View Full Version : Open Boat Fest
http://www.openboatfest.com (http://www.openboatfest.com/)
This Weekend, the 12th and 13th of September 08.
In Brentwood Bay BC, at the Abernethy & Gaudin Boatbuilders yard.
As of today 37 open boats have registered. We'll take at least 3 boats, Ratty (20'), Sophie (10'4"), and Skien Dhu, a 15' Oughtred. It's roughly 34 miles away south of Silva Bay, big NW winds all this week so getting there will be no problem on Friday. Coming back Sunday may be a bit of a slog, but at least the flood tide will be with us.
Come by and say hi.
John B
09-09-2008, 08:17 PM
How's your big boat coming along Tad?
Flying Orca
09-09-2008, 08:47 PM
Hi Tad, sorry I missed you guys when I was out on Island Eagle in August!
StevenBauer
09-09-2008, 09:17 PM
Sounds like a blast. Hopefully someone will post pictures for us. :)
Steven
Hi John, Blackfish goes slowly but at least (as of last week) I now live aboard her. It's marginal camping which is fine for now, but perhaps less fun in January....
We missed you too Orca, I guess the bright lights of Silva Bay didn't quite rate a visit? Hope you had a fine time anyways.
Steven....that reminds me to charge up the camera.
Flying Orca
09-11-2008, 05:23 PM
We missed you too Orca, I guess the bright lights of Silva Bay didn't quite rate a visit? Hope you had a fine time anyways.
I would have been more than happy to spend some time in Silva Bay and catch up with you and James, but Terri and the skipper pretty much called the shots. We only had a week or so... but next time for sure!
Don Kurylko
09-19-2008, 02:56 PM
Photos! Where are the photos? Who went? How did it go?
Yes there are pictures...
It's odd you should appear Don, your name came up at the festival. Someone from Nelson was there and wanted the spelling of your name...a hopeless request from my memory. I did know about the K, and the Y...oh well.
As I said we left Friday heading south in NW 15-20 knots. Skien Dhu and Ratty did some high-speed sailing until breakdowns and adverse tide in some skinny spots forced towing and motoring. Skien Dhu sailed nicely under mizzen alone for a bit.
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/sophieoutside.JPG
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/skiendhu.JPG
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/sophiecruising.JPG
It was flat calm inside, but we didn't arrive until well after dark. Saturday dawned fine and clear.
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/dockview.JPG
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/dock02.JPG
View from up inside the shop.
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/fromshop.JPG
More in next post....
Home on Sunday....
Going north into light NW, powering all the way.
Sophie leads
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/sophieleads.JPG
I took a turn around Brentwood Bay before we left and snapped some interesting shots. This is the big double ender Duen, rigging details are very similar to what Blackfish will be.
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/duen.JPG
Another long day ended with the sunset run up the inside of Valdes Island just to the south of Gabriola. We just managed to buck through Gabriola pass.
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/valdes.JPG
StevenBauer
09-20-2008, 05:41 PM
Thanks, Tad. Great pictures.
Steven
This must be a trick picture, center of effort and CLR. Don't you know nuthin'?
http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/openboat/skiendhu.JPG
Seriously it looks like a great time.
Stephen
09-20-2008, 08:27 PM
Any chance of seeing some photos of Blackfish?
Don Kurylko
09-21-2008, 01:21 AM
Thanks Tad, great photos. Do you think the event was a success? It would be nice if it could the first of many. I was hoping that Alex Zimmerman from Victoria could be there with his newly built lapstrake version of Alaska, but regrettably he had to go back East on business. It’s a beaut! Maybe next year.
Love that Skien Dhu! :)
Stephen,
Some pictures of the cogge Blackfish are in this thread http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13827&highlight=Al+Mason+cogge
She's the quintessential dream ship....at least for me! I'm sure she appears to be a nightmare to others.
Don,
Yes, emphatically....the Open Boat Fest was a success. If one includes all the canoes and kayaks there were at least 40 small boats around during the day. The venue is wonderful, the only thing lacking was great coffee very early. (It seems Brentwood Bay sleeps late) Rob Abernethy needs all the encouragement and support we can give him. Being in a working boatyard the show reminds one of the Maine Boatbuilders Show (just much smaller). The pressure is already on to grow and move to the resort next door with much more dock space. But I will oppose that forever.
Lew Barrett
09-21-2008, 10:37 AM
How are the guys at Abernathy ad Gaudin doing, Tad? I got the T shirt (6%) when we visited the shop a year ago. We were knocked out by their good humor and great attitude and obviously they have one of the all time fine settings for their work.
Looks like a fun time.
Paul Pless
09-21-2008, 01:27 PM
Any chance of seeing some photos of Blackfish?What about some more of Duen?
Paul, see more on Duen here....http://www.thenaturalcoast.com/index.html
Lew...
Like all small boatyards, A&G live from small job to small job. They occasionally get a major restoration but mainly it's bits and pieces. Luckily they are situated in a area (BC, PNW) of many wooden boats, which all need work.....keeping the overhead under control and the shop rate affordable ensures continuing work, but the pressure is intense to keep bumping rates. Good friend Mike O'B (Euphemia) is currently helping them out with management and organization, a very good thing ensuring they will be around for a long time.
Paul Pless
09-21-2008, 02:32 PM
Thank you Tad.
Don Kurylko
09-21-2008, 11:21 PM
Excellent Tad! It’s great to have a venue just for small open boats. They tend to get overshadowed at the bigger events. I’ll look forward to attending next year.
Lew Barrett
09-22-2008, 02:22 PM
Good friend Mike O'B (Euphemia) is currently helping them out with management and organization, a very good thing ensuring they will be around for a long time.
I saw Mike (and Peggy) in Victoria and took a ride on Euphy during the sailpast. Mike mentioned that he was working there (sounded like half hobby) to help them out and keep busy in his new retirement. If I ever get motivated, I'll post the Victoria pictures, most taken from Euphemia's beautiful decks.
Mike is busy organizing the fleet of classics in BC now; you probably know. We talk/communicate on a somewhat regular basis. I'd like to visit Brentwood Bay again one of these days, too.
Anyway, one senses that an operation like A&G is always hard at work making ends meet, and that the setting of the shop can be as much a problem as a boon, given BC land prices these days. Equally, we need honest and competent people to keep our boats, and the work, when it promises to be as good as those guys can turn it out, is worth what it has to cost. Maybe it was a bit easier when the dollar favored Canadian yards and the boarder boats had to decide between going to Canada and going to PT or Seattle, but good help is hard to find, and they sure look like good help. I wish them the best, and you too. I love my time in your waters, as I've said over and over again, and have learned a lot of stuff "up thar" about boats and boating. It's a cool wooden boat culture you have.
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