Almost Started

"Willobee G"

This year, like all previous, the preparation for Sailpast has commenced the moment we board.  There’s the wooden boat shows to prepare for, Maple Bay and the Keels and Wheels at Burrard Yacht Club. We have not attended the Maple Bay show for at least 18 years which we did in our old vessel the “Willobee G”, a 47 ft classic dream boat. She was launched in Coal Harbour, Vancouver at the Hoffar Beeching Yard in 1927. She splashed into the Burrard Inlet the day Lindbergh flew the Atlantic. She was our beauty.  All varnished teak housework with a long sweeping foredeck of all natural teak, with varnished king plank. She has a Gardiner diesel engine all polished aluminum and brass castings. The engine was painted dark green. You could stand by it when it was running and only a slight metronome huff of the air being drawn into cylinders, compressed and exhausted away down a long copper pipe to her teak planked stern 30 ft. away.



"Quester 111"

Enough of old memories. This was “OceanAire’s year to attend the Maple Bay show. We hadn’t really planned to go but Roger and Kathleen Williams were looking for company to go to the Gulf Islands and we were easily convinced to tag along. They have an exquisite wood yacht called “Quester III”. She is a Bill Garden design built by Bill Trendhome a master craftsman from the Victoria area.  We left early in the morning and had a smooth crossing and entered the inside seclusion of the inner islands through Porlier Pass.  We have forgotten just how staggeringly beautiful the Gulf Islands are. The low riding small island sprinkled with what friend’s south call Madrona trees and that we call Arbutus, shading cottages from prying eyes. Many have small crafts anchored out front awaiting fishing or clamming expedition with perhaps the grandkids.

 Our course is set for the Maple Bay Yacht Club which DCYC and BYC have reciprocal moorage privileges. Maple Bay Yacht is what one expects of a fine club, large white mansion with a perigee staged on a hill overlooking manicured lawn and the fleet moored below.  A large ships cannon on wheels set on the embankment pointing out to sea waiting patiently to belch out a clap of thunder for the announcement of the next opening day just less than a year away. Members and the appointed dockmaster are there to receive our lines as we slide into the visitors docks. We are given the drill on the internet code numbers, the restaurant hours, access codes to the shower and all shore facilities. It is all very friendly, not stuffy but just a smidge posh. Chevy’s (dog) best place to run wild and free on the acres of finely trimmed and mowed lawns. I am there bag in hand to pick up as it would not do not to pick up her deposits. It would not do to pick up the honey dew!

One of the best part of being invited to another club is you get to visit and see how the other half lives and their yachts live. We spent a pleasant night and next morning launch the “Ravens” (dinghy) and putt over to the Maple Bay Marina and see what they are preparing for the show and all the old woodies about to arrive including us. “Quester” is moored on the same finger abeam of us. Soon there will be many old timers arriving, some varnished elegant ladies, some work boat conversions and all worthy of presentation to Joe public. Soon the dock are at capacity, guests being invited aboard and we share all the juicy stories of the fire that destroyed our old girl, the restoration and explain the onboard toys and show off the hand carved bits and pieces scattered about her interior. It is very busy and at any time there are a dozen or more aboard including their pets. Some go away and bring friends back to share their tour experience. There is barely time for Pen and I to see other presenting yachts at the show so we trade places when there is a lull in the crowd moving through.

There are yachts with finishes so smooth and perfect that you think that they have just come off the production line of some of the finest yacht builders in the world. They just glisten and reflect in perfection on the surface that cradles them. You cannot bring yourself to believe that one could have the talent and time to achieve this level of craftsmanship, but they do. There are morning and evening get together by the participating wood boat owners, old farts in baggy pants & grand dames and they trade the same old salty knowledge as previous years, and lament the loss of one of their kind that has had to give up the quest of maintenance of their beloved old yacht. Perhaps a new owner will pull the sword Excalibur from the stone and continue on in the quest to maintain the heritage of the old wood boat.

"Master"



For us that have the malady of the ownership of an old woody, we soon realize that we are for a short time just custodian of this ancient west coast floating art. The “MASTER” the last of the steam tugs ghosts into the harbour. She is a noble craft with classic TUG lines. No roar of a diesel engine, just the hiss of steam whose cloud is shot high above her black pipe stack, a black diamond imblazes on a white band, fire engine red at the base. She whoops out a greeting on the air siren and steam whistle it cascades off the surrounding hills.  I have arrived she announces.  I am the Queen of All, come bow before me as I am the last of the STEAM MONARCHS!  Those on the docks just stare in quiet reverence with camera shutters clicking; we talk in hush tones as not to break the trance that we are in. The crew stands by to snag the pilings with manila lines about the thickness of your arm. Made fast she and the crew will be ready to receive the audience that have come to view her polished brass. The wizard invention of her steam engine, the sound a hiss of live steam coming from her boilers.  She supports herself by attending shows and accepting donations to maintain and sustain here rule of the steam tug world.

There was talk that Washington of Seaspan has taken some responsibility for her keep, GOOD FOR YOU! 

 At the wind up dinner Penny and I were presented with two awards one for the “The Best in the Show for People’s Choice” and for“The Best in the Show from the Participants”. We received plaques, gift certificates and pats on the back. We are quite stunned! There are clearly a number of vessels that were so perfect that I would have to squint when passing our old girl ,so as not to see the ‘holidays’ and imperfections in her paint finish. Did I mention that “Quester” has a perfect paint finish? “Oceanaire” is a friendly old girl and has a really good story about survival and I believe that’s the only reason we were rewarded. We hang out in the Gulf Island for a few days and work on the preparation for the Keels and Wheels at BYC and are trip north to Fury Cove and beyond.