Maritime Museum of BC: Take Tea with Dorothy

May 28, 2026

The summer tour for SV Dorothy (1897) is about to begin!  Celebrate the start of her summer season with an Afternoon Tea at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on June 18 from 3 –5 PM.  

Hear tales of Dorothy’s historical and contemporary adventures in the Salish Sea, enjoy tea and classic nibbles, and support the continuing maintenance, restoration, and operation of the oldest Canadian sailboat still sailing. 

Purchase single tickets for $27 each, or make it a Langley party and claim a table of 8 for $200.

Dress in your yachting best or take us back to 1897 with your outfit!  

Please note that Dorothy begins her summer tour from Ladysmith in June and will not be onsite for this event. See her at RVYC during the National Youth Championships at the end of August or at the Victoria Classic Boat Festival September 4-6! 

Meet Dorothy

Dorothy was built in 1897, in the century before the last century. Perhaps the oldest Canadian sailboat still sailing, she was built in Victoria, BC by J. J. Robinson. Dorothy is a 30′ gaff-rigged sloop designed by Linton Hope. Sleek lines and her excellent present-day condition belie her advanced years. What we call her mid-life refit was completed in 2024. Thanks to the support of donors and volunteers she is sailing again on her home waters of the Salish Sea.

Dorothy now serves as the Maritime Museum of BC’s sailing ambassador, recapturing the glory days of vintage sail. She is a regular visitor to regattas, opening days, festivals and junior sailing schools in the region. We make a special effort to get youth out for a truly classic sailing experience on a boat built before their great-grandparents were born.

Related Articles


Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More


Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More