August 11, 2021
Bruce Kirby – A Canadian Sailing Legend on the International Stage
No individual had a greater impact on the modern sport of sailing than Bruce Kirby. Known and respected worldwide as the designer of the ubiquitous Laser that now numbers over 250,000, and is an Olympic Class in two configurations, Kirby had a yacht design career that spanned over forty years, with feet firmly planted in his native Canada and his adopted United States.
July 20, 2021
Honouring Tim Irwin
Tim Irwin grew up sailing in Maple Bay, on Vancouver Island. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico he and his teammates Steve Tupper and Dave Millar finished 4th in the Dragon Class in the waters off Acapulco.
July 7, 2021
Profile: Meet Canada’s Daniel Gaw, busy ocean racer
Just off The Ocean Race European Tour, Daniel is setting his sights on competing in The Ocean Race 2022-23, and Vendee Globe 2028. He is currently in ongoing training with The Austrian Ocean Race Project Team’s Volvo 65 inThe Ocean Race European Tour, which wrapped up in mid-June.
June 22, 2021
Meet our Olympians: Sarah Douglas – Laser Radial
With but four weeks to go, Sarah is in Japan, staying safe while acclimatizing to the heat at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, the venue built for the 1964 Olympics, which will be back in action for the 2021 games.
June 8, 2021
MJM Yachts Advanced Manufacturing & Materials
MJM is a different kind of boat builder, second generation family owned and operated, we design and build stable, smooth running, performance yachts in a unique Carolina Downeast style. The materials, processes and finish create heirloom yachts meant to provide enjoyment for generations.
June 8, 2021
Meet our Olympians: Will Jones and Evan DePaul – 49er
William Jones and Evan DePaul claimed Canada’s Olympic spot in the 49er by being the top Canadian team at the 2020 World Championships for the class. A highlight in their history together was winning the 2017 World Junior title on home waters in Kingston, Ontario.
May 25, 2021
Meet our Olympians: Men’s 470: Jacob Saunders and Oliver Bone
The Canadian team nominated to represent Team Canada at the 2020/2021 Olympic Games in the 470 class are Jacob Saunders from Chester, NS and Oliver Bone from Montreal.
April 29, 2021
A Main Course of Boating Convenience served up with a side of Environmental Goodness
There are powerful reasons why we are seeing more marinas offering indoor boat storage – just consider the case of Bay Port Yachting Centre.
April 21, 2021
Meet our Olympians: 49erFX: Ali ten Hove and Mariah Millen
Heading to Tokyo soon, our 49erFX team of Ali ten Hove and Mariah Millen are up against it; the 49er skiff is a really tough-to-master technical boat and the international fleet is one of the most competitive.
April 9, 2021
START BOATING THE EASY WAY
As a life-long marine journalist, it has often occurred to me, that it’s a big leap to lay out the cash, (especially for those with no previous boating experience), to try it out. How does someone even know that they will like boating it if they haven’t tried it?
March 24, 2021
The making of Generations on Sail, the movie
At the end of summer 2020, amid all the restrictions, we were able to shoot our film, Generations on Sail. GOS will be traveling to sailing organizations and on the film festival circuit this season to cities around the world, as it ventures to enter festivals at home and abroad including Toronto, Warsaw, New York, Cannes and more.
December 2, 2020
Profile: Meet Paul Bates
Are you curious about the many boat-minded individuals who seek out MST training with Quadrant Marine? What sorts of intriguing paths might they take after their apprenticeships and training with us are complete? I sat down with one of our alumni, Paul Bates, at his Bates Marine wood shop in downtown Victoria to find out exactly that!
December 2, 2020
Resources: Marine Archive – who knew?
Back in the day, the publisher of a magazine would receive a bound copy of the year’s monthly editions from the printer. This made for better storing/archiving and helped to keep the volumes in better condition.
December 2, 2020
Mothership Adventures – Columbia III
Boaters on BC’s West Coast have heard the story of the garbage pickers of the Marine debris removal initiative. The team at Canadian Yachting’s West Coast OnBoard Digest wanted to dig down and find out what it was like to be involved in this very successful venture.
November 17, 2020
Plominski tries again
Skipper John “Drew” Plominski is hoping that lightning doesn’t strike twice. Plominski, whose boat was destroyed by lightening two years ago, was first in line to register for the 39th biennial Marblehead-to-Halifax Ocean race to take place this summer.
November 4, 2020
British Columbia Nautical Residential Association
The Association provides a forum for exchanging information, tips and access an advocate on behalf of the membership. Their Directors work with members to find solutions to issues in British Columbia. Members receive quarterly newsletter, with contributions by other members all along the BC coast.
September 22, 2020
The Limestone is back.
Limestone, a heritage Canadian boat brand that has earned a loyal following over the past 35 years of production in Ontario is back! The brand is re-launched with new ownership as The Limestone Boat Company.
August 25, 2020
There is no limit to travel on a No Limit Ship
Recently while admiring the boats in Victoria Harbour my eyes locked into a 58ft yacht named SeaWolf that I just couldn’t take my eyes off. The fit and finish on this strikingly unique yacht was like a magnet I just had to stop and talk to the owners.
August 11, 2020
Interesting boats: Taconite
The 38.1m / 125′ motor yacht, custom built in 1930 by Boeing of Canada and last refitted in 1994 it is in drydock and Victoria’s inner Harbor for a refit.
July 21, 2020
Our boat: A beauty – the 1967 Trojan 42 Motor Yacht
Unknown to us at the time, the quest for VIA-MARA started in 1973 when I saved the back cover of a boating magazine with the advertisement for the Trojan 42 Motor Yacht.
July 21, 2020
South Island Sea Kayaking Association – SISKA
You will find that many of the yachts travelling up and down the BC Coast have Sea Kayaks on board. Once at anchor, the sea kayaks provide boaters with the opportunity to explore each destination and take in the wonders of the marine life along BCs coast.
July 8, 2020
People: Scott Blake joins C-Tow Georgian Bay
Before he joined C-Tow, Scott Blake spent his summers hanging out in Honey Harbour and Beausoleil Island. Now that he’s hard at work for C-Tow, he’s spending his time around Honey Harbour and Beausoleil Island. How does that sound; well to Scott is sounds pretty great!.
July 7, 2020
The Council of British Columbia Yacht Clubs
The Council of British Columbia Yacht Clubs with over 50 yacht club members has become the voice of recreational boaters in British Columbia. Recreational boating contributes over $2.3 billion annually to the British Columbia economy.
July 7, 2020
BC Nautical Residents Association
In early June,2019, Julie May arrived in Cowichan Bay — all 42 feet of her. Aboard the converted wooden trawler were Rick Schnurr and Judy Brooks, who had decided to put down anchor in the Cowichan Bay Marina, their new home.
June 23, 2020
Pandemic notebook: Covid-19 hands Bay Sails an unexpected project for Air Canada
Winter is a fun time for sailmakers in Canada. We grind through mountains of repairs and have an abundance of new sails to put together and deliver. We also get to head south to race sailboats in paradise, sometimes in Florida for some Etchells, VX One or Star racing, or other times down to the Caribbean.
June 1, 2020
Krates Marina
Canadians are blessed when it comes to access to the water and to the boating lifestyle. In centres like Victoria, Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal and Toronto, you can literally take a city bus to the marina or yacht club.
May 26, 2020
Bill Norrie: Around the world
The seasoned sailor mapped out an ambitious course around the world — aboard his 28-foot Bristol Channel Cutter yacht dubbed Pixie, Norrie would sail away from Vancouver Island to the Southern Ocean for a year-long solo circumnavigation of the planet.
May 26, 2020
People: Meet Ben Gartside
Ben grew up in the family boat yard in Cornwall, in the UK, and started his career in the marine industry at a Yanmar main dealership in 1980. When the family moved to Sidney in 1982 he took apprenticeship training in Marine Diesel Repair, subsequently opening Gartside Marine Engines in 1988.
May 26, 2020
Blog: So much for a clean wake
Clean wake: A concept amongst cruising sailors that stresses the impact that individual behaviour has on the group. Bad actions will reflect upon those who follow and potentially poison perceptions for generations.
May 13, 2020
Pitoraq: Deck Repairs Part 2
As another harsh Victoria winter came to a close, the deck repair and refinishing continued with Pitoraq in the water but still under her shrink wrap cover.
April 21, 2020
Ontario Boat Builders: Peterborough Canoe
The Peterborough Canoe Company was formed in 1892 and began production the following year after building a new factory complex at the corner of King and Water Streets. It was a successor of sorts to the Ontario Canoe Co., which had closed after its shop burned down in the spring of 1892.
April 21, 2020
Helly Hansen Sailor of the Month: Katie Coleman Nicoll
It’s been no secret that we have been thrown into a tumultuous ride. Stopping regular life as we knew it and being forced to stay home put a huge wrench into society and plans that have been made over the years.
April 7, 2020
Pitoraq: “Windward 30” – the process
For all those OnBoard subscribers who have followed along with the maintenance, repairs and upgrades to the 1979 Windward 30 called Pitoraq, we would like to take a step back to when this all began in late fall at the onset of the winter months at the Canadian Forces Sailing Association in Esquimalt.
April 7, 2020
Club update: Standing by, Ladner style
The marina basin is owned by the club and accommodates 100 vessels. There are approximately 50 members moored at the marina, the remaining slips are rented to the public.
March 24, 2020
Congratulations to the Helly Hansen Sailor of the Month – Tim Irwin
If you’ve been to CORK, you’ve probably seen Tim Irwin. Whether he was organizing volunteers, managing gear, helping at the launch ramp, out on the water, or just walking through the boat park, he has always been an instrumental part of events in Kingston.
March 24, 2020
Danger in Spain
This wasn’t part of the plan. Four months ago, I was in Miami. A friend of mine, a fellow Canadian, had bought a boat and was planning to head out around the world. Given that she had absolutely no sailing experience, she asked me to come along.
March 10, 2020
Sarah Douglas named 2019 Rolex Sailor of the Year!
Last Friday at the Carlu in Toronto, Sarah Douglas from Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club was honoured with the most prestigious national sailing award of the year.
February 26, 2020
Meet Doug Anderson, Marine Service Tech apprentice student
Doug’s pathway to a career in marine service is a unique one. A few years ago, as his retirement date with the Canadian Armed Forces drew closer, Doug began planning an exit strategy to transition into a productive civilian life.
February 25, 2020
Bruce Kirby wins Laser judgment
In 1969, Canadian Bruce Kirby designed the Laser one-person sailboat that has revolutionized racing and is a huge part of international competition. The Laser became an Olympic-class boat at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.