Lunenburg, Nova Scotia's Class Afloat has established the Class Afloat ‘Young Sailor Scholarship’ to assist two students - endorsed by their sailing school, sail training program or yacht club - to participate in an extraordinary educational experience — attending high school while ocean sailing aboard a majestic square-rigged tall ship.
Class Afloat offers young people a unique journey of education and personal discovery. For nine months, students live, study and sail aboard The Sørlandet, a fully restored 210 foot 1927 Class ‘A’ square-rigged tall ship.
The 2013 Mobility Cup is set to be held in Nova Scotia at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. Canada’s national regatta for sailors with disabilities takes place from August 27th to the 30th, with arrival and practice taking place from August 24th to the 26th. Vancouver’s Sam Sullivan founded the Mobility Cup in 1991 by inviting key individuals from other cities to take part in a sailing regatta, whether they had ever sailed before or not, in an effort to promote and grow the sport of disabled sailing.
The Canadian Yachting Association’s annual general meeting concluded October 27 with a vote to change the association's name. Delegates voted overwhelmingly in support of changing the name of the 74-year-old organization to SAIL Canada, enabling the national organization to align its positioning with many other national governing bodies in the sport of sailing. The move is part of a renewed effort to coordinate its training, coaching, judging and high-performance disciplines to allow it to better brand, build and grow awareness of the sport throughout Canada.
The following is from a commentary on the release of the Cohen Report issued by the Georgia Straight Alliance: “The recommendations of the Cohen Inquiry into the Decline of Fraser River Sockeye released in Vancouver on Oct 31, 2012, make clear that though there was no ‘smoking gun’, there are multiple threats that need to be addressed to ensure the long-term health of the Fraser River sockeye. In 75 broad-ranging and specific recommendations, Commissioner Cohen gave the federal government an action blueprint, ranging from the long-overdue implementation of the Wild Salmon policy to actions to ensure that the risk from open net-cage salmon farms are minimized.
Marine Organizations continue their opposition to the planned closures of Canadian Coast Guard establishments. The following was released from the Council of BC Yacht Clubs: The CBCYC has added its voice to the growing chorus of those raising strong objections to the closure of the Kitsilano Canadian Coast Guard base. The council represents over 50 yacht clubs in British Columbia, with over 10,000 members – powerboaters, sailors, canoeists and kayakers, and represents the largest user segment of the recreational boating community in BC.
We’ve written previously suggesting that NOW is the good time to do all those maintenance items that we all usually leave to spring-time. The more boaters can get done before the good weather, the easier and less frustrating pre-season commissioning will be. Our friends at the GPS Store sent along this terrific reminder about doing a complete check on electronics: “People should also pay attention to their boat’s marine electronics and electrical systems, because failures here are just as likely to ruin that first fishing trip or coastal cruise,” said Scott Heffernan, Sales Manager of The GPS Store, Inc. “A few basic steps and system checks can ensure smooth sailing not only on your first trip, but all season long.“
Read more: Time To Prepare For Next Season, Starting With...
There are probably more myths and half-truths about fuel kept aboard during the long winter-time lay-up. The introduction of ethyl alcohols into gasoline has compounded the confusion – arguments abound whether this is a good thing or not and how boaters should react. Here is what has been discussed so far: Nearly full tank or nearly empty tank? That is the big question facing boaters now in the midst of preparing their boats for the long winter hibernation. The concern is that alcohol is used as an octane enhancing gasoline additive that has some unfortunate, harmful side effects on some marine engines.
With the increasing popularity of smart phones and tablets, there are more and more applications being offered. Many are free, and the ones that cost are usually very reasonably priced. Long-time PC users are even now finding the joys of working with Apple Computer products. So many more boaters are using iPads as chartplotters, for example, that RailBlaza reports that their iPad mount is the most popular item sold within their very extensive line of rail-based mounts and accessories.
The devastating tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011 has created an enormous debris field floating in the Pacific, much of IT heading to west coast shorelines. Some US states have already made provision for a clean-up but Canadian authorities have so far not followed suit. The Maritime Museum of BC has stepped up with the creation of a reporting website on which they are inviting reports and, more importantly, photos of incoming debris. The museum is conducting a curated study of the arriving debris, almost in real time. Cooperating with local schools, the museum plans to teach about tsunamis, their damage and the ocean currents that transport disaster-related debris to our shores.
Canadian Yachting West received this sad announcement early on November 6th from Brock Elliott at Campion Boats.
"It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing on November 4th, 2012, of our Chairman, Gordon Elliott, F.C.A., at the age of 82". Brock Elliott, President and son said, "It is difficult to find the words for such an announcement. Our Dad was such a great leader, his life filled to the brim, very diverse and rewarding. He made lasting impressions with so many people; from his professional accounting career, to his strong interest in agriculture, farming and ranching, to the power boat industry.”
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Boat Reviews
Regal LS36 Luxury Crossover
By Andy Adams
Regal Boats’ new LS36 is what we call a day boat. Regal says the LS36 merges their luxury yacht series with their bowrider series and the result is the LS36. This comfortable bowrider is perfect for cruising the lake or hosting friends and family for the day on the weekend.
We feel the styling deserves mention right off the top. This is a big boat at over 37-feet on an 11’7” beam but the clean and almost traditional lines give the LS36 a timeless sporty look that we think, really sets it apart. It’s a Yacht-certified vessel. I counted approximately 21 places for people to sit! You would probably never take a crowd that big but it can certainly handle a gang.
Dufour 37
By Zuzana Prochazka
Every few years, boat builders update their lines with refreshed designs and new features that eventually proliferate throughout their entire offering. Dufour Yachts is in mid-process of such an evolution as the builder changes up their line of sleek sailing cruisers.
One sign of this transformation is the naming convention that is morphing from triple-digit numbers ending with a zero, to simple double-digits that one would guess designates the LOA – more on this later. The latest model in the refresh is the Dufour 37 which replaces the previous Dufour 360.
Destinations
Hidden in plain sight: Western Lake Ontario
I start every article, story or TV segment about boating out of the biggest city in Canada the same way. Citing the multiple people who told me I would “quickly get bored of Toronto harbour” or that “there’s nothing to do in Lake Ontario” and that it was only a matter of time before I moved marinas to a much more appropriate setting just north of the city.
With all due respect to my pals who boat in Georgian Bay, I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon. Next year will be my tenth in Toronto Harbour and I love it more each year.
Lifestyle
By John Morris
McDonald’s Canada founder, George Cohon, adores his Hinckley 48 Talaria
On a leisurely summer afternoon, what could be more relaxing than a cruise up the river aboard a stunning 48-footer with the most gracious host and a few very happy guests? If you have never met George Cohon; the founder of McDonald’s Canada, you might picture him as one tough hombre, a relentless business type who achieved staggering success.
But aboard McHappy III, the coolest boat on the lake, you’d never describe him as anything but charismatic, relaxed and enjoying life to the fullest.
Introducing the next graduate in our CYOB marine career path series, Nathanial Stabenow from the East Coast of Canada.
An individual of many hats, Nathanial has had a diverse career in the marine industry taking part in commercial diving, marine navigation, rigging and boat building. He now works as a marine engineer on the LaHave ferry in Nova Scotia. Here is Nathanial’s unique career path.
DIY & How to
Ask Andrew: Maintaining your anchor and anchor rode
‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’ is a cliche that is quite applicable in boat maintenance. In a literal sense, a weakest link can apply to an anchor rode, and a weak link in this chain can spell disaster.
Transport Canada specifies the sizes of anchors required in the Canada Shipping Act, detailed more commonly in the Safe Boating Guide:
For Sail and Power boats up to 6 m (19’8”): One (1) anchor and at least 15 m (49’3”) of cable, rope or chain in any combination...
Marine Products
Avator is Mercury’s next step forward in marine innovation and the 7.5e model is the first in a series of electric outboard products to be released in 2023. Mercury also plans to display concepts for its Avator 20e and 35e outboards, which will be in market later in 2023.
The Avator 7.5e outboard generates 750W of power at the prop shaft and produces similar speed and acceleration as a Mercury 3.5hp FourStroke outboard. Offered with tiller or remote steering, it’s ideal for powering many small boats, including tenders, jon boats, inflatables and kayaks.
New Gear: Compact Antenna Brings TV/FM Onboard
Televisions on a boat are increasingly commonplace. With the simple-to-install Glomex Avior VT300 Omnidirectional TV/FM antenna from GA Communications, it's never been easier to bring analog and digital broadcasts onboard—at a price that's hard to ignore.
The most noticeable feature of the Avior VT300 antenna is its compact white, anti-yellowing radome. At only 4" dia. x 8" H and 8.8 oz., it's specifically made for smaller boats that can't accommodate large TV antenna domes and only need short range reception, depending on height and conditions.
News
The Samana 59 Smart Electric is a new sailing catamaran equipped with alternative energy solutions and EODev’s electro-hydrogen REXH2.
To reduce its carbon impact, the Samana 59 Smart Electric has a virtuous energy architecture composed of a REXH2 that can provide up to 70 kW of continuous power, a battery composed of LiFePO4-EVEPOWER (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells of 63kWh integrated by EVE SYSTEM and Alternatives Energies and 42 m2 of “slim” type solar panels that can provide up to 6145 W. This energy mix allows to take advantage of all the embarked renewable energies (solar, wind).
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