2010 Olympics Impacts Boaters.

Not surprisingly the Olympics will impact local boaters. There are security "no go" zones setup around the various Olympic venues. For more details follow the link below:

• 2010 Olympic Impact

RNSA Single Handed Race - Additional Photos

Some additional photos have come in of the WEASEL during this year's RNSA Single Handed Race:

SEA WEASEL flying her kite across the finish line on day one

The start sequence on day two is underway.

And we're off.

Ding Dong the Martin is Dead!

After 15+ years the infamous Martin 242 is finally gone from it's slip.

The now infamous Heather Civic Marina Martin 242 is finally no more!

This boat was known far and wide for symbolizing the worst aspects of boat ownership and marina management. There are as many myths about the Martin as mussels clinging to it's festering hull.

The Martin 242, a fast little one design 24ft race boat built by local naval architect Donny Martin, has been moored at Heather Civic Marina in Vancouver for at least 15 years. The boat became famous for never, and I mean never being used, and it's epic state of disrepair.

When I began coming to the marina in 2005 the boat, Fast Tack, was tied to the dock with filthy over sized lines and mussel encrusted fenders. The vessel was permanently healing over with seepage filling her bow. It had no forestay and it's rigging was barely keeping the mast up. Anything of value had long been stripped off of it and it's gel coat was pitted and stained.

Whenever I enquired into it's history I got a different story. Some of my favourites were:

• A Chinese business man had purchased the boat the same year he made a big business deal and now kept the boat as a lucky charm.
• The owner had a sailing school and kept the boat as a tax right off
• The owner had bought the boat for his daughter who left the country for work and never had returned to use the boat which lay dormant.
• The owner had another boat at the marina and was no longer interested in maintaining it.

Whatever the history someone had spent nearly 50k in moorage fees over the years to keep a boat that was never used unless you count the family of otters that lived in it for a season. It was this lack of use and care that represented the worst in boat ownership. Not only was this vessel a inconsiderate waste of space in a era of huge moorage waiting lists it was a risk to the boats around it. If it sank it is likely it would have made some contact with the neighbouring boats.

Sadly this vessel reflected poorly on the marina's management. It is well known that the marina staff have made little effort over the years to have the vessel removed. All vessel's are required to carry marine insurance and it verified each year. This had not been done. The vessel was uninsurable as any carrier would require a survey which the vessel would fail. Instead they collected the cheques each year and turned a blind eye.

In recent years the boat became such a source of contempt some of the boaters in the area took to using it as a latrine pissing into it. It was also used as a garbage dump and was littered with empty beer cans. Finally a neighbouring boat owner called the staff at the marina on the insurance issue rightly claiming the vessel was unsafe. When the staff required the owner to prove insurance he simply did not pay for the slip and the staff were required to have it removed by a bailiff.

In the end this boat finally received the bullet in the head it deserved. It is a pity it's thoughtless owner did not follow it to the scrape heap. Now there are about 20 more boats like it to go next.

G.I. Island Hopping

As we prepare to leave we put on over foul weather gear. Even Kingsley was kitted out.

Long ago I agreed to meet my parents on Galiano Island at Montague Harbour. Each year went with friends to camp at the beautiful provincial campsite. This year Cheryl and I planned to meet them. Cheryl had a schedule conflict leaving me to arrange for crew to deliver the boat to Montague and meet everyone there.

When purchasing a anniversary present at Spence Diamonds I hit it off with one of the staff Josh, who wound up being available to help deliver the boat. The trip started off with us loading the boat in a brutal rainstorm. The plan was to sail across to Silva Bay, and proceed south to Princess Cove the following day. From there we would take the boat to Montague Harbour where Josh would take the ferry back to Vancouver and Cheryl would join me and my parents. After the weekend we would Cheryl would take the ferry home and myself and a new friend would return the boat to Vancouver.

Crossing the strait we encounter a ferry.

Things started off according to plan. Despite the weather being nasty we made a straightforward crossing and tied up at Silva Bay marina where we had diner at the pub. Kingsley made his usual rounds hoping on any boat he could and making friends.

North Flat Top Islands.

The next morning I awoke discover that I had miscalculated slack water in Gabriola Pass. We raced out to the pass organizing the boat as we went. It was a close call as we inched out of the pass as the flood kicked into full gear. In the end all was well that ended well and we sailed south and cooked breakfast as we went.

The next day the sun was out and we made our way south.

We arrived at Wallace Island to find that Connover Cove was packed and that we would have to settle for Princess Cove which is still beautiful. We found it lightly populated and stern tied away from everyone else to give them and us a wide berth. No sooner had we returned from a hike over the island did we notice that a huge, hideous fishing boat conversion had parked right next to us. As we rowed back to the boat I could hear their gen-set roaring away; classy.

Arriving at Princess Cove we got diner on.

It was a nice empty bay until...

...then our new neighbour showed up.

We spent the rest of the trip fishing, crabbing, cooking and blasting targets with a sling shot. It was a laid back day with little drama except when Kingsley licked a beached jelly fish and got sick. At night we crashed early from a long day in the sun.

Going to check on the crab pot.

The next morning it was another sunny day. Sadly there was no wind and we motored over to Montague Harbour where to meet my parents. We picked up a government mooring ball in the harbour and rowed ashore to meet my folks at there campsite.

Montague Harbour.

Meeting the folks.

I said goodbye to Josh and hello to Cheryl. We spent the night with my folks and the next day wondering the beaches. It was then that we found out that my friend was not going to be able to come and help me deliver the boat back to Vancouver. My plans were in tatters. We had a simple choice leave the boat and come back for it god knows when or Cheryl was going to have to help me deliver the boat right then, All my calculations were off. We would race up to Wallace Island and spend the night. To make it through Porlier Pass we would have to leave Wallace at four in the morning. This was not going to be fun. Cheryl was a trooper and we sailed out that minute.

Arriving at Wallace Island we found a spot at Connover Cove where we tied up to the dock and promptly went to bed in the midst of one of those late summer Gulf Island sunsets. In the pitch black at four in the morning we crawled out of bed, silently cast off the dock and motored for the pass. We were late getting there but were able to shoot through the pass before the flood was too strong.

On the other side of the pass we encountered something I had never seen before. Three Dolphins approached our boat and began to swim around and play with the boat. It lasted for thirty minutes with the dolphins swimming under and around the boat making Dolphin squeaks the whole time. It was one of the coolest experiences I have had.

Following the visit from our Dolphin friends the wind gods smiled upon us. A southwesterly filled in and we began reaching for home. Despite it being a exhausting trip we made record time, We tied the boat up and I was ready for a little break from sailing.