are in their senior years, even in their 80s and 90s, and in Victoria, the fleet includes a group of stalwart women. Many sailors are Swiftsure veterans. They’ve relinquished their far larger cruising or racing vessels, and so the Mini 12s provide them with a second sailing life; they like being in charge of a boat without having to recruit and manage a crew. As Gerry Porter said, “You are the captain, crew, sail handler and tactician all in one. Just you, no crew.” Especially compared to owning, maintaining and berthing a larger boat, the cost of sailing a Mini 12 is extremely modest. At Royal Vic, sailors who share racing in the clubowned boats, pay $300 annually and donate time to maintain the vessels. Deceptions only pay $35 for moorage.

Moreover, these boats don’t demand brawny muscles. “You don’t have to be daring, hike out or go to the foredeck,” said Geoff Buck. “Being a senior isn’t a handicap. But there is a learning curve, even for quality sailors. It may take a season or two to get to be good and

The lines of the Mini 12 were inspired by the 1980s generation of 12-metre yachts.

learn the tactical maneuvering.”

It might seem that you must be older to sail these boats, but I know two much younger guys without sailing experience who graduated to their later big boat adventures offshore after learning how to sail in Mini 12s.

ANDREW MCBRIDE, OWNER of the first Deception, said the social aspects of the Mini 12 fleet is what binds it together. “On big-boat racing, participants stay on their boat after a contest and have a beer. Mini 12ers join for a drink at the club as a group and social-

ize. Although some racers are warriors, others sail just for the fun of it being out there in the fresh air with a bunch of friends. Even if there’s controversy over rounding a mark, once back in the social hour, all is forgiven. That’s what keeps the fleet alive and well.”

McBride also cites the multiple social events that occur outside of Mini 12 sailing. A summer potluck, hot dog cookouts on the docks, communal maintenance of the club-owned boats, and a New Year’s Day potluck after the morning race (which my husband, David, and I have hosted

for more than two decades) are part of the social scene.

AT ROYAL VIC, the Mini 12 fleet has put extensive information on the club’s website, including the racing rules, how to sail information, protest procedures, safety policies and the responsibilities of the race officer. This is a serious and growing racing fleet which has recently attracted an influx of new blood.

Veteran sailor Gerry Porter has coined a phrase he believes describes the essence of Mini 12ing: “An hour in a Mini 12 adds a day to your life.”

To the untrained eye, a Mini 12 and a 2.4mR resemble each other closely. The Mini 12 was modelled on its bigger cousins, the 12 Metre Americas Cup yachts of the 1950s to 1980s, whereas the 2.4mR is designed to the International Metre Rule making it the true little sibling to the 6, 8, 10 and 12 Metre family of yachts. The 2.4mR was designed by Swedish naval architect Peter Norlin. The International 2.4mR Class is a "development class,"

and hasn’t yet been designated as a "one-design" class, allowing subtle changes to be made as long as the modifications remain within the Metre Rule. The 2.4mRs are higher performance and thus more expensive than Mini 12s. The class has empowered sailors with disabilities to modify the sailboat to suit their needs so both disabled and able-bodied sailors can successfully compete against each other.

MINI 12 s

MINI 12 Vs 2.4 m R

A fleet of 2.4mRs.

Summer

SHOW

LEARNING

FROM

OUR

SISTERS

ACROSS THE POND

Carving a place for women in the marine industry

By Annie Means

The Pacific Northwest boasts a storied history of passionate women mariners, from Thea Foss, the Tacomabased founder of Foss Maritime, to the Sail Like a Girl team that made history when they won the 2018 Race to Alaska.

Whether behind the helm or behind the scenes, women have always been a part of the tapestry of marine history. Despite such inspirational figures, however, the number of women and gender diverse individuals in our maritime sector remains low.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates that world-

wide, only two percent of mariners identify as women. Numbers in the Pacific Northwest don’t fare much better. All of which begs the question: Why aren’t there more women in the industry and how do we get them there?

WHILE MANY ORGANIZATIONS

continue to scratch their heads over this issue, a woman across the pond has developed practical solutions to promote and bolster women in England’s boatbuilding sector. Her efforts

offer a worthwhile blueprint as to how we can encourage more women to join our shipyards, sail lofts and other marine-related trades.

Once a month, Belinda Joslin can be found grinning from behind a Zoom screen. As the founder of the Women in Boat Building Network, she hosts regular online socials where female boatbuilders from around the UK can discuss issues and projects important to them. These Zoom socials are just one part of Women in Boat Building’s broader campaign to recruit and retain more women in England’s boatbuilding industry.

The Women in Boat Building

Belinda Joslin (right), sitting down with local boatbuilder and business owner Abbey Molyneux.

Network, or WIBB, is a homegrown community interest company devoted to uplifting and supporting women in boatbuilding and related industries. In a male-dominated field grappling with an international labour shortage, networks like WIBB are not just about bringing more women on board, but harmonizing diverse voices in the maritime sector.

In 2021, Joslin worked as a finisher in one of the UK’s luxury shipyards, while simultaneously restoring her own 23-foot keelboat. “I was spending all my time, up to my eyeballs in boat work, surrounded mostly by men,” says Belinda.

EAGER TO CONNECT with women in similar positions and unimpressed with the lack of female representation around her, Joslin started posting

Sydney Fassum is an electrical engineering apprentice and one of the youngest members of the WIBB program.

about her experience on social media. From there, she began to connect with like-minded women in the sector, all of them similarly fed up with a lack of community space for women.

While numerous gendered barriers persist in the marine industry, including a lack of flexible childcare scheduling, inadequately sized personal protective equipment (PPE), and a shortage of private spaces for restrooms or nursing, one of the foremost issues is the lack of visibility.

Over time, Joslin began to feature and share profiles of the women she connected with on her social platforms, effectively creating representation where

there hadn’t been any. Her account swelled to a following of 2,400 individuals. Both the BBC and The Guardian ran pieces on this newly founded network of shipwrights. She reached audiences as far away as South Africa and New Zealand. “It just took on a life of its own,” said Joslin, “you couldn’t have done this years ago, pre-social media.” These online narratives empower women and non-binary workers, fostering a sense of support and acknowledgment within the industry. They act as a catalyst for those joining the sector and reinforce, for those already involved, that they are not alone.

HOWEVER, JOSLIN RECOGNIZED that social media was only one piece of the puzzle. “Attracting women to boatbuilding is one thing; keeping them there is another,” she emphasized.

That’s where WIBB’s mentoring program comes in. After offering informal online advice and coaching to women in the maritime trades for years, in 2023, Joslin and her co-directors founded a formal mentoring program.

“Mentoring is another way of supporting people to take their careers seriously and develop their professional trajectory,” said Joslin. Mentors can also play a major role in whether someone chooses to remain in or leave the industry. That was surely the case for Clementine Mollier, a French shipwright and mentee in the WIBB network.

After spending nearly two years as the only woman in her boatyard, Mollier felt a deep sense of disconnection from her colleagues and had considered quitting. Then she discovered WIBB and enrolled in their mentorship program. “When I heard about all these other female boatbuilders facing the same struggles but sharing the same love for the job, it inspired me and allowed me to carry on in the industry.” Today, Mollier is a mentor to other WIBB shipwrights and a shipwright on the prestigious HMS Victory project.

In addition to social media and mentoring, the WIBB network provides women-only trades workshops, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) consulting, and it even produced a successful three-part web series interviewing female boat builders throughout England. The videos have garnered positive feedback globally, with boatbuilders in Italy expressing interest in replicating the series internationally.

WIBB HAS CLEARLY filled a valuable and much-needed niche. However, this is not to say that the Pacific Northwest lacks marine programming and workshops tailored for women. The Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend offers a variety of sailing/skipper training classes for women and girls. They have initiated the Girls Boat Project, a year-long woodwork-

ing, sailing, and nautical trades class for middle school girls. Additionally, they host the annual She Tells Sea Tales, a live storytelling event for those connected to the women’s community and water.

Informal and much-loved community networks (online and in person) already exist here in the PNW. Strong women leadership abounds. Femmespecific scholarships are becoming more common in marine education and trades. BCIT, a leading marine trade authority in Vancouver, provides a fully subsidized 17-week associate certificate in the Enhanced Bridge Watch Rating program for women and Indigenous individuals. WCMRC, Canada’s first marine spill response

organization, offers a paid four-month internship exclusively for women mariners. Port Townsend even boasts its own short documentary on female boatbuilders, titled “Women Shipwrights of Port Townsend.” Operating at a national level in the USA, Women Offshore likewise offers a myriad of professional training and other resources. The fact remains, however, no centralized entity offers the same scale, abundance, and frequency of womencatered maritime material as WIBB.

Visibility demands vigilance. WIBB’s continuous flow of stories, opportunities, and community networking maintains a prominent profile for women and gender diverse people in the maritime industry.

Upon visiting the WIBB platform, whether on its website or social media, visitors know they can receive encouragement, support and chances to advance their careers. Effectively, it serves as a one-stop shop. If support is elusive in one’s workplace, it can be found at their fingertips with just a click of their smartphone.

Luckily, we live in the age of technology, as Joslin well knows, “This is not an organization that has been created at the top level. This is an organization that’s been created on the shop floor.” WIBB carved out a niche for women in England, and perhaps with a little gumption, we can do the same, right from our own rain-soaked shores and trusty workbenches.

WALLFLOWER At The BOATYARD

BY NADIA DALE

Observations on the hustle and bustle of spring commissioning

There comes a point where no matter how often or how vigorously you scrape, it is impossible to keep up with the copious amounts of barnacles and mussels clinging to your hull. At the end of a long winter dockside, our Haida 26 was coated in a mollusk armour and we were long overdue for a haul-out. We keep our boat in the Gulf Islands year-round. During the winter months, she is tied up at a government dock. In the summer and shoulder seasons, she is at anchor,

WALLFLOWER AT THE BOATYARD

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under the watchful eye of friends and neighbours. All told, she sits in saltwater 365 days a year.

WHEN WE BOUGHT the boat, we were told she had not been hauled out in five years. We pushed it to six. As a somewhat thrifty boat owner, I wanted to wait as long as possible to haulout and paint the bottom because of the cost. I will not make this mistake again. I grossly underestimated the extent of drag caused by marine growth—and how much it was slowing us down. Bottom paint loses its effectiveness after a few years, and hull maintenance is key to keeping your boat healthy and fuelefficient.

We arranged to cross the Strait of Georgia and haul out at a small yard on the mainland. The trip took six hours, give or take. The weather was coopera-

WALLFLOWER AT THE BOATYARD

tive, though the Fraser River was less so. Eventually, we made it to our destination. We tied up at the dock next to the yard’s Travelift and strode up the gangway, duffle bags in hand.

We returned the next day to meet the foreman of the yard. As I approached his office, he emerged from a cloud of smoke, coughing. It seemed he had forgotten our appointment. Waving away the remaining smoke, he disappeared into the back and reappeared with a clipboard. Together we walked to the boat, now up on blocks and half-hidden in the shadow of the 45-foot sailing yacht beside her. The foreman noted what work needed to be done. After an initial wash and scrape of the hull, she was in relatively decent shape.

Left to our own devices, we wandered through the yard. It seemed to stretch on and on. Several refit, repair

and custom-build outfits were set up in shed-like offices scattered around the place. These buildings all had a slapped-up, temporary feel, with galvanized steel siding and mismatched windows coated with dust from the surrounding yard. The harbour authority office was the only building that looked shiny and new. The rest of the fenced-off space was taken up by plastic totes, netting, traps and rows of seemingly abandoned boats.

The main part of the yard was bustling with activity. On one side, there were at least half a dozen sailing yachts lined up on the hard, all much larger and more expensive than ours. Nearest the travel lifts were a handful of vessels being actively worked on—a melange of commercial craft, from aluminium tour boats to historic wooden fishing vessels—partly torn apart, with crews of

WALLFLOWER AT THE BOATYARD

workmen buzzing around, like worker bees in the hive.

We anticipated a short stay in the yard, but like any refit or maintenance project, things did not go as planned. There were too many boats and not enough workers to keep up with the demand. It was clear the minor jobs we had asked to be completed were far from priorities for the foreman. We soon realized we would be there for longer than expected, and I wanted to get as much out of our yard time as possible. The per-day fee to stay in the yard was all the motivation I needed to take things into my own hands.

Given we had not planned to work on her ourselves, we were ill-prepared to begin our own maintenance projects. I was further limited by my lack of experience. At first, I thought I would have an afternoon, maybe two, to spend

working on the boat, but the work was intensely satisfying. I redoubled my efforts to tackle whatever jobs I could, coming day after day, addicted to the gratification accompanying the completion of each task.

THE OMNIPRESENT CACOPHONY of saws and sanders became my new soundtrack. I had forgotten the pleasure of fixing, maintaining and beautifying an old boat. The more I worked on Iwalani, the more I recalled the skills I had accumulated back when I was a trainee on the STS Sørlandet, a square rigger based out of Kristiansand, Norway. Back then I was, in a word, hopeless when it came to deck work. My brain and my hands seemed unable to communicate with one another. Alone at the yard, I was forced to figure things out for myself. To my surprise, I found

that I could. With no one watching, and hours to muddle through, I started to believe in my own skills. I fell into a rhythm of sanding and oiling, taping and caulking, cleaning and polishing. Relatively simple and repetitive as the jobs were, I soon got the hang of things and turned my attention to the goingson in the yard.

From where I stood on my ladder, I could see a group of highly skilled shipwrights, working to a tight deadline. The old fishing vessel they were refitting looked as though its wooden hull was at the end of its days. I watched as they replaced worn-out section by worn-out section and painted the rest. In all the time I was at the yard, I never saw them take a break. Each day on the hard meant profit lost for a commercial vessel. I marvelled at the speed with which the boats they were working

on would disappear, and others would replace them.

Aside from the occasional cursing, the only bits of conversation I caught were about fishing. Mostly, all I could hear were the sounds of compressors and power planers and the labouring of men. Though they were a motley crew, this was not the social, boisterous atmosphere of the tall ship world. They paid me absolutely no attention and I left them alone to their work.

I CONTINUED DRIVING to the yard nearly every day after work. It was mid-spring, and over the course of the month I could feel the days getting longer. I stayed increasingly later in the evenings, happily busying myself with the tasks I had set, each day discovering still more to do. Iwalani began to glow

with a thoroughly cared-for quality.

We began to sweat as the cost-per-day of sitting on the hard started to add up. It was like being stuck in a cab in traffic, hearing the tic of the metre steadily rise. Eventually, we insisted the foreman make us a priority. He relented, and in less than 48 hours, the jobs were completed and we were ready to launch. We watched as the Travelift, with its great sling, carried our precious little boat back into the river.

IN THE WEEKS that followed, I was surprised by how much I missed my hours at the yard.

My visits had become routine, and I mourned their loss. There was something immensely satisfying about leaving my desk and screens behind at the end of each day, putting on work

clothes and getting down to it. I enjoyed the satisfaction of a task complete, where the fruits of my labours were immediately visible by the shine of the hull or the gleam of the brightwork. As I worked, I listened to the hum of the yard around me. Unnoticed on my little vessel among giants, I was a wallflower at the boatyard.

Nadia Dale is a writer and teacher based in Vancouver, BC. She holds a MFA in Creative Non-fiction from King’s College Halifax and is currently working on a memoir about her time living among sailors aboard the Norwegian full rigger, STS Sørlandet.

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Photo by Wendi Donaldson Laird

IBottom’s up... Time for the paint!

Basic tips for choosing a bottom paint

BY ALEX MORTON

t’s that time of the year. You’ve watched Old Wave Rover swinging from a Travelift and deposited into a cradle and now the rest is up to you, starting with that one big decision—which bottom paint to use?

Granted, there will be plenty of time to think about it while you scrape and sand, chip the barnacles off the prop and pull off what’s left of the zincs. But even before you get to that point, it’s a good idea to explore the options based on your particular needs and see what matches up.

All bottom paint has the same goal, to keep an aquatic jungle, complete with wildlife, from adhering to the bottom of your boat. In the extreme, marine life can devastate a ship, as did the Teredo Navalis, commonly known as the shipworm, when it bored its way through the hulls of the fleet of the Spanish Armada, completely destroying it. Fortunately, our problems with aquatic growth in the Pacific Northwest are not nearly as lethal, but a clean bottom can

BOTTOM PAINT

add at least a knot of speed and more importantly, keep the mollusks from causing gelcoat damage.

The bottom paint you choose will help determine how much growth clings to your boat. When you’re choosing a bottom paint you need to consider how, where and how often you use Old Wave Rover. Keep in mind that certain bottom paints are not compatible with all materials. The primary thing to keep in mind is that aluminum boats and boats with aluminum outdrives need paints that are free of cuprous oxide to prevent galvanic corrosion.

Regarding price, you generally get what you’re willing to pay for. Multiseason ablative paints, for example, will cost you more than those designed for single season use. Keeping a bottom clear of growth is a matter of the amount of biocides in the paint, whether it be copper or something

else, the more of it in a paint, the better job it will do but the more it will cost. You can also factor in self-polishing as a feature of paints. This simply means that the paint will keep the bottom

slick and thus help repel growth. Lastly, make sure you follow provincial and federal regulations and use only paints that are approved in Canada.

With all that in mind, here are the basic types of bottom paint:

HARD BOTTOM PAINTS

These are for boats that get a lot of usage and need a paint that can take what that entails. Hard bottom paints don’t wear away like ablative paints, they just release their biocides over time, whether the boat is in motion or docked.

It’s important to note that hard bottom paint oxidizes and loses its effectiveness 72 hours after being taken out of the water. If you’re going to put your boat up on the hard for any period of time, use an ablative paint instead, or plan to repaint. Example: VC17 (discontinued in the Canadian market).

A clean bottom will add speed and improve fuel economy.

ABLATIVE BOTTOM PAINTS

Ablative is the most commonly-used type of bottom paint and is softer than hard bottom paint. It’s available as either single or multi-season and priced accordingly. Ablative paints slowly wear away, gradually releasing biocides to kill marine growth. These paints are very effective for boats that remain in the water, and even after a boat has been out of the water for an extended period of time, ablative paints bounce back and resume their ability to repel growth once they’re wet again. Examples: Micron CSC, Pettit Horizons.

COPPER-FREE BOTTOM PAINTS

Copper is the most common biocide in bottom paints, but there are environmental concerns surrounding its use. In response, bottom paints have been developed that substitute biocides that are less harmful to the environment. Common copper-free biocides include econea and zinc pyrithione. Econea takes on the same role as copper biocide to prevent mollusks from clinging on and zinc pyrithione is an algaecide that prevents slime and weed fouling.

HYBRID BOTTOM PAINT

This type of paint uses multiple biocides and attempts to combine the

best attributes of hard and ablative bottom paints. Unlike hard bottom paints, hybrid-painted hulls can be taken out of the water for lengthy periods of time and will retain their ability to repel growth when put back in. Example: Pettit Ultima

DON’T FORGET THE PROP!

There are various schools of thought on what to use to prevent growth on the prop, but we all agree that something has to be done because growth

on the prop can slow you down and even unbalance the prop. Old school boaters used everything from olive oil to surf wax. But, today, there are paints specifically designed for the job. They’re increasingly being used by long distance cruisers who put them to the ultimate test. These paints require extensive cleaning of the prop before careful application. Example: Propspeed

Applying Propspeed.

BY ALEX FOX

MMuch of sport and competition is about putting in your best performance, and that surely applies in sail-

boat racing. There are of course many different elements that combine to make a single sailboat race successful. One perspective, or mindset, that I refer to quite often is the idea that when that five-minute gun goes, every competitor or team has an equal opportunity to sail a great race and grab a top finish. Sailboat racing isn’t so much about doing something brilliant or always being faster than the competi-

tion, more often it’s about not giving away distance or relative advantage against your competition.

Most sailboat races can be divided into segments, legs or stages—whether talking about around-the-buoys, medium-distance day races or longer overnight racing. I don’t want to focus too much on boat preparation, crew training, those are topics that we’ve discussed lots, and will again. In this

article, I’d like to hone-in on a handful of good practices, that will translate into improved performance and consistent top results. The first word that comes to mind is focus! We lead full lives with so many interests and responsibilities occupying our thoughts, including family, friends, work, health, loves, politics, money or other hobbies. Full lives we do live! For the hours or days that we give to our favourite sport,

competing well begins and ends with that one simple word: focus.

ONCE ON THE water, the distractions of life ashore fade into the background and our thoughts turn to the race at hand. Whether it’s a Sunday club race or a championship regatta, the race switch is turned on. For me, it begins with some visualization of the day ahead. Race starts at 10:00, 10-minute motor to the

line, dock out at 9:15. Everything that can be left on the dock, is. Get to the start area, take in the sights on the way. First off, talk about the wind, direction and strength. Is it steady, building, dying or hard to say. Maybe the flag at the golf course shows a solid westerly and the wind at the line is five knots southwest. “Let’s get the main up. It’s definitely #1 to begin.” The crew is engaged and foredeck asks for the #1 to be handed up.

Another team member is removing the sail ties from the main, while the halyard is being secured. “All set, hoist!” The engine is turned off and secured, Ah, the lovely sound of the water gurgling past the hull. Looking upwind, there seems to be a wind line to weather, we should expect a build. Now it’s time to look at the line, and perhaps a little visualization. “Time till first gun? Eighteen minutes. Radio on? Yup, on nine.” OK Let’s get the headsail up and do some sailing. Hoist!”

The crew goes about their individual tasks, one jumping the halyard, one tailing, the genoa trimmer ready on the sheet. “OK, heading upwind, here we go! The main and headsail take shape as the other crew members balance the boat. “It’s not quite full hike, we’re a little flat.” Everyone shifts inboard a bit. “That’s nice. The breeze is filling ahead. Time till the five? Looks like about 12 minutes. OK, lead looks good on starboard, ready about. We’ll check the trim on port and head back to the line. “Copy.” As we come about, the genoa gets cleared and skirted over the stanchions, such an important single job. “The breeze is building a bit, a touch more genoa halyard. That looks good, bearing away, back to the line. Time to the five?” There is lots of traffic milling about the start area now. “Let’s have a bow watch.” Hardening up around the committee boat, the trimmers are on it, now running the line on starboard. “Looks a little pin favoured.” A quick head to wind confirms. “Yup, pin slightly favoured, but not huge and the weather mark seems a little skewed to the starboard side of upwind. “OK, bearing away.”

Three minutes to the five and the course is posted, “W2.” The wind’s up another knot or two and it’s definitely full hike now. We snug the outhaul and give the main halyard another inch and firm up the backstay. There’s the pre warning horns, one minute to the five. “Ready on timer!” The committee flag looks to have shifted right now. “There’s

the five… I’ve got it!” Looking up the course, the mark boat has moved the weather mark 10 boat lengths left and extended a bit. “OK, great, the line seems pretty square now. The golf course flag is definitely showing more right up the course. let’s plan for the committee end and a possible early tack!”

The four-minute flag is hoisted and it looks like most of the fleet are setting up for the boat end. “We don’t need to win the boat; a little late and an early tack might be the call. Let’s avoid the risk of a pile up.” “Agreed, Let’s plan for a quarter down, with speed. Two minutes!” We gybe back onto port, heading toward the committee boat, three lengths below the line. There’s indeed a big pack lining up for the boat end—looks ugly! “Ready about. Slow tack under the group!” The

engaged and maybe hike a little harder? Check! Everyone is focussed.

On the water, the distractions of life ashore fade into the background and our thoughts turn to the race at hand

one-minute sounds, flag down. “We’ve got 10 seconds to kill. The bowman holds up two fingers. “Ready? Ten seconds. Now five, four, three, full trim, full hike!” We hit the line on time and at full speed with a good gap below the melee to windward.

NOW, YOU MIGHT say, all of that before the race even began? I say, yes absolutely, it all serves multiple purposes: Engaging the entire crew? Check! Setting the boat up and getting the trimmers in sync with the conditions? Check! Experiencing the conditions and allowing the helm to get a feel for the boat? Check! Establishing the lines of communication, sharing the basic plan for the first leg of the race? Check! Pulling off a nice start, which motivates everyone to stay

What goes hand in hand with focus? Execution. And execution begins with everyone being alert, collecting information and data, leading to a rational plan. Gather, postulate, visualize and execute. It’s not just a pie in the sky guess. “OK, nice start gang, keep sailing fast. It still looks like there’s more pressure right.” “Yes, agreed, the golf course still showing a right shift up the course too, better to protect the right.” This discussion prompts everyone that a tack is likely coming soon so there are no surprises. So far, the race is going well, but it’s early days. We’re sailing fast with a high confidence plan in place and little, if anything, yet given away. The start is one critical segment of any sailboat race. The first leg should be viewed as an extension of the start. “Ready about!” A vital part of execution is readiness and acknowledgement. Absence of acknowledgement leads to delay, which leads to indecision. “Ready,” come the responses. “Starting my tack.” Again, the bow person clears the genoa, pulls slack into the lazy sheet and moves to skirt as the grinders and trimmer bring the genoa in—seamless. “Go, go, go!” Now that might seem like an unnecessary thing to say, but I can tell you with some certainty, through observation in my years of racing and playing other team sports, that a little extra encouragement always pays dividends. I suppose it’s a challenge to push a little harder, it brings out the competitor in us all, a small difference, but 10 tacks later there is a noticeable difference!

THE THIRD WORD to talk about, is consistency! It’s difficult to stay focussed and perfectly execute 100 percent of the time, yet that will always remain the goal. Consistency comes from the development of the right skills and repeating them to achieve the result you want. Here’s an example related to helming: It’s very easy to fall slightly out of the groove every now and then, perhaps

sailing a half-knot slow upwind for short periods of time. That’s a very tangible example of giving it away. The best tiller wigglers in our sport, will invariably stay in the groove a higher percentage of the time, through focus and feel! Now, I can also say that the very best trimmers can have a huge impact on keeping the helmsperson in the groove. That teamwork and synergy, properly executed, will lead to higher average speeds. The genoa trimmers’ coordination with the mainsail trimmer and the foredeck crew will lead to better acceleration out of tacks, more time sailing fast, and less time spent sailing half a knot or more slow. Sounds simple right?

DOWNWIND IS

WHERE the even bigger opportunities to not give it away exist! This is where the best teams rise, through consistently getting in the groove, finding the right trim and the right angle. Its about observation, relative speeds, changing modes and reacting to variations in pressure, wind angle, wave angle and positioning. The potential to give it away downwind is great, so by adjusting to small changes in pressure and angle, you can gain boat lengths on short courses and miles during distance races. The coordination between the super focussed trimmers and the helm requires a constant dialogue, in order to find the best VMG downwind. It’s an always changing, fluid dance of sheet ad justment, combined with subtle helm ing and crew positioning, in and out, fore and aft. Everyone’s involved.

SO,

THERE’S

MY isn’t so much to be brilliant tactically, or always faster than the competition although those things may be good to aspire to. The real goal is to not give it away by sailing slow, getting caught out not paying attention or messing up a tack or a gybe. Stay focussed, execute well, and be consistent in your tech nique! Oh yeah, don’t forget to enjoy every minute of it! See you on the course sometime soon!

We make getting out of boat ownership a breeze.

We make getting out of boat ownership a breeze.

Donate your boat in support of our local community of sailors with disabilities and receive a tax receipt for its full market value.

Donate your boat in support of our local community of sailors with disabilities and receive a tax receipt for its full market value.

We call that a win-win.

We call that a win-win.

BY TOM DAVIS

Pinniped Problem?

Seals & Sea Lions Feasting on Salish Sea Salmon

TThere has been considerable debate over the impact of seals and sea lions on depressed salmon stocks originating from rivers in the Salish Sea.

Seals are the most numerous pinniped species in these waters. Once hunted to very low levels, their population has increased since the 1970s

to 51,000, consisting of 12,000 in Puget Sound and 39,000 in the Strait of Georgia.

Since the 1970s, pinnipeds increased while salmon populations declined, triggering significant reductions in commercial and recreational catches of chinook and coho. Currently, the overall fishery exploitation rates on these stocks are the lowest they have ever been, with some individual fishery harvest rates below 10 percent.

Dr. Carl Walters, professor emeritus at the University of BC Institute of Oceans and Fisheries, used data to illustrate how tightly the pinniped/

salmon relationship has developed since seals and sea lions were first protected in the early 1970s. Walters, along with many Indigenous communities, believes that a controlled harvest is a reasonable way to rebalance their populations with prey availability and reduce their impact on important BC salmon stocks.

The reconstruction of historical Indigenous marine mammal harvests reveals extensive use for food and clothing. This harvest constrained their numbers for thousands of years. Now more studies, coming from both sides of the border, support the notion

Sea Lions lazing on the docks in Cowichan Bay.

that current seal and sea lion impacts on salmon runs are high when juvenile salmon smolts migrate to sea in the spring and when adults return to their home rivers each fall.

However, care must be taken when interpreting diet study results. According to an article titled ‘Status and Trends for Harbor Seals in the Salish Sea’, authored by Cindy Elliser for the University of Washington’s Puget Sound Institute, the five salmon species made up 15.8 percent of the harbour seal’s diet, with chums showing the largest amount at 6 percent, while coho contributed the least at only 1.6 percent.

This aggregated data would suggest that salmon do not make up a large proportion of the year-long seal diet. However, the data needs to be viewed in context.

First, the diet mix is entirely dependent on where, when and what seals and sea lions are eating. When feeding on salmon that are holding in the estuaries, the salmon make up virtually their entire diet. Furthermore, mature salmon are extremely valuable because they represent the small percentage of the runs that survive to spawning age.

Second, when they are feeding on out-migrating baby salmon, the real impact on these small 10 to 15-centimetre juveniles can be difficult to quantify. It takes a large number of baby salmon to make up a kilogram of fish consumed.

Elliser’s article goes on to say “until recently limitations on methodology have prevented the accurate quantifi cation of the proportion of salmon in the diet.” It also notes that some seals and sea lions are “specialists,” meaning they are extremely effective at catch ing salmon.

Prey Interactions between Harbour Seals and Pacific Salmon’ reveals that “integrating recently collected seal diet data with a novel prediction model indicates that large numbers of chinook and coho juveniles are eaten by seals” and “that it has increased significantly in the last 50 years.”

Wilson’s findings suggest “controlling the seal population with lethal and non-lethal methods may be viable options for managers.” The percentage of loss varies. For example, as many as 49 percent of adult Puntledge River chinook have been taken by seals, and 40 to 50 percent seems to be a consistent estimate range of juvenile salmon that succumb to pinniped predation once they reach the marine environment.

Another looming problem is the relationship between our warming climate, lack of summer rain and pinniped predation of adult salmon. Low river flows cause migrating salmon to delay longer in the estuaries as they wait for heavy rain to increase flows and decrease water temperatures. This situation, which has been increasing in frequency, leaves adult chinook, coho and even chum salmon at the mercy of seals and sea lions. Those that do escape are weakened by stress and energy loss, which affects spawning success. If drought conditions become the norm, salmon managers will need to develop measures that mitigate these new climate threats, and these measures could include pinniped harvest options.

RECENT STUDIES ARE beginning to focus on the loss of salmon fry and smolts to seal and sea lion predation. A doctorate paper by Ben Wilson from the University of BC titled ‘Predator

FISHING TIP FOR APRIL: “TAKE A LAWYER FISHING.”

Angling regulations along BC’s coast get more complicated by the year. So, April’s fishing tip is not about where to go and how to fish, rather it’s a warning that anglers need to be on the lookout for changing regulations affecting salmon, bottom fish and the creation of more no-fishing zones. On top of these concerns, the government appears intent on creating more marine protected areas (MPAs) as part of its ‘30 by 30’ initiative to protect 30 percent of Canada’s coastlines by 2030. How much harvesting will be permitted in these areas is unknown.

Then late summer restrictions to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKWs) kick in and last until October 31, 2024. Anglers have dubbed

these ‘the whack-a-mole restrictions’ because they pop up at random, prompting sarcastic quips that anglers need lawyers on board to understand these changing rules.

The tendency for those in charge to change killer whale restrictions at will creates new regulation confusion that anglers and boaters have to re-learn each time it happens. Yes, there are consultations with those who are most affected, but their advice is rarely taken. A much simpler and equally effective whale protection measure has been advanced by recreational angling representatives. It’s called a moving avoidance bubble, but it’s been rejected in favour of no-fishing zones, even though the angler led proposal is consistent with killer whale restrictions currently in place in US Salish Sea waters. It works

like this: When whales show up, anglers stop fishing and slowly move the legally required distance away from whales until they leave.

Recreational fishing communities are telling the government’s killer whale team that anglers are flexible and willing to work collaboratively, including expanding the mandatory avoidance distance to a kilometer or more. The irony is that SRKWs are only in these no-fishing zones for a fraction of the time they are in effect, which provides no benefit when the whales are absent. The disagreement between anglers and the government is not over whether whales should or should not be protected, it’s over the prescription that the government has chosen to administer.

The government’s team did cite

Marine traffic noise profiles.

competition for chinook salmon and noise disturbance as primary reasons for choosing static closures. However, key salmon populations, including US hatchery production, Strait of Georgia chinook, Harrison chinook and summer run Fraser chinook are returning in remarkable numbers. For example, in 2023 Harrison chinook had escapements in excess of 150,000, or double the goal, and Interior Fraser summer chinook returns reached a staggering 627,000. Furthermore, noise studies conducted from the Port of Vancouver in 2017 found that all fishing sources in the Lower Strait of Georgia, the US San Juan Islands and Haro and Juan de Fuca straits were responsible for just 0.6 percent of the total noise profile. Ferries were responsible for 66 percent.

Nordic Tug 34

All the benefits of a trawler, with the advantage of a semi displacement hull for higher speeds

BY PETER A. ROBSON

II wasn’t expecting much from the Nordic Tug 34 when I first boarded it at the Vancouver International Boat Show this past February. Nordic seldom introduces new models and the 34 has been around since 2015. However, since Grand Yachts recently became the Western Canadian dealer, I figured we’d start seeing more Nordics in our waters. I decided to take a closer look, and boy was I impressed.

The company got their start in Burlington, Washington in 1979 with the introduction of the Nordic Tugs 26 designed by the late Lynn Senour. It was hugely successful, in part because it looked a lot like a little tugboat and in part because the high gas prices and oil shortages of the 1970s made it extremely economical to operate. The original 26 sipped only half a gallon per hour at 6.5 knots.

Over the past 44 years, the company has built more than 850 single-screw, tugboatstyle semi-displacement pilothouse cruisers to 54 feet (16.46 metres). All offer excellent fuel economy and, when necessary, cruising speeds in the high teens. And you’ve got to love those rounded transoms and faux funnels.

The Nordic Tug 34’s versatile hull offers the best of both worlds. It can cruise very efficiently at eight or nine knots, yet its single diesel engine can drive it at up to 18 knots. Its full keel helps with tracking and stability, while its single hard chine

The interior has a clean and classic look with Amtico synthetic teak and holly flooring.

helps reduce rolling. The rudder shoe that runs from the aft end of the keel to the rudder protects the running gear from log and grounding damage.

ON DECK The cockpit is accessed from the integral swim platform and a drop down transom door. The cockpit coamings are topped with beefy (1.25-inch) stainless steel railings. They provide safety and act as mounts for portable barbecues and rod holders. A built-in cockpit locker houses the boat’s propane tank as well as extra storage space. A large lazarette space is accessed via a hatch in the cockpit sole which also provides access to the steering gear. The upper aft deck, which is also fitted with beefy safety rails, has room for a small dinghy and davit, crab and prawn traps, water toys or, with the addition of a couple of folding deck chairs, a pleasant lounging area.

The side decks are narrow, but they still provide safe access thanks to very well-placed handrails. The sliding doors to either side of the pilothouse provide direct access to the bow and thanks to a midship mooring cleat, it should be easy for the helmsperson to hop ashore with a mooring line. Up at the bow is the windlass and anchoring gear. The coachroof here would make for an additional seating area.

INTERIOR One enters the saloon through a heavy duty Diamond Sea Glaze door and it’s then three steps down. All interior spaces are tastefully finished with an abundance of satinfinished sapele hardwood (a sustainable African hardwood similar to mahogany), off-white Ultraleather upholstery, durable Amtico synthetic teak and holly flooring. All this, including wood battens in the overhead, combine to create a real traditional ship feel. The windows and valances are also trimmed out in sapele, adding to the effect. Large expanses of glass (all Diamond Sea Glaze) provide great visibility outside. Two of the side windows open to aid in venti-

lation. Numerous wooden handholds will make it easy to move about in rough weather—a feature too often neglected. A hanging locker just inside the saloon doorway serves as a perfect place for coats and foul weather gear. A long Lshaped settee to starboard is fronted by a well-crafted, movable, wooden highlow table with a leaf. The settee folds out to provide an additional berth. To port, the galley is ergonomic with tons of counter space. A clever corner cabinet above is well suited for glasses and mugs. The galley includes a single deep sink, two-burner propane stove and a convection microwave, while under the counter is a reasonably sized Nova Kool fridge with a small freezer section. Throughout the saloon, ample storage cabinets and drawers provide storage

for all the food one might need for an extended cruise. There’s more than 75 inches (1.83 metres) of headroom in the saloon.

PILOTHOUSE Three steps up is the pilothouse, again with an abundance of woodwork. The pilothouse is highlighted by a wide adjustable helm seat with bolsters and a comfy companion seat across. Headroom here is 80 inches (2.02 metres). Both seats have hinged footrests. This allows the mate and captain to sit together and cruise in comfort. Two pilothouse doors provide access to the side decks while two sliding pilothouse windows provide even more ventilation. I like that the helm console is finished in black matte to reduce glare. The unit itself is clean and

uncluttered and fronted by a wooden destroyer type wheel.

The test boat was equipped with a single Garmin 12-inch chart plotter that also displays the Garmin GMR 24X radar and there is ample room for a second 12-inch screen. Despite being a single engine vessel, bow and stern thrusters provide excellent maneuverability in tight spaces. The single lever electronic engine control, Volvo Penta digital engine readout, autopilot control, anchor windlass controls and a couple of rocker switches round out the console area. Two electric fans to either side of the windshield should prevent the three-panel windshield from fogging up. Sturdy pantograph wipers with wash functions will keep the windows clear regardless of weather. Sea rails are used throughout to stop gear from sliding off countertops, again, something often neglected.

ACCOMMODATION

The forward accommodation area is three steps down from the pilothouse and again, there’s plenty of rich woodwork. To starboard is the spacious and nicely appointed

head with electric flush toilet and a raised shower portion with a lip and a curtain to keep the water from the rest of the head. Forward of the head is the carpeted, master stateroom with sliding wood door. Steps to either side of the bed make it easier to get in and out. There’s good storage in underberth drawers and in two reasonably large hanging lockers. To either side of the berth are shelves with sea rails and 110 VAC outlets with USB ports. I was especially impressed by the heavy-duty round stainless portholes in the master and head. They feature very cool CloZure shutters and screens. They add again to that ship feel.

SYSTEMS Standard power is a single 300-horsepower Volvo Penta D4 with straight shaft drive. The engine room is accessed via a hatch in the saloon and there is good access all round for maintenance while all the wiring is nicely labelled and tidy. A five kW Northern Lights generator provides auxiliary power, largely to supply the reverse cycle air system. Engine heat provides additional heating and the two share

vents throughout the vessel. I always appreciate separate 12 volt DC and 120 VAC panels and these are located in the companionway. A single 12V Group 31 AGM battery provides engine starting power while two Group 31 AGM batteries provide power to the thrusters. It is interesting to note that the SidePower stern thruster is mounted inside the full-length keel, an unusual feature, but one that tucks it nicely out of the way. Four six-volt golf-cart type batteries should provide more than adequate house power. Both 30 and 50-amp shore power connections are provided.

UNDERWAY Broker Kyle Timol was at the helm when we motored out of Vancouver Island’s Port Sidney Marina. As mentioned, one of the main attractions of the Nordic Tug 34 is its ability to sip fuel. At just under seven knots at 1,500 rpm our fuel burn was 1.4 gph (5.3 lph). At nine knots (2,300 rpm), it increased to 4.4 gph (16.7 lph). The hull creates virtually no wake at speeds below about eight knots. At 12 knots and 2,900 rpm, our burn increased to 7.6 gph (28.8 lph), which gave a range

of 1.6 miles for every gallon burned. We found the 12-knot range was a good cruising speed. We could not get to full speed due to some upcoming tweaks by Volvo Penta, but the 34 typically tops out at about 18 knots.

The 34 had a comfortable motion and its hard chine bottom reduced the tendency to roll. In sharp turns there was no cavitation or slipping and we stayed nice and leveled. Despite the full keel, our turning radius with the wheel hard over was a mere two boat lengths, a testament to the large rudder. Visibility forward and to the sides was excellent all round and the two windows at the aft end of the pilothouse provide almost 360-degree visibility. Throughout the sea trials, there was no rattling or creaking below, proof that the 34 is solidly built.

CONCLUDING REMARKS The Nordic Tug 34 is a handsome, rugged, versatile trawler with an impressive amount of interior room—more than one might expect in a vessel of this size. And of course, its single engine makes it extremely economical to operate. Despite looking everywhere, I could not find fault with the fit and finish. With only a single stateroom, the NT 34 is most suitable for a couple. Another bonus is the tons of storage for gear and provisions should owners wish to make extended cruises. The builders (with advice from a very active owner’s group) seem to have thought of pretty well everything over the years to make the Nordic Tug 34 a super coastal trawler. Price as tested with many options is US$539,000.

S PE CS

LOA 10.6 m / 34' 11"

LWL 10 m / 32' 11"

Beam 3.5 m / 11' 4"

Draft 1.19 m / 3' 8"

Displ. 7,121 kg / 15,700 lbs

Fuel 776 L / 205 USG

Water 379 L / 100 USG

Holding 114 L / 30 USG

Standard power

Volvo D4-260 @ 4000 rpm Diesel or Yanmar

Built by Nordic Tugs, Burlington, WA nordictugs.com

Sold in Western Canada by Grand Yachts, Vancouver and Sidney  250-656-8909

Sold in the US Pacific Northwest by Seattle Yachts, Anacortes, WA 360 299 0777

2022 Aspen C120 $1,049,000 Anacortes, WA. Exquisite boat, just made the 1,200-mile trip north up the Pacific coast from San Diego to the San Juans. Set up for PNW cruising, custom flybridge layout, bow seat, center console Walker Bay. Electric heater along with Dual 15k BTU AC. BRNKL boat monitoring system. Just serviced (engine), and new bottom paint. Meticulously maintained by Aspen Service Department. Cruise 16kts at 11.5gph | Cruise 8kts at 2gph

2021 Aspen C120 $1,079,000 Great Loop vet. Fully equipped. BRNKL boat monitoring system, and expedition fuel capacity for extended cruising. Deale, MD.

2018 Aspen C100 $390,000 Rare expedition hardtop model. Volvo D3 220-hp cruises at 18 kts burning 6 GPH. Excellent condition! Anacortes, WA.

2020 Aspen

2018 Aspen

2015

2016 Aspen C100 $320,000 Aluminum Float-On trailer. Highlights incude full Garmin package, teak trim upgrade, and extended hardtop. Portland, ME.

a must see!

CAD

CAD

TOLLYCRAFT 43’ TRI-CABIN 1984 - Boathouse kept (boathouse available), twin diesel, generator, diesel furnace, water maker and

BAVARIA 36 2004Upgraded Victron system, Lithium batteries, Solar, and electric head!

CARVER 466 MOTOR YACHT, 2004 - Tastefully upgraded, boathouse kept, and just 886 hours on her Volvo 480hp diesels. $399,000 CAD

R23 2018Under 200hrs, I-beam trailer, Bow thruster, electric windlass, diesel furnace, excellent condition! $ 179,900 CAD

RIVIERA 5800 SPORT YACHT, 2013 - This high performance cruiser has a comfortable 3-cabin layout with room for your whole family to explore the coast! Highly optioned, this yacht is

NAVIGATOR 57 RIVAL 2005Heavily upgraded, all new electronics, custom hardtop, Seakeeper, extended Keel and so much more. $789,000

CUSTOM PHIL BARRON MONK 48’ 1987A Bristol, house kept, show piece ! Garmin electronics, Magnum inverter Hurricane heat, and a reliable Izuzu E120 Diesel. This is a must see!!

CATALINA 34 MKII 1999Exceptional condition, many upgrades, extra sails, a turn key boat!

MAINSHIP 34 2008Beautiful maintained, diesel furnace, Reverse Cycle AC, 9kw Kohler genset, new Garmin electronics, custom flybridge enclosure and more!

SILVERTON 33 SPORTS COUPE 2008Diesel furnace, newer electronics, comfortable 2 bedroom layout, this boat is ready for cruising!

CAD

RANGER TUG 31 2014Efficient single Volvo Penta D4, Diesel heat, 8’ Fluid Motion tender, new bottom paint, and bow and stern thrusters!

CAD

SEA RAY 480 SUNDANCER 2016Boathouse kept beauty. Cummins 540hp on V-drives. Only 960 hours. Hydraulic swim platform, bow thruster. Shed for rent or purchase. $575,000 CAD

CATALINA 320 1999Brand new sails, engine overhaul, Victron system, all new batteries, and so much more!

CAD

SEA SPORT 2600 ALEUTIAN 2022Twin 250 Mercury outboards, diesel furnace, boathouse kept, under 50 hours!!

CAD

TRUE NORTH 38 2008Alaskan Bulkhead, Yanmar diesel, Bow thruster, diesel heat, and much more

superbly crafted surprisingly affordable - top quality means safe comfortable cruising

Heard on the docks — from people who have toured a

“Look how beautifully built this is”. ”It is so well thought-out”. ”The salon is unbelievably roomy”. “There is storage everywhere!”.

“I love the real wood”. “The floors don’t creak when you walk on them”. “The flybridge is big!”

“The pilothouse works as a separate living area”. “The engineroom is so clean and bright and roomy”.

“I can’t believe that this is only a 43 foot boat”. “Helmsman isn’t charging enough for this boat”.

Helmsman Trawlers® are built to exceptional standards – examine and compare!

1977 REDUCED GAFF RIGGED 61 TOPSAIL SCHOONER

1985 BARNETT OFFSHORE 47 CUTTER

2003 JEANNEAU 45 SUN ODYSSEY 2000 BENETEAU 311

2000 GLACIER BAY 2670 ISLAND RUNNER

2017 HELMSMAN TRAWLERS 31 SEDAN

1987 GRAND BANKS 36 CLASSIC

1987 REDUCED BAYLINER 4550 PILOTHOUSE MY

1976 REDUCED MONK-MCQUEEN 74 MOTORYACHT

1964 STAYSAIL 65 PILOTHOUSE SCHOONER

80’ Kelly Archer/Chuck Paine Ketch ’03 US $1,150,000

70’ Santa Cruz “Westerly” US $379,000

53’ Petersen/Jespersen ’88 $474,900

52’ Santa Cruz ’93 US $224,900

50’ X-Yacht XC 50 ’17 US $849,000

48’ Grainger ’06

44’ Sparkman and Stephens Sloop ’65

44’ Lagoon 440 ’10

42’ Lagoon ’24

41’

‘13

X-YACHTS

44' LAGOON 440 ‘10

38’ JEANNEAU SO 389 ‘17

42' LAGOON ’24

80’ KELLY ARCHER/CHUCK PAINE KETCH ’03

41’ JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 410 ’22

53’ PETERSON/JESPERSEN ’88

JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 410 ’24

27’ PARKER POLAND

790 ’21

2007 FLEMING 65 $3,850,000

2003 BENETEAU 331 $110,000

2013 JEANNEAU 509 $494,000

2011 BENETEAU FIRST 30

2002 BAVARIA 44 $169,000

2022 BOSTON WHALER 325

2015 BACK COVE 34

2023 FIRST 27 SE & TRAILER

2002 TIARA 3500 EXPRESS

1987 OCEAN ALEXANDER 50 MKII $349,500

1999 WENDON 630 $775,000

2004 GRAND BANKS 46 $875,000

2018 LAGOON 42

2007 MARQUIS 65 — $1,675,000

2009 COASTAL CRAFT 450 IPS — $990,000

43' DUFOUR GIB'SEA

36' MUNSON PACMAN (ALUMINIUM)

47' BAYLINER 4788

PORT MOODY

26' HOURSTON (DIESEL)

WEST VANCOUVER

42' CUSTOM

31' TIARA

35' REGAL

34' MERIDIAN

32' HUNTER

38' GRAND BANKS

34' SEA RAY

26' STRIPER

WESTPORT YACHT SALES SIDNEY

33' BAYLINER

31' BOSTON WHALER

29' JEANNEAU

30' GRADY WHITE

20' TROPHY

28' HUNTER

37' COOPER CUSTOM

2020 | SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 66 | $2,675,000 USD

2020 | SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 52 | $1,740,000 USD

NEW | PRESTIGE 520 FLY | TWIN VOLVO D6 IPS 650 WITH JOYSTICKS

2019 | SWIFT TRAWLER 44 | $625,000 USD

NEW | BENETEAU GRAN TURISMO 41

2013 |MCY 65 | $1,490,000 USD

2019 | SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 52 | $1,459,000 USD

2019 | SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 52 | $1,985,000 CAD

2015 | SEA RAY 510 FLY | $890,000 USD

2016 | SABRE 42 SALON EXPRESS | $875,000 CAD

2022 | BENETEAU GRAN TURISMO 41 | $879,000 CAD

2010 | SAN JUAN 40

USD TWIN VOLVO PENTA IPS 500 370HP

NEW|SUNSEEKERMANHATTAN55| TWINVOLVOD13800HPINBOARDSHAFTS

NEW | PRESTIGE 520 S | TWIN VOLVO D6 IPS 650

2022 | PRESTIGE 460 FLY | $1,279,000 CAD | LOW HOURS

NEW | BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 41 FLY | TOP SELLING MODEL

2021 | SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 55 | $1,949,000 USD

2006 | DORAL 45 ALEGRIA | $349,000 CAD

NEW | PRESTIGE 420 FLY | TWIN CUMMINS QSB 6.7L INBOARD SHAFTS

2005 | SEA RAY 500 | $599,000 CAD SISTERSHIP

2008 | FORMULA 45 YACHT | $476,000 CAD SISTERSHIP

HAVE A BOAT TO SELL?

M & P provides quality Yacht Brokerage services and also takes trades. We’ll give you excellent value and the assurance provided by our team of professionals, including Certified Professional Yacht Brokers.

Experience the power of the M & P brand when you entrust your yacht to us at the M & P Yacht Centre. Tap into the recognition and strength of the M & P legacy, where you can access an extensive international brokerage network built over 66 years. As our brokerage client, you benefit from the skills, experience, and expertise of our Sales & Marketing team. Our trustworthy, certified brokers with unmatched industry knowledge provide personalized brokerage services for buyers and sellers.

NEW | BOSTON WHALER 325 PILOTHOUSE | TWIN MERC 300HP V8

NEW | SEA RAY SLX 310 | PERFECT DAY BOAT FOR ENTERTAINING

2013 | SEA RAY 280 SUNDANCER | $94,500 CA D

2018 | BOSTON WHALER 345 PILOTHOUSE | $730,000 CAD

2018 | BOSTON WHALER 285 CONQUEST | $335,000 CAD

2020 | RIVER HAWK 28 SH | $335,000 CAD

2023 | BENETEAU ANTARES 11 | $499,000 USD

NEW | SEA RAY SUNDANCER 320 | TWIN MERCURY 6.2L SEACORE

2018 | BOSTON WHALER 285 PILOTHOUSE | $299,000 CAD

2022 | ROBALO R230 CENTRE CONSOLE | $149,000 CAD

2010 | BOATHOUSE 5878 | $165,000 CAD

2010 | BOATHOUSE 5880 | $165,000 CAD

2017 | SEA RAY 280 SUNDANCER | $180,000 CAD SISTERSHIP

2003 | EDGEWATER 265 EXPRESS | $135,000 CAD

NEW | BOSTON WHALER 345 PILOTHOUSE

2019 | BOSTON WHALER 315 CONQUEST | $449,000 CAD

2015 | REGAL 280 EXPRESS | $140,000 CAD

2009 | SEA RAY SUNDANCER 350 | $199,000 CAD

2016 | BOSTON WHALER 345 CONQUEST | $499,000 CAD

NEW | WELLCRAFT 355 TRIPLE MERC 350HP V10

PRESTIGE 420 FLY

PRESTIGE 520 S

PRESTIGE

80’ 2007 Ocean Alexander

90’ 2007 West Bay Yacht Fisherman

50’ 2021 Princess F50

74' 1996 Hatteras Sport Deck

65’

62’

60’ 2018 Azimut 60 Flybridge

USD (CAD DUTY PAID)

64’ 2004 Ocean Alexander

CAD

62’ 2020 Princess F62

CAD

54'

112’ 1995 Tarrab Raised Pilothouse

56'

67’

59’

65’ 2006 Marquis 65

54’ 2007 Meridian 490 Pilothouse

50' 2018 Princess F49 $1,749,000 CAD

54’

60’

88'

55’

465 SUV

585 SUV

58 SPORTS MOTOR YACHT

68 SPORTS MOTOR YACHT

72 SPORTS MOTOR YACHT

78 MOTOR YACHT

39’ 1995 Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge $169,000 CAD

40’ 2018 Princess V40

37’

37' 2022 BRABUS Shadow 900XC

43’ 1991 Bayliner 4388

CAD

37’ 1995 Sea Ray 370 Sedan Bridge $119,000 CAD

46’ 1992 Canoe Cove Pilothouse

2021

40FT

34’

BUYING OR SELLING?

Sellers and buyers both benefit from a BCYCA member’s experience. BCYBA brokers assist buyers to find suitable boats in the local market or further afield in the international market. Similarly, they present locally owned boats for sale to local and international buyers.

Take the stress out of purchasing or selling your boat. A BCYBA broker is your guide through a successful transaction. They help in these ways:

• Identify and evaluate yachts of interest.

• Provide experience in negotiating acceptable sale terms.

• Ensure your deposit stays in Canada.

• Outline vessel documentation, title, importation, insurance and taxation issues.

• Utilize strong working relationships with co-operating brokers, marine surveyors, marine mechanics, boatyards and other key industry contacts.

• Provide local follow up to help you in your boating adventures.

SLAM BANG LODGE - THE ULTIMATE WEST COAST FISHING LOCATION

World class salmon and bottom fishing within a 10 minute boat ride. This floating lodge is located on Union Island in Kyuquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Includes 4 guest rooms, 3 bedroom cabin, large dining room, outdoor kitchen area and established fish processing facility catering to guests and other lodges. $995,000

RICHARD OSBORNE

Personal Real Estate Corporation 604-328-0848 rich@landquest.com

NEW HOME AND LAKEFRONT ACREAGE

TACHICK LAKE - VANDERHOOF, BC

Incredible opportunity to own a newly built home on over 115 acres of lakefront, fenced, gated property just 10 minutes from Vanderhoof on Tachick Lake. Fully furnished and move-in ready! This is a luxury home in an outdoor paradise offering endless outdoor activities. $729,000

FAWN GUNDERSON

Personal Real Estate Corporation 250-305-5054 fawn@landquest.com

9.82 ACRE OCEANFRONT ON PARKER ISLAND NEAR MONTAGUE HARBOUR

Southwest facing 9.82 acre high bank oceanfront property in the Southern Gulf Islands, just off Galiano Island. Drilled well, power on site and approved septic field installed. Shared dock and landing site in Montague Harbour. $399,000

JASON ZROBACK 1-604-414-5577 jason@landquest.com

JAMIE ZROBACK 1-604-483-1605 jamie@landquest.com

BC LANDPRO GROUP

THE ULTIMATE OCEANFRONT TROPHY PROPERTY - PORCHER ISLAND

63 acres on Porcher Island. Stunning property with over 4,000 ft of frontage and sheltered boat and plane moorage in gorgeous Welcome Harbour. A short walk to Oval Bay offers over 3,000 ft of unspoiled beaches. This remote, treed haven provides the ultimate seclusion allowing for an amazing escape amidst the untamed beauty of British Columbia's west coast. $1,995,000

RICHARD OSBORNE

Personal Real Estate Corporation 604-328-0848 rich@landquest.com

RIVERFRONT RV PARK TELKWA, BC

Income potential! 7.14 acre riverfront home and RV park nestled along the shores of the scenic Bulkley River. 34 partially serviced RV sites, laundry building, boat launch, duplex guesthouse and 3 bedroom home with office. Convenient riverfront location renowned for its world class fishing. $730,000

FAWN GUNDERSON

Personal Real Estate Corporation 250-305-5054 fawn@landquest.com

10.55 ACRE OCEANFRONT ESTATE IN TELESCOPE PASS ON HARDY ISLAND, BC

This offering comprises two spectacular oceanfront lots, each with a private dock and drilled well, allowing for two homes per lot. Includes a private beach and RV for living during construction. It’s an ideal opportunity for a private estate or group purchase. $1,499,999

JAMIE ZROBACK 1-604-483-1605 jamie@landquest.com

JASON ZROBACK 1-604-414-5577 jason@landquest.com

BC LANDPRO GROUP

SIDNEY ISLAND OCEANFRONT STRATA LOT 30 - SOUTHERN GULF ISLANDS

2.42 acres with 291 ft east facing oceanfront, incredible sunrises and sunsets bathe the view in light. Mostly flat, gradual slope to the ocean, easy trail access to the water, bright and beautifully treed with fir, cedar and arbutus, shared well. Walking distance to the dock and swimming pond. $528,000

RICHARD OSBORNE

Personal Real Estate Corporation 604-328-0848 rich@landquest.com

MUSGRAVE LANDING HOME AND MOORAGE - SALT SPRING ISLAND, BC

Oceanfront property with custom 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home, separate studio / guest cabin. Private marina, moorage at your doorstep. Road accessible with services. Ideally situated in the Southern Gulf Islands with easy access to Vancouver Island. $1,250,000

JASON ZROBACK 1-604-414-5577 jason@landquest.com

JAMIE ZROBACK 1-604-483-1605 jamie@landquest.com

BC LANDPRO GROUP

JASON ZROBACK 1-604-414-5577 jason@landquest.com

JAMIE ZROBACK 1-604-483-1605 jamie@landquest.com

BC LANDPRO GROUP

SKEENA

Owned by the same family for 36 years, this spectacular 5+ acre park-like setting at Ruby Lake features 2 separate homes & is steps to the boat launch & public dock for easy access to one of the warmest, most pristine lakes in Canada. Ruby Lake • $1,585,000

Very private low bank waterfront just mins to Sechelt!

Easy access to the pristine beach from this 2,800+ sq.ft. recently reno’d Rancher. You’ll never tire of the spectacular views from the huge new deck /w hot tub, while the ocean provides endless opportunities.

Sechelt • $1,999,000

SOLD

Completely renovated in a contemporary style, this extremely private & immaculate 3 bed/3 bath waterfront home is situated on a lush, professionally landscaped 1.72 acre property with level, established gardens. Featuring stunning ocean views & sunsets. Halfmoon Bay • $2,125,000

Beautiful low-bank waterfront Beach House in one of the Sunshine Coast’s best neighbourhoods. Situated at the end of a quiet, tucked away culdesac, this large 0.45 acre property feat. gorgeous ocean views.

Sechelt • $1,999,000

development opportunity in the heart of Secret Cove on the Sunshine

Situated on 18.44 acres, the sale includes a 42 berth marina, an existing 4,000 sq.ft. home, south-west ocean views and complete privacy. Secret Cove • $6,300,000

The Sunshine Coast’s premier waterfront estate on sought after Browning Road. Unprecedented quality, style & design are evident in this spectacular West Coast contemporary home, built to perfection & immaculately maintained with ultra high-end finishings throughout. Sechelt • $4,490,000

2.16 acre waterfront property features a super cute low-bank beach cottage with a 50’ licensed foreshore. Sub-dividable, gorgeous ocean views and prime location.

Madeira Park • $1,490,000

Extraordinary Downtown Sechelt 3 bed/3 bath esplanade waterfront property with some of the most gorgeous, unobstructed ocean views all the way to Vancouver Island. Southern exposure with tons of sunshine. Sechelt • $2,450,000

SOLD

Nestled on a 5 acre waterfront parcel, this brand new custom built home features 3,200 square feet with 2 primary bedrooms on the main level (both with ensuites) and a 2 bedroom self contained suite on the walkout lower level. Gibsons • $2,895,000

Exceptionally rare low-bank waterfront home with perfect SW exposure, spectacular sunsets & mere steps to the ocean for swimming, launching a kayak & easy access to your mooring buoy for convenience & enjoyment of your waterfront lifestyle.

Halfmoon Bay • $2,590,000

Low bank waterfront with your own sandy beach! Very private home on a level .26 acre property with 60ft of oceanfront in a quiet, peaceful community just 5 minutes to town and 30 minutes to the ferry. Fantastic South-West exposure for maximum sunshine & spectacular sunsets. Sechelt • $1,699,000

SOLD

Quintessential Roberts Creek low-bank waterfront Beach House with a stylish open concept living space, 138ft of frontage w/unobstructed ocean views & direct access to a fabulous swimming beach.

Roberts Creek • $3,795,000

• $2,000,000

Low bank waterfront property at ‘Whittakers at Pender Harbour’! This is one of BC’s finest waterfront communities offering private, protected deep water moorage. Garden Bay • $679,000

“Quarrybbean” an exceptional lifestyle retreat, 2.5 acres of spectacular waterfront on Nelson Island w/2 solar powered buildings. Nelson Island • $2,198,000

Scarlet Osborne

Incredible

Coast of B.C.

This

Gorgeous Timber Frame waterfront home with 3 separate living areas - the main space, a penthouse suite & a Carriage House Suite above the double garage. Sechelt

Salt Spring Island | | $1,799,000 Oceanfront With Moorage

A stunning property with southwest exposure, no step main level living, 250 ft. of ocean frontage, and 180-degree views of Sansum Narrows and Satellite Channel. This 3-bed, 3-bath, 2,829 sf. ft. home was custom built with vaulted ceilings, cork floors, a steam shower, floor-to-ceiling windows, maple cabinetry, granite countertops, and a heat pump. The lower level full 2-bedroom suite offers added flexibility, perfect for family and friends. Enjoy private tennis courts, surrounding wildlife, and adjacent parkland.

Alex Hughes* and Ricki-Lee Jewell 250-634-2141 | Alex@NorthPacificHomes.ca *Personal Real Estate Corporation

10 Acre Legacy Property, Saunders Island, Bella Bella, BC

$4,400,000 Email: saunders.island.mgt@gmail.com www.oceantribecharters.com

Private retreat in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. On the Inside Passage, minutes from daily flights to Vancouver & BC Ferry to Port Hardy or Prince Rupert. Waterfront residence, bighouse with commercial kitchen, 2 guest cabins, hilltop lodge, steward’s cabin and outbuildings, ample fresh water, 1.4 km of well-established roads, 200’ dock space, off grid solar, diesel backup, all furnishings and maintenance equipment included.

www. BC Ocean front.com

DL 6, Noeick River: 178

1-888-286-1932

DL1489 Jackson Bay: Group purchase opportunity!

Johnstone Strait. Residential and commercial zoning dwellings, workshop and outbuildings, moorage and substantial infrastructure.

West Coast Oceanfront: 3.56

Orca Inn, Alert Bay: Inn and restaurant/pub with lots of potential! Commercial kitchen, 3 rental units plus self-contained manager’s suite, retail space. Region renowned for whale watching, fishing and First Nations cultural activities.

Alder Bay Oceanfront: northern Vancouver Island. Residential oceanfront park model community with full services, walking trails and beachfront, and optional investor’s rental pool. Phase 2 now offered for sale, pick your site and 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom model, starting at $244,900.

$600,000

110 acre private island in Esperanza , west coast Vancouver

West Coast Building Lot: The small coastal hamlet of Zeballos is located approximately 0.298 acres, with most of the usable space at the road as the back of the property rises up quite steeply to the mountain side behind. Village Mixed Use zoning allows a variety of uses on

. Numerous little bays, peninsulas, and bluffs. Oneroom cabin plus workshop, fresh water ponds, complement of equipment. Quick access to the open west coast! $1,790,000

•6.5

QUATHIASKI

•6.5 acre lot located on northwest corner of Quadra Island•Comes with driveway into property, drilled well and hydro services to property line•In an area with great outdoor recreation: hiking, kayaking, sports fishing•Community wharf and boat ramp minutes away•Located 20 minutes from services in Heriot Bay

MLS # 398896 • $139,000

$1,245,000 *NEW PRICE* MLS# 949003

•Great

$1,299,000 *NEW LISTING* MLS# 953014

1480 Heriot Bay Rd

billbradshaw@royallepage.ca

the south end of Quadra Island, a short distance from the lighthouse.

Heriot Bay oceanfront rancher, garage/suite & cabin on 1 acre, boasting an easy walk-out beach and overlooking Drew Harbour & Rebecca Spit!

$689,000 CAD

2004

1998

2017 24’ RANGER TUG WITH TRAILER – Stunning GREY (unpainted bottom!), OWNER PRIDE KEPT, COCKPIT FULL ENCLOSURE, ALL OPTIONS

Stunning GREY (unpainted bottom!), OWNER PRIDE KEPT, COCKPIT FULL ENCLOSURE, ALL OPTIONS including custom match teak upgrades. Yamaha 200 Hp.w/ only 379 hours! Yamaha 9.9 Kicker, Full Garmin pack, Rocna, Webasto heat and more!!!

2004 35’ Maxum 3500 SY

1969 32’ Grand Banks Trawler

2000 47’ Selene Ocean Trawler - Long Range Beauty!, Boathouse Kept & Maintained, Cummins Diesel, BOW & STERN Thrusters, Genset, 2 heads, 2 staterooms, Washer/ Dryer, Terrific Salon, Deluxe galley, AIS, Fuel Polishing, RIB Package

33’ 2002 Grady White 330 Express - TWIN 2015 YAMAHA 300’s RE-POWER (104 hours!!!), BOW-THRUSTER, Upgraded Lowrance Chartplotter, Full Galley Pack, Scott Downriggers, Honda Genset, Seeps 4!, -

1986

was yes, bubbly was popped and glorious pesto-marinated salmon was consumed. This absolutely perfect day was topped off by the Perseid meteor shower. The day was a 10 out of 10!

The next morning, still basking in the flawlessness of the day before, we settled down in the cockpit for breakfast—coffee, pancakes and homemade blueberry preserves. Soaking it all in, no one paid attention to an unusual bump. Then, another bump. While aware the tide was dropping, and knowing we were on a ledge, we’d been fine there the day before. This morning was different. We quickly jumped into action! In the ensuing chaos to kedge off the rock, someone knocked over the blueberry preserves, creating an impressive splatter pattern all over the cockpit.

We soon realized we were not going anywhere soon. Fortunately, we were close to low tide. As the crew got off our boat (including using the paddle board to check out the rock), she settled gently on the granite bottom on her 3/4 length keel. The captain stayed aboard on watch and began cleaning up the blueberry preserves, which were everywhere. Fellow boaters came to make sure we were OK (we were).

Other than some bruised egos, there was no harm done. A while later, we floated free and started our delayed trip south. A ‘rocky’ weekend indeed. The rock on the finger was welcomed, the rock under the boat was not.

Then, there are the blueberry preserves. Despite numerous clean-ups and chemicals to bleach the stains, we are still finding tell-tale purple blotches in the oddest nooks and crannies, immediately connecting us back to that weekend.

For the young couple, it will always be a memorable weekend. For us, we hope we haven’t scared our future daughterin-law away from boating forever!

SEND US YOUR STORIES!

Have a funny or interesting story? Cockpit Confession is a reader-submitted column and we are always looking for another good yarn. Send your 600-word story to editor@pacificyachting.com. We’ll send you a PY koozie!

A Rocky Weekend in Walsh Cove

BY SUZANNE GERMAIN

OOne weekend in October, as I packed up my inflatable paddleboard under darkening skies and threatening rain, my memory flashed back to the summer when the paddleboard had, in addition to its intended purpose, served as a floating picnic table, swim platform, retrieval craft for a ball of aluminum foil which blew overboard in Squirrel Cove and survey craft after grounding

in Walsh Cove Marine Park…

Last August, a few glorious days were spent in Walsh Cove in the company of our adult daughter and son, as well as our son’s long-time girlfriend. They’d trailered their ancient runabout to Okeover Inlet for a Desolation Sound adventure.

As a newer boater who had never been to Desolation, we were hoping the stunning scenery, warm turquoise water and hours of time to just ‘be’, would persuade the girlfriend that sailing must be in her future. Secretly, we were also hoping our son would finally propose— what location could be more idyllic?

The day began very early with our son and his dad, aka Captain, noisily taking off in search of salmon. A few hours later, a beautiful 15-pound chi-

nook was caught. Our son, a budding and enthusiastic recreational fisher, was overjoyed, and so were we. The pesto I’d dragged around for the past two weeks in our tiny fridge would finally come to good use as salmon marinade! The rest of the day was spent paddleboarding, kayaking and contemplating the petroglyphs left by the Indigenous people who discovered this place long before us. Once the tide came in, we spent an exhilarating few hours diving off the rocks into the wonderfully warm water. As we began to clean up from the day and prepare for happy hour, the young couple took off to watch the sunset. The proposal was made with Waddington Channel as backdrop. Her answer

Continued on page 113

EXPLORING LIBERTY

Epitomizing the spirit of adventure and discovery, the Azimut Magellano Series is a timeless yet modern-day milestone of innovation conceived for long cruises. As the first nautical crossover ever designed, it offers true sea connoisseurs safe and tranquil journeys limiting fuel consumption combined with abundant storage space for extended stays on board in full comfort.

AZIMUT. DARE TO AMAZE.