Victoria Classic Boat Festival Photos

[Lew Barrett]

This post was originally placed as an add-on to the thread started in the Bilge, but my thinking is that it will get lost between the controversy regarding US policy in Iraq and how to prepare sea cucumbers for best flavor, so I'm re-starting it as it's own thread.

I've got quite a few images to get up, but will start with these as teasers. I'll try to supply as much detail as I can on the people and of the boats, but it will be a few days before it's all up. Hope this wets the appetite.


Old boats and Victoria; it happens every year. You should be there next time!



Bob Shaw's dingys attracted alot of attention. More on those later.




Eric Jesperson's newly restored 6 meter; an award winner, also to be continued.


The fleet gathering for the sail-past. More coming.


The HMCS Oriole's Sunset Ceremony.


Trekka, Victoria's own Round the World Love Boat
(unflattering image of an icon!)


Deb and Dave (Nanoose) with Lindy (on the left). Lucky Guy!
Taken Sunday on Rita.

[PaulC]

Great pictures! Thanks Lew!

[Nemo]

Getting hungry again... More, please! :-)

[Lew Barrett]

Pacific Yellowfin is a frequent attendee, and because of the nature of her dimensions, no longer qualifies as a boat, but is a true ship so I'm giving her her own post. A comment credited to the owner: "With this vessel, it's best not to point her at anything one isn't prepared to buy."

She was originally built for use as a small coastal freighter and was employed during the War to that purpose. I believe she is roughly 130 feet overall (seems bigger) and heavily constructed as you would expect. The entire vessel is completed to the standards implied by these pictures; an imaginative and committed effort that shows just how far one can take a conversion. If you like leisurly 10 or 12 knot cruising to Key Largo, I reckon this would be one great way to go. Of course, if you have to ask how much it costs......



Pacific Yellowfin at the dock, with proud Captain




Twin Atlas Engines drive her, an inboard view of the starboard plant.


The Library


Wheelhouse viewed from starboard


And from port


Owner's Stateroom

[Lew Barrett]

Keeping on with the motorboat coverage:

Euphemia is a 1928 50 foot single screw Schertzer Bros. bridgedeck cruiser. Some people think, and I would be one of those, that she has virtually perfect proportions. She has been mentioned in the forum before. Power is a single Volvo Diesel. She is owned by Mike and Peggy OBrien of Vancouver, B.C. Mike and Peggy do a great deal of the work on Euphemia, so essentially she is owner maintained.


At the Dock, Empress Hotel in background


Pilothouse/saloon, facing aft


Main Cabin from cockpit


Cockpit


Beautiful antique head and pump


Meteor is a fanciful and advanced creation of Anchor Jensen, who's yard still bears the Jensen name, and is an ongoing and highly respected concern here in Seattle. See the current issue of WB for a short article on Jensen Motorboat Works and Althea.
Meteor is twin screw, 38 feet, and was built in 1938. The first picture hints at her boat-tail (which was hard to capture at the dock). She is capable of high speed, with her current power somewhere in the range of 25-30 MPH. Lightly built, but in superb condition, she was originally restored by the crew at CSR and was owned by Dale Chihuily in the recent past, but has since been acquired by new owners. Really pretty and unique boat, especially underway.


Meteor at the dock


Meteor bow-on.

[Lew Barrett]

Oriole is the flagship of the Victoria event, and also, the Canadian Sail-training vessel. I reckon a posting to Oriole is a prime event in the career of any sub-lieutenant, rating or skipper. She's so famous a vessel that there's not much I can add, especially given how ignorant i am regarding working sail (and sail in general) but as a treat I was allowed to take some photos down below. These are submitted to you as an insight to the inner sanctum on board a working sail vessel in the modern era, and one that is commissioned and honored to this day in the Canadian Navy. The photos of Oriole at anchor in harbour were taken from Rita during the sail-past, and you can see the Commodore returning our salute in the full size photo, but I don't think that detail is visible on the message board. A big kick!


Sub-lieutenants off duty in the wardroom
(watching football)



Sea Bunks


Skipper's Quarters


Oriole's Skipper, Lt. Commander White (on board Katie Ford)


On Deck Welcoming Guests


During The Sail-past

[GregW]

Great pics. Thanks

[Lew Barrett]

Ian' Stewart's award winning 45 foot, H. Dole designed cruiser is a perfect Northwest sailboat, and they say, fast too. See previous image of Lt. Cdr. White for a view of the outside station. Katie Ford won Best Overall Sail at Victoria in 2004.




Inside Station


Absolutely beautiful refrigeration


Main cabin looking forward


Galley prep area and sink with pump


Pilot berth, looking aft


Main cabin skylight detail

This is as nearly perfect as interiors of hard working boats can get. Any feedback, or should I stop here? You guys are being awfully silent.

[Ian Marchuk]

Tis the quiet of the mesmerized , Lew. Thank you for these pictures ,
please keep them coming.... Best wishes ... Ian

[Ian Marchuk]

Bump..... Ahem....No more quiet.... AHEM..... Tap, tap, TAP , TAP , TAP, TAP....

[Lew Barrett]

Thanks Ian. This is actually a time consuming affair! You know how I got below on all these boats? I told people their boats would be on the Wooden Boat website. I stuck "forum" in there under my
breath

[landlocked sailor]

Pretty nice eye candy there Lew, we appreciate your efforts! BTW, I enjoyed reading about you boat in Ron McClure's book. Rick

[Ian Marchuk]

Lew , I'm sorry I don't have a clue how much effort it takes . I do gather however that it is a labour of love , and that you had loads of fun , charming , and wheedling and cajoling ,every boat owner you could into snapping pics of all kinds . Being the Captain of the lovely RITA , helps establish bonafides.... Good on ya , mate , and thanks again from a captive at the edge of the great northern plains....

[Lew Barrett]

A little insight into Victoria; what does it mean when we say that "this boat" won "Best Overall Sail" or "Best Restored Power" in Victoria? It means that people like Bent Jesperson, Paul Gartside, Ted Brewer and Dan Martin came aboard your boat and asked you prying and embarrassing questions, as well as having you open the engine room hatches and taking a peek inside. Maybe they asked you specific questions about fastenings, or how certain problems were dealt with, how your boat points to weather, and how you made the decisions you did. Often, they don't ask you anything at all, and the silence can be deafening, especially if you're from New York and you hate empty moments.
Being at Victoria is like looking at a giant fishbowl, alternately from without, and within. It means staying up ungodly hours, not because you didn't go down below to your berth, but because there were so many people up and carousing about, making noise and having a good time, that you just gave up trying to go to sleep and went out and joined them.
If you are fortunate enough to have a boat at the dock, it is a fantastic people watching venue. The quantity and quality of the fauna is truly without compare at any wooden boat show I've ever been to. Modesty prevented my taking too many "people" pictures. I only wish I had, because a huge number of them would have revealed gorgeous people, young and old, from every possible place on the globe. You met Aussies, Kiwis, Germans, Dutchmen (yeah), Chinese, Japanese, Rhodesians, South Africans; every possible race and nationality of man. And, you leave your boat with the door open to go get a loaf of bread, return and find your $800 Steiners just where you left them in plain view of the entire crowd. Good food, great views, fabulous boats and people, and a generous and qualified set of judges and important folk to speak, get friendly with and learn from. Most of what I have as mementos are just pictures of the boats. But it's the enduring moments we all spent together as lovers of boats, boating and life that really are the best part of this show.

[Lew Barrett]

Thanks Ian! Just needed to know you guys were taking it in!

[Ian Marchuk]

Well , it WAS quiet wasn't it ? I cannot get my head around having the Jesperson ,Brewer , Martin and Gartside aboard looking over my boat . As lovely a bunch as they are I think I would find the experience to be unsettling . I can just hear myself blurting out " No!
don't look in THERE !
Keep your observations , noodlings , and pictures coming , WE are drinking this up....

[Lew Barrett]

Here's a jumble that will be easier to get up than some of the single vessel oriented posts in this thread. No order or organization, just some sights at the show.


Junaluska, Tender to Olympus' motor,


This is what we mean when we say; "they're all just sort of thrown in there." Pearls easily overlooked


A better shot of Trekka


Pirate and her natural, more modern competition, the Eric Jesperson six meter. Taken from Olympus


Oriole's Helm


Lotus, a lovely Concordia 39 (More details on her later)


The Jesperson 6 from a better angle (she won an award, of course)


John West organizes this event every year, visits every boat in the event (that's a lot of boats) and remembers everybody's name. This is a stock photo I grabbed off the website, and John is both younger and more handsome than this picture conveys. No, really.


John West's Monk, Scaup


A favorable view of one of Olympus' guests

[S/V Laura Ellen]

The pictures of "Katie Ford" are some of the best boat porn I've seen in a long time.

[Figment]

Keep 'em coming, Lew!!!! this is great stuff.

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

Fantastic Lew, thanks for taking the time to post these.

Rob

[pcford]

Ran into Johnny West many years ago in Seattle...quite a nice guy.

The fortunate shot of one of the guests of the Olympus shows her standing next to one of the owners of the Olympus, John Vanderbeek.

[Lew Barrett]

Thanks Guys, now for some faces and the Olympus party. The Olympus party is one of the social events, held on what qualifies as the mega yacht for wooden boat folks. Olympus is owned by the Vanderbeeks, and was built by New York Launch and Engine. At 93 feet she is commanding in any gathering of old boats. I didn't photograph her at the show, so will post only a little thumbnail here, but she is a major show attendee and is almost always open to public inspection. Worth waiting on the inevitable line to see what money could buy back in the days of boom and bust. This vessel is a consistent, I might even say persistent, award winner.


Stock photo of Olympus

First a few images of luxury, then to the party










The party:


Hors d'ouvre, anyone? Don't be shy....


Bent poking Scott Rohrer (Pirate) in the chest. Cap'n Mike Oswald (Freya) in the foreground looking silly.

Rita's Neighbors and Friends


Bob Shaw of Amanha (built the two dingys)


Bent, Yoni and guest on their conversion, San Mateo


Don Kurylko, Sandra Laine and Tom Brach our forum friends!


Larry Benson (Woodrow and Vice Commodore, CYA) and Marti.

A note: Woodrow has that sweet Shaw tender and frequently acts as a tow boat to Pirate. She towed Pirate to PT for the show there on Monday through dense fog and 4-5 foot seas. I hear it was quite the ride.

[Lew Barrett]

See, they only let you get 12 images to each post, so you have to do it the hard way!


Terry and Friends on the Blanchard built, Geary designed Redjacket.


Oriole's Grimly Determined Number One (Don't cross him!)

Next series, The Sail Past and then on to Deer Harbor

[BrianW]

Enjoying the pictures!

[Paul Girouard]

Nice job Lew , you introduced me to Larry on Greg's boat right?

A question, why do they tow Pirate ? She appears to be finished , has sail's etc , just wondering there's more than likely a good reason

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

good to see Bent looking the same as he always has. Would love to have a better look at the San Mateo. Looks like a gorgeous boat.

Rob

[pcford]

A question, why do they tow Pirate ? She appears to be finished , has sail's etc , just wondering there's more than likely a good reason

Can't speak for Scott Rohrer and the guys on the Pirate but I imagine the reason they tow her is to get there....Pirate is a raceboat..Pretty minimal below. Victoria is pretty much to windward all the way.

[Lew Barrett]

I doubt the boat was ever intended to do real transits on its own so Pat's explanation suits the circumstances, but equally in the case of Victoria, they don't allow anyone to come in or out of the Inner Harbour under sail. There are very strictly enforced lanes there so if nothing else, they'd require a tow in and out of the city. But she's not a cruising boat, not that she couldn't make the distances under sail, but rather that doing so would entail a lot of time and potential discomfort, and wasn't the way she was used
in her own era.
But in the end, it could be done, I suppose. It would be a matter of just how much time Pirate's volunteers were willing to expend in moving her around.

[Lew Barrett]

Messenger III, Gardiner powered, a former mission boat, and a perennial favorite. Meteor's stern in foreground


The Shaw Dingys, the one in the foreground complete with sailing rig and claimed capable of 18 knots with 9.9 HP outboard.


Walronda, frequently the oldest vessel at the show


Zanzibar's original helm (47 foot Stephens, former winner at Victoria)


Junaluska, tender to Olympus


Pacific Yellowfin in full view making smoke in preparation for the sail-past


A view of the fleet steaming out of harbor (from Rita)


Unidentified beauty (Circe?) during the sailpast


Euphemia underway and heading home


Madera (52 foot Stephens) spooling up during the sail-past. A few moments later she was making 17 knots, and we had to scurry to escape the effects of her wake. Twin 671s.

The next series, which will be posted under a new topic, will cover the Deer Harbor event, as well as a few random images from our cruise.

[HR]

Fantastic, Lew! Thanks so much! I'm with Allan - Katie Ford is stunning.

Howard

[John B]

man, this thread really developed... thanks Lew.
love this

[Lew Barrett]

Answering some questions, first for Rob.
San Mateo is a most clever conversion. The Jespersons built a big room in the old fish-hold; they can sleep the family in it. That space also doubles as the conversation area, wine and cheese place, and general meeting area. The boat is used as much as anything else as a mother ship to their racing boats. Eric Jesperson (son) now runs the yard and has won Olympic yachting medal(s) in the past for Canada. These are gracious and wonderful people, down to earth with fantastic stories (Yoni lived in occupied Holland) that are more and more eye-opening over the years. A highlight of our Victoria experience is seeing the Jespersons again and again.
The boat is always held open to visitors so if you make it to the show you will be invited aboard. I will make a point to photograph her next year.
Paul, I believe you did meet Larry on Winifred.
HR, Katie Ford is stunning, and now, sadly for sale, I'm told. Ian is probably feeling like it's time to pass her along. An unbelievable opportunity for somebody with a yen for the best. I don't have any of the details, but I would wager she'll pass any survey regardless how rigorous. The Jesperson yard has had her in their care over the last few years as I understand it. For me, with a boathouse, it's hard to get my arms around how a boat like Katie Ford can be kept out in the open and look as good as she does year on year.
John, everybody loves Meteor! A wild, crazy thing, crazier in person, even wilder when you think "1938."

[reddog]

Thanks Lew,you really covered the show well and the photos are fantastic! Excellent work.

Earl

[Nicholas Carey]

Unidentified beauty (Circe?) during the sailpast

Yup. That's CIRCE.

Just for the record, CIRCE is a Ben Seaborn design (he designed the Thunderbird International class). CIRCE was built 54 ft LOA and later extended to 62 ft.

She was built in 1932 and was Ben Seaborn's first commisioned [paid] design: he was 17 years old. In her first year of racing, she won the 1934 PIYA Swiftsure race.

Not bad for a kid who was barely shaving.

More on Ben Seaborn and his designs at http://www.thunderbirdsailing.org/Ar...orn%5B1%5D.pdf

[Lew Barrett]

Note seaplane demurely parked at rear

[Wild Wassa]

Fine reportage Lew. Your time spent is appreciated, with your top shots.

The buildings in the photographs look very formal ... and well fitting.

Warren.

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

Answering some questions, first for Rob.
San Mateo is a most clever conversion. The Jespersons built a big room in the old fish-hold; they can sleep the family in it. That space also doubles as the conversation area, wine and cheese place, and general meeting area. The boat is used as much as anything else as a mother ship to their racing boats. Eric Jesperson (son) now runs the yard and has won Olympic yachting medal(s) in the past for Canada. These are gracious and wonderful people, down to earth with fantastic stories (Yoni lived in occupied Holland) that are more and more eye-opening over the years. A highlight of our Victoria experience is seeing the Jespersons again and again.
The boat is always held open to visitors so if you make it to the show you will be invited aboard. I will make a point to photograph her next year.
Paul, I believe you did meet Larry on Winifred.
HR, Katie Ford is stunning, and now, sadly for sale, I'm told. Ian is probably feeling like it's time to pass her along. An unbelievable opportunity for somebody with a yen for the best. I don't have any of the details, but I would wager she'll pass any survey regardless how rigorous. The Jesperson yard has had her in their care over the last few years as I understand it. For me, with a boathouse, it's hard to get my arms around how a boat like Katie Ford can be kept out in the open and look as good as she does year on year.
John, everybody loves Meteor! A wild, crazy thing, crazier in person, even wilder when you think "1938."

thanks Lew - I appreciate you taking the time. A coastal troller is inevitable (down the road) - always looking for ideas )

Rob

EDIT: I keep coming back to this one as a vessel I'd love to be the caretaker of for a while and finish the conversion:
http://www.frenchcreekboatsales.com/..._Number=PW1431

Rob

[Nanoose]

Great job, Lew. Thanks for spending all the time it obviously took to organize and post a great record of a great show.

I hope this tempts a lot more WBers to be there next year. We hope to have Nanoose there....IF she's ready (are boats EVER 'ready'??).

Thanks again! Deb

[Don Kurylko]

Yeah Lew, thanks a lot for the post. It was a great pleasure to meet you and spend a bit of time aboard the lovely Rita. What a boat! What a guy! I hope we cross wakes again in the near future.

Cheers,
Don

[formerlyknownasprince]

Brilliant than you Lew.

I missed the Sydney Wooden Boat Festival this year - I hope to enter Grantala in 2008. We seem to be the poor cousins down here though - nothing over 65' last time I went (if you exclude the James Craig, with its tin hull).

Ian

[rbgarr]

I went to the PT show in 1980 via Victoria. Beautiful city and I saw some stunning yachts there along the waterfront. Very different details and much more elegant hardware and fittings than I was used to seeing in the NE (where older bronze fittings were mostly WC and Merriman stock stuff) So much of it looked like custom castings! Your pictures confirm that impression for me.

Thanks so much, especially for the interior shots. They bring back good memories and make me want to go to that show.

[Lew Barrett]

This link provides me with the opportunity to avoid seeing all this work slowly sink to the bottom. So, here's a link to an album of shots taken by a professional photographer, a fair number of boats not covered above, and many of them viewed underway; always the best way to see boats anyway. These are the registered images of Dan Favarger of Angel Studios. I can probably fill in a few details on some of the boats that aren't called out above. The picture of Meteor on page three is worth looking at, but of course, there are a number of others as well.

http://www.angelstudio.ca/store/inde...hp?gid=43&pg=1

[Nanoose]

Great link, Lew.

You know, it's such a good show. Whaddya all say we meet here next summer, even/especially have the right coasters come out and join us?? If we start working on it now, it might happen.

[Lew Barrett]

I'll be there, and I'll blow the horn. It costs about $80US for a 40 foot boat, ($100 for 50 feet) much less for a smaller one, and they take all sizes and comers. That's for as many as four nights with shore power. You can have Paul Gartside, Dusty Rhodes, Ted Brewer, John West, Dan Martin, Paul Gardiner (of Gardiner Diesels, who was a judge in 2004, and looked over my engine room) among others aboard to speak with you about your boat, all just for the asking. There's a welcoming cocktail party/dinner included. There are 25,000 plus visitors on the docks in three days. What's not to like?

[rbgarr]

Let's us East coasters buy up all the boats listed for sale on Paul Gartside's website, raft up at next year's show or form a ring like Conestoga wagons against an Indian attack. Then, after an appropriate raid on the PNW stealing wimmin and fish, we'll bring them home in a caravan.

See http://www.gartsideboats.com/boats.php

I got dibs on Curlew II and Riff... and Flashboat... and Surprise II. That's all of them, so you guys are too late. I've been needing to replace my fleet for a while anyway, but anyone who wants to crew and help pay for gas on the way back across country can come along.

[Big dreams are fun.]

[Nanoose]

Now yer talkin', RB!! Let's talk it up - think of the fun we'd all have. Maybe Lew and Lindy would offer up Rita as homebase??

[Sailor]

Interesting I didnt' know White had Oriole. I sailed under him for 6 weeks as part of my training about a year and a half ago. I know he'll do a great job with her. She's a PR boat and part of the job he has is to maximise her public image. He's a great commanding officer and I can't think of a better CO for that type of craft. It's just too bad our navy no longer trains in sail like some others do. SOME subbies get to spend SOME time on her if they are lucky. My wife and I both sailed in her at different times. She's a great boat to sail if slightly messed up in the way she's rigged. Everything is geared to make work for the crew. (There really isn't that much to do on a ketch for a crew of twenty give or take) everything rigged to disadvantage and the Genoa is a single part. No mechanical advantage for hauling in that monster of a sail. It takes the whole crew to haul taut the sheet or "Aft the sheet" as they say in Oriole, and that's in medium air. I would hate to have to do anything in heavy air with that sail. We had 40 knots from astern, 30 over the deck and we were making the remaining 10 under 1 small storm sail on the forestay. I can't remember what they called it though. Grreat post thanks

[Thad]

Great stuff!! Like the scene!! I grew up in a time when museums were places filled with stuff: tables, shelves, floors, walls, cabinets full of wonderful stuff most with little labels identifying a place or tribe and maybe a use, but leaving the viewing and thinking to the viewers. Great show!! Thanks.

[Lew Barrett]

Sailor,
I think your characterization of Lt. Commander White is spot on. He seems perfectly suited to the job, and he also seems to like it. Very personable and relaxed with us, the public, and also very interested in sailing and the vessel. A very appropriate choice for a ship intended to do PR work as much as anything else. I don't know if you call the room I labled "the wardroom" by that term or not, as it seems to serve a few functions in addition to briefings and meetings, but lacking a better term, that's what I called it. You can feel free to correct that. I also had a few shots of the galley, but didn't put them up as it's obviously a very hard-working area and wasn't really necessary to show for the flavor of the ship to be conveyed. From the looks of it, the living quarters and areas down below, which are relatively large by comparison to a private yacht (but actually quite cramped in consideration of the size of the crew) are heated only by the oil stove. Overall, quarters on the Oriole don't look too different than they must have been 80 or 100 years ago. Nicely constructed, but simple, a bit cramped and built to the purpose of billeting those aboard and little else.

[Sailor]

Lew that area is called the wardroom. All Canadian Navy ships have a wardroom with a bar. The galley is where I slept. I was in the top rack (Bunk). It was summer in Victoria and bloomin' hot. The stove took all night to cool and even in the morning was not yet really cooled off. It was uncomfortably hot most of the time. The quarters are cramped for the crew she carries but the crew she carries is only necessary because of the way she's rigged. With winches and a little work on the rigging she could be handled by a much smaller crew. That 1 part headsail sheet is one example of her rigging that I found just mindboggling. I believe she has one of the biggest spinnakers in the world and really does move when you set it. She is about 91 tons and 103 feet on deck. Her LWL allows her to move a quite a clip as well. Most of the time the crew is on deck. In our Navy we are up all day. Even those who stand the middle watch are shaken in the morning. Only when we stand one in two are we allowed to sleep during the day. 1 in 3 is about the worst rotation but it is also the most conventional. Most merchant ships use 1 in 3 but they don't keep you up all day if you stood the mids so it's not so bad. 1 in 4 is starting to get a little better but 1 in 5 is where it's at. 1 in 6 and it's starting to get a little boring. Oriol usually came alongside at night. We only night sailed a few times. The watch rotation was good. we were there for training and as students were up a lot. We did get some down time though for a swimex, and we also responded to a SAR call. That's another story though. I'm off to work on my redbird. Glad to be of help. Any more questions you have about her, I'd be glad to answere them.