February 20, 2017
Halifax Boat Show Notes
Despite some challenging weather the 2017 Halifax International Boat Show was a success. Luckily the blizzard did not arrive until after the show had closed on Sunday, but it did delay removing the boats by a couple of days.
February 7, 2017
Maritime Museum of BC Acquires a New Set of Captain Cook’s Published Journals
The Maritime Museum of BC recently received a generous donation of the second edition of the published journals of Captain Cook, published in 1785, from Don Hope. Accompanying this three-volume set is the book of plates and charts, which is a new and exciting addition to the Museum’s collection.
February 7, 2017
Vancouver International Boat Show 2017
The 55th annual Vancouver International Boat Show closed Sunday, January 22, with strong onsite leads and sales generated during the five-day show suggesting a positive landscape for the 2017 boating industry in BC.
February 7, 2017
Toronto Boat Show booms
According to the organizers and what we saw firsthand, The 59th annual Toronto International Boat Show saw all signs of positive growth for the boating industry with a nearly 10% increase in attendance from 70,643 last year to 77,105 attendees in 2017 over the show’s 10-day run. As usual it is the biggest indoor boat show in North America.
February 7, 2017
It’s Show Time!
The Halifax international Boat Show opens today at the Halifax Exhibition Centre.
December 6, 2016
Vancouver International Boat Show
Western Canada’s largest Boat show, the Vancouver International Boat Show runs from January 18 to 22, 2017 at BC Place and Grandville Island. There is something for everyone…
June 20, 2016
Vintage Boat Show in Muskoka July 9, 2016
Save the date on July 9,2016 for the 36th Annual ACBS-Toronto Vintage Boat Show at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst, ON…
June 3, 2016
Doing Dusseldorf
BOOT, the Dusseldorf boat show, is often described as the largest in Europe. Its 17 (yes!) halls are divided up by category presenting a category of power, sail and miscellaneous…
May 25, 2015
Sensational Summer Shows
You don’t have to be a boat lover to have a wonderful day visiting a summer antique and classic boat show, or one of Canada’s numerous marine museums. A chance to smell the fresh varnish and take in the rich woods and classic designs can make for a memorable day in the sun and there is usually something of interest for every member of the family, from the youngest to the oldest. The following article is by no means a complete rundown of the summer antique and classic boat shows and marine museums, but these are a few of the shows and museums that we love the best. It’s certainly worth planning a trip to the ones that are nearby for you.
May 25, 2015
ACBS Toronto, Summer Boat Show, Gravenhurst, Ontario
The theme for the ACBS Toronto Chapter, Summer Boat Show that will be held in Gravenhurst, Ontario on July 11, 2015 is The Disappearing Propeller Boat, commonly called a “Dippy”. These double-ended skiffs were among the earliest gasoline powered boats. The name Disappearing Propeller Boat is because the propeller is on a jointed shaft so the helmsman can pull a lever and lift it into a housing, allowing the boat to glide over logs and rocks – the propeller disappears when danger looms. Typically, this is a wonderful show with up to 100 of the very finest boats tied up at the docks in the water, doing demonstration ‘fly-bys’ to delight the crowds. A public address system keeps the visitors informed about the boats that are passing by and other activities. There are far more boats on the land, art and gift kiosks, snacks and children’s activities too.
May 25, 2015
Canadian Canoe Museum, Peterborough, Ontario
The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario is an engaging, family-friendly place that offers a fascinating look at Canadian history as seen from a canoe. The museum’s mission is to help you Discover the Heart of Canada.
May 25, 2015
Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
This summer, make a point of visiting the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. This interesting facility is the original Kingston drydock and Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. McDonald laid the cornerstone as his last official act, 200 years ago this year. George Cuthbertson, one of the founders of C&C Yachts recently donated his personal collection of drawings and information to the museum. In the 1980s C&C Yachts was the world’s foremost sailboat builder.
May 25, 2015
Pumphouse Steam Museum, Kingston, Ontario
While the Osborne-Killey steam engine is a wonderful thing to see, we especially wanted to let you know that the steam launch Phoebe is on display there too. Built in 1914, the Phoebe is located under a timber frame structure built in 2008 by high school students and their teacher. The Phoebe is a 48-foot historic steam launch built in Kingston in 1914 by the Davis Dry Dock Company for the world renowned astronomer, inventor and instrument maker, Dr. John Brashear. John named the boat after his wife Phoebe Stewart.
May 25, 2015
Boldt Castle Yacht House – Gananoque, Ontario, Thousand Islands
When we stayed at the Gananoque Inn & Spa in Gananoque, Ontario, we could easily walk to the Thousand Islands Cruise Line docks to take the trip through the islands, stopping at Boldt Castle and then taking the side trip to the amazing Boldt Castle Yacht House. The Yacht House is spectacular and in excellent shape too. It was designed to take a large sailboat right inside, mast and sails up!
May 25, 2015
Antique Boat Museum, Clayton, New York
The Antique Boat Museum bills itself as North America’s premier freshwater nautical museum. It enjoys a spectacular location in the Thousand Islands on the St Lawrence River and the museum has a 4.5 acre campus with 1500 feet of shoreline for their enormous collection of boats. More than 100 boats are on display every day of the year and through the summer, you can go out for a speedboat ride on the St. Lawrence, row a wooden St. Lawrence, skiff, take boatbuilding classes or sailing lessons.
May 25, 2015
Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival, Granville Island, Vancouver, B.C.
More than just a show, the 2015 Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival on Granville Island, Vancouver will feature a floating exhibition of wooden boats, displays, hands-on boatbuilding and demonstrations, including knot tying and marlinspike seamanship. Hear some sea shanties (and sing along) or join in the workshops, listen to First Nations maritime storytellers, explore a replica of an 18th century Spanish long boat and far more including on-site wooden boatbuilding.
May 25, 2015
Victoria Classic Boat Festival, Victoria, B.C.
The Pacific Northwest on both sides of the border is blessed with an enormous number of traditional boats of all descriptions. Then, there are some amazing maritime non-profit organizations including the Maritime Museum of BC, Port Townsend Wooden Boat Foundation, SALTS, Seattle Centre for Wooden Boats, Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, Victoria Tall Ships Society, Silva Bay Shipyard School and the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding to name a few, who support these traditional craft.