The Burrard Yacht Club’s 11th Annual Classic Boat & Car Show
Apr 25, 2017
Richard “The King” Brodeur is lending a glove hand for the 11th annual classic boat & car show fundraiser for disabled sailing!
On Saturday June 10th 2017 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. the Burrard Yacht Club will be hosting their 11th Annual Classic Boat & Car Show, a key fundraiser for the Disabled Sailing Association of B.C.
Richard “the King” Brodeur, an accomplished artist as well as former Canucks’ goaltender, has produced a magnificent nautical scene painting (value $4000) for this year’s BYC Classic Show fundraiser that will be raffled off, along with two other special prizes. Both Richard and his sought after paintings will be on hand for this year’s show and Richard will generously donate 30% of the proceeds to the Disabled Sailing Association.
Richard’s play during ’82 cup run was nothing short of a dream. And “the King” Richard was born by fashioning one of the best playoffs in goaltending history, unfortunately, a losing one. The semi-final series against Chicago has remained unforgettable to any Canucks fan who witnessed those games. Come say hello and get a picture with a Canuck legend!
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The Burrard Yacht Club’s highly anticipated 11th annual Classic Boat and Car Show, will be a rare chance for boaters and the public alike to view, in one location, numerous, outstanding, classic wooden Yachts dockside. In addition, 40-50 mint Collector cars, such as Gerry Simons 1929 Model A Ford five window coupe, will be featured in the parking lot of the club, along with approximately 100 collector cars which are expected to drive-through during the dayGerry’s Model A has been driven to San Diego twice as recently as November 2012 when fourteen Canadian collector cars did a road trip down the coast to Burbank and on to San Diego then up to Phoenix, Lake Havasu and into the SEMA show in Las Vegas where the cars were special guests of the show. ! “This car was built to drive” says Gerry. Indeed.
On any given day, in the spring and summer months, you’ll find marvellous examples of classic yachts or launches gliding over the glittering waters of the Pacific Northwest. This is an area renowned for spectacular waterfront and mountain scenery. The proximity to this dramatic, rugged, coastline affords easy opportunity to be out on the water enjoying stunning West Coast vistas. However, for those with significant physical disabilities these opportunities did not easily exist until 1989 and the inception of The Disabled Sailing Association of BC, the first of its kind in Canada. Since that time the DSA has been providing sailing programs and instruction to persons with significant physical disabilities. Last year the DSA with a host of volunteers and staff provided over 1000 adaptive sailing trips [June through August] to disabled persons on eight, specially designed, Martin 16 sailboats. Some of these boats are servo controlled by a joy stick that controls the rudder and sails while others are further adapted, for those who cannot use their arms or hands, by a sip and puff system for control of the rudder & sails.
The preparation and launch of each sailor with a disability is a very labour intensive process, in part, because the Disabled Sailing Association does not have an accessible dock. In fact, the Disabled Sailing Association of B.C., Vancouver Chapter, while the first of its kind, is the now the only Chapter without the use of dock facilities.
The procedure and safety considerations also vary based on each individual’s needs and without a dock, the DSA staff and volunteers are faced with other extraordinary challenges. Briefly, using a launch dolly, a Martin 16 is put into position under a hoist, in the Jericho Sailing Centre compound. The disabled sailor’s wheelchair is brought into position next to the boat. A volunteer assists the sailor to put the hoist harness under and around them. A staff member operates the hoist while two volunteers guide the sailor into position over the boat’s cockpit. The sailor is lowered into the cockpit and the harness removed. Each sailor is helped into a Personal Floatation Device [PFD] and radio as well as final safety checks and equipment run-through is conducted before two volunteers push the boat on its launch dolly, to the launch ramp. A volunteer then lowers the launch dolly down the ramp using an electric winch until the boat is to the waterline. At that point, the rudder is put into the water, the 350 lb keel that prevents the boat from tipping is lowered and the sailing instructor, except for solo sailings, gets into the rear seat. The area is checked to make sure it is free of windsurfers, kayaks and other boats before the line that tethers the boat to the dolly is released. The boat is turned and pushed out by a volunteer who is roughly chest deep in water. Lines are drawn in and the boat can sail out into the channel.
“Having an opportunity to experience recreational activities on the water for those with major physical disabilities is life changing in many cases. Our Club is honoured to host this event and we are expecting a good turnout”, says Frank Mogridge, Commodore of the Burrard Yacht Club.
At the Show, the Yacht Club will also be offering FREE 30 minute sailing lessons for kids from 12-15 years old. A lunch of burgers or hot dogs and drinks will be offered to all visitors for a nominal sum.
“We are proud of our show being a family oriented event where boat or car enthusiasts, or those who are just curious, can speak directly to the owners of the yachts and collector cars or to one of our first-rate sponsors such as Hub International Insurance, Yachtworks Marine Services, North Shore News, Performance Car Stereo, Martin Marine, Dawson Realty Experts, among others. We are looking forward to another increase of visitors dropping by to enjoy our Annual Classic Boat & Car Show and hopefully they will provide a generous donation to the Disabled Sailing Association in appreciation,” says Commodore Frank Mogridge.
The Burrard Yacht Club’s Classic Boat & Car Show runs from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday June 10th 2017 at 10 Gostick Place in North Vancouver B.C. Entrance to the Show is by donation to the Disabled Sailing Association of B.C.. For further information and schedule of events go to www.burrardyachtclub.com
