It takes a village (to restore a vintage fleet)
By John Morris
Photos by Jeff Baker & Midland Classic Sailors
Midland, Ontario is a charming, normally quiet town with a picturesque main street, a well-preserved five-pin bowling alley and a booming summer butter tart festival. From a boating perspective, it’s a champion with a gracious historic harbour and direct access to Georgian Bay with the finest freshwater cruising anywhere.
That setup, in part, explains why suddenly there is a surprise resurgence of wooden 5.5 Metre classics fueled by a growing cluster of mad hatters who think nothing of working on a dead oldie for three years to get it ready for a couple of magic summer regattas.
While the ostensible objective of the Midland 5.5 Fleet is the restoration of a fleet of classic boats, that’s only part of the story. The important take is that a group of folks has created a community built on camaraderie, a shared pursuit of fine craftsmanship, the fun of being on the water, and the heritage of classic wooden boats.
The basics are these:
The group is comprised of both veteran and neophyte sailors. A handful are hotshot racers but most are club racers or simply lovers of the project building skills as they go. All share the appreciation of the boat’s culture and striking good looks.
