Editor’s Note: New fangled and antiques

Weston 155 AC Voltmeter 150v-300v

How did they ever do it? Those Ditchburns that threaded the Muskoka Lakes didn’t even have Navionics – never mind chartplotters and digital depth sounders. The ships that plied the waters off Nova Scotia didn’t have solar panels – how did they keep their beer chilled?

July 12, 2023

How did they ever do it? Those Ditchburns that threaded the Muskoka Lakes didn’t even have Navionics – never mind chartplotters and digital depth sounders. The ships that plied the waters off Nova Scotia didn’t have solar panels – how did they keep their beer chilled? I must ask Keith’s Brewery for a historical note on that. Did the original Bluenose have shore power for their microwave when they returned to port from trashing the Yankees?

This issue is filled with new boats that have wingding everything modern. Electric outboards. Four AI-synced, 350s on the transom. Fridge and freezer aboard, plus integrated nav systems that keep you from hitting mermaids and icebergs and pinpointing your location with .007 metres. Auto docking and joysticks didn’t come standard 100 years ago when the 8-Metre Severn II was built in Scotland, and she probably didn’t have much hi tech when she sunk off the GTA two weeks ago. (BTW, she has been raised and is under repair. See the story and photos here.

The voltmeter from the dashboard of a 1922 Minett launch

Of course, installing all that challenges even the most proficient of us. It’s fine if everything comes onboard your new sparkling boat but when it comes to installing all that gear and making it do what it is meant to, you better get some competent help or at least read the instructions. Ask Andrew brings the confusing facts to light in his re-assuring column Making Networks Work – It Can Be Done! Just bring your multimeter. In the everything Old is New Department, we got news of Elco’s EP-20, a century old concept made modern in 2023 with cell phone display as its dashboard.

 

Against all that Mike Gridley sent a fine report on last weekend’s ACBS classics show in Muskoka where they even had a fleet of Amphicars. The spectators jammed the dock to see the mahogany Greavettes and Dippies (high tech – the prop detracted!) Were those folks Luddites yearning for simpler, non-solar powered times? Maybe, like me, they love new boats and technology but can’t resist the magnetic charm of boats from days gone by.

John Morris
Online Editor

Related Articles

The Maritimes Plan to Make Waves for the IWK

The Maritimes Plan to Make Waves for the IWK

The IWK is an incredible children and women’s hospital located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The IWK is known as a ‘sick kids’ hospital and one where many successful births regularly take place.  Most people in the Maritimes know of its reputation for excellence, but few know the depth and breadth of the expertise its professionals deliver day in and day out to the families who find themselves in need of outstanding health care.  What most people don’t know is the number of different ways the IWK provides immediate and on-site care to its direct patients

Nova Scotia Has Strong Showing at Canadian Youths

Nova Scotia Has Strong Showing at Canadian Youths

The duo of Ryan Smith & Owen Dunkley from the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron posted the best Nova Scotia result at the 2013 Canadian Youth Sailing Championships which concluded August 31 in Vancouver. The pair finished in 2nd place overall in the 420 class and were closely followed by the team of Erin & Kyla MacLennan (RNSYS) in 4th Place. 25 boats competed in the 420 class. Other results included;

Video Gallery

New Boats: Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 – A Sleek, Good -Looking Delight To Sail

By Katherine Stone

There is nothing more that I enjoy than being with friends and messing about in boats. Messing about in brand-new boats on a champagne sailing day on Lake Ontario at the beginning of the summer doesn’t get any better. To have the new owner, Helmuth Strobel and Anchor Yachts dealer Pancho Jimenez aboard made it even more special, as they can also speak to what they truly enjoy about the boat. We keep our own boat in a harbour that has a long waiting list for boats over 35 feet, so this little gem would definitely fit the bill and feels like a much bigger boat. True to the spirit of the 7th generation Oceanis line, the 34.1 is built in Poland and replaces the 35.1. It is 1,000 lbs lighter, 14 cm narrower and has 29% more sail area.

Read More

Destinations

Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands has Reopened

Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands has opened its rebuilt and re-envisioned luxury private island in 2024 after the property closures from the Virgin Islands’ 2017 hurricane season. Peter Island Resort has been undergoing its transformation for over six years. Its evolution includes brand new and upgraded accommodations and new state-of-the-art facilities and five stellar beaches amid hundreds of acres of unspoiled tropical island.

Peter Island Yacht Club

The new Yacht Club will be a must on the itineraries of sailors, boaters and yachtsmen with a marina that can accommodate a range of vessels from power boats, sailboats and catamarans, to super yachts of up to 200 feet. Located in Sprat Bay harbor, the Yacht Club will be its own destination with a dedicated swimming pool for Yacht Club guests, Drunken Pelican restaurant and bar, a commissary, Sea Chest Boutique and a sports recreation area with pickleball, basketball and bocce ball courts and a lawn-games area. To protect the coral reef and marine life surrounding the island, moorings will be located in White Bay, Sprat Bay, Deadman’s Bay…

Read More

Lifestyle