SS Master

• Year Built: 1922
• Flag: Canada
• LOA: 26m/85’
• Beam: 6m/19’5”
• Draft: 2.8m/9’ 2”
• Engine: Triple Expansion Steam Engine
• Builder: Arthur Moscrop
• Gross Tonnage: 225 tonnes
• Home Port: Steveston, BC

One of only a few remaining steam-powered tugboats, the SS Master was built in 1922 at Beach Avenue Shipyard in False Creek. Designed and built by renowned tugboat builder Arthur Moscrop, the SS Master still operates with her original WW1 surplus steam engine. Throughout her life, the SS Master worked the waters of the Pacific Northwest towing logs and barges throughout the region. Retired and left for scrap in 1962, the SS Master was purchased by the SS Master Society for $500 and has since undergone extensive restorations.

Gikumi

• Year Built: 1954
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 18.3m/60’
• Beam: 5.2m/17’
• Draft: 1.9m/6’ 2”
• Engine: Caterpillar Diesel 3406C
• Designer: Robert Allan Sr.
• Builder: Bisset & Gilstein, North Vancouver
• Gross Tonnage: 42 tonnes
• Home Port: Richmond, BC

From her launch on Labour Day 1954 to the early eighties, Gikumi worked delivering freight and towed logs and scows out of her home port of Telegraph Cove. She even did some ship docking and worked as a pilot boat over her long career. When the mill closed in Telegraph Cove, Gikumi became BC’s first whale watching vessel and remained in Telegraph Cove providing tours to the spectacular Broughton Archipelago until 2017.

The renowned Naval Architect Robert Allan Sr. designed this famous west coast work boat to service the Broughton Lumber and Trading Company saw mill in Telegraph Harbour. She was built by Bisset and Gilstein boatyard in North Vancouver. The name “Gikumi” means “Chief” in the tongue of the Namgis First Nation (Alert Bay) in the dialect know as Kwakwala.

SV Ziska

• Year built: 1903
• Flag: American
• LOA 16.5m/54′
• Beam: 13.5m/11′6″
• Draft: 1.7m/5’6″
• Engine: Torqeedo Cruise10 Pod Drive
• Designer: Morecambe Bay Prawner
• Built by: Crossfield Brothers, Arnside, England
• Gross tonnage: 11 tonnes
• Home Port: Port Townsend, WA

Ziska was built in 1903 as a cruising and racing yacht to the lines of the working Morecambe Bay Prawners of her day. She broke a mooring line in a storm, was wrecked on the rocks, and it took 24 years for her to get back in the water. A 19-year-old English sailor shipwright, Ashley Butler, restored her and solo sailed her 25,000 nautical miles in 6 years before selling her. Twenty years ago, she was trucked to Port Townsend before falling again on hard times. In 2017, she was given to her current and completed the 2019 R2AK race to Alaska before a pod drive was installed.

Island Provider

• Year built: 1977
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 16.46m/54’
• Beam: 4.72m/15’6”
• Draft: 1.83m/6’
• Engine: 871 Detroit Diesel (Jimmy)
• Designed and built by: Federick Peterson
• Gross tonnage: 34.51 tonnes
• Home Port: Ladner, BC

Island Provider was originally built as a west coast freezer troller named the Briny Mist.  One herring season, while acting as a packer, she suffered a fire in the cabin – all the crew made it off safely and the fire was put out. Only the cabin was burned, but her insurers at Mutual Marine funded the building of a new cabin. The work was done by Tom-Mac Shipyards on the North Arm of the Fraser River in Richmond.

The current owner, Mitchell Bay Fishing (Roy Botkin), purchased the vessel in 1992.

She was converted to a halibut longliner and a salmon and herring packer, and still holds a valid “L” tab., packing herring and salmon for Seafoods Products and then Scarlet Point Seafoods from 1992-2019. She can pack 31 tonnes of herring including ice and water (slush) and 58,000 pounds of salmon with ice and water (slush).

Viking Mariner

• Year built: 1955
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA 15m/49’2”
• Beam: 4.94m/16’2”
• Draft: 1.89m/6’2”
• Engine: 220 hp diesel engine
• Designer: Marke Simmons & Carole Bird 
• Built by: Mario Tarabochia, Ladner, BC
• Gross Tonnage: 37.85 tonnes
• Home Port: Galiano, BC

Viking Mariner was built by Mario Tarabochia in Ladner with fir planks on fir frames. Launched in 1955 as Mar-Brothers. It was originally owned and operated by the Martinolich family, part of a family fleet that included Mar Lady, Marsons and Klemtu. Throughout her working life, the Mar-Brothers worked as a drum seiner for Martinolich Bros. Fishing Ltd, and then the Canadian Fish Company on the inside and outside coasts of Vancouver Island. Viking Mariner was refit and restored from 2001-2007, maintaining the lines of the original design by Marke Simmons & Carole Bird. From 2007 to 2011 John & Joyce Manning continued her meticulous upkeep. In 2011, Viking Mariner was purchased by her current owner, Dr. Charles Schell who completed her conversion. The boat regularly cruises the BC Coast when not at its usual moorage in Montague Harbour.

Saravan

• Year built: 1938
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 10m/33’
• Beam: 3.12m/10’3”
• Draft: 1.5m/5’
• Engine:  106 bhp 4-cylinder engine
• Designer:  Stanley Park Shipyards Ltd.
• Built by:  Stanley Park Shipyards Ltd.
• Gross tonnage:  7.07
• Home Port: Ladysmith, BC

Saravan was built for Harry Van Froome and was named for his wife, Sara in 1938. She was put into service as a harbour tug in Victoria Harbour. Between 1940 and 1942 she was owned by the Royal Canadian Navy as a harbour auxiliary and as a boom defense tug stationed at HMCS Naden in Comox, BC.

She was donated to the Ladysmith Heritage Society in 1988 by Ken Mulholland and was refurbished by volunteers. The work was finished in 1991, after which she was used as a passenger vessel for harbour tours. Saravan retired from active duty in 2009 and underwent further restoration to restore her to her original glory.

 

Silver Ann

• Year Built: 1969
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 11.3m/37’
• Beam: 2.9m/9’ 6”
• Draft: 1.3m/4′ 3″”
• Engine: Ford I-6 Series 240 gas engine
• Builder: Sadajiro Asari
• Gross Tonnage: 8.84 tonnes
• Home Port: Steveston, BC

Built in 1969, the Silver Ann was one of the last wooden gillnetters to be fabricated in Steveston on the banks of the Fraser River. It was built at the Richmond Boat Builders building located now at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site. This wooden gillnetter was commissioned by George Osaka and named the Silver Ann to commemorate his silver wedding anniversary. It was built by Sadajiro Asari who built boats on Sea Island. He was one of more than 20 Japanese boat builders in township of Richmond during the early development of the fishing industry. Each fishing cannery had its own boat builders on site.

George Osaka fished with the Silver Ann for fifteen years from 1969 to 1984 until his retirement when he sold it to David Hoffman. In November 2001, the Silver Ann was acquired by the City of Richmond to undergo a complete restoration in the Richmond Boat Builders.

Small Fry

• Year Built: 1941
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 4.9m/16″

Mr. Harry Thomas, of Nelson Island, requested construction of this carve-planked boat by a notable local shipwright. It was launched in Pender Harbour in August of 1941. Her home port over the ensuing years was Ballet Bay. The Thomas family utilized the vessel in many capacities over the next four decades; including salmon fishing, and contacting supply boats to pick up goods as well as Nelson Island mail. It was restored by boat builder Robert R. Lalley, of Duncan, BC. In 1981. Since 1982, Small Fry has been moored at the Pedder Bay Marina in Metchosin, Vancouver Island. The boat is totally operational. It is one of the few, if not the only, small craft with a working Easthope 4-6 engine.

Bianca

• Year built: 1959
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 10m/32′6″
• Beam: 3.4m/11′1″
• Draft: 0.66m/2’2”
• Engine: Twin OMC 350
• Designer: Don Mortrude
• Built by: Chris-Craft Corp
• Gross tonnage: 5 tonnes
• Home Port: Richmond, BC

Bianca is a 1959 Chris Craft 32ft Express; one of 17 built between 1957 and 1959. The low production number is quite unusual for a Chris Craft, as most models were built by the hundreds or even thousands. She was sold at Bryant Marine in Seattle and launched February 16th 1959, delivered by rail from Holland, Michigan. She was originally and still is a true high speed cruiser as she was delivered with two Hemi 392s. The original owner had the propellers replaced to get her some 35 miles per hour top speed when new. She was repowered in 2003 by John Flaherty in Bellingham with two Chevy 350s, and with some propeller changes she’s now almost back at original top speed at 34 miles per hour WOT and 20 knots cruising speed at 3000 rpm. She is as era correct as possible with most appliances from 1959, including a 1959 magazine stand. The owners have cruised about 2000 nautical miles every year in the past 8 years with Bianca.

Arctic Charm

• Year built: 1977
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 18.3m/60’
• Beam: 5.18m/17’
• Draft: 2.6m/8’6”
• Engine: Detroit 2 cycle diesel engine, model 8V92T “Silver”
• Designer: Edwin Monk Sr.
• Built by: Crescent City Welding, CA
• Gross tonnage: 100 tonnes
• Home Port: Ladysmith, BC

Arctic Charm was built in 1977 as a fishing boat and registered as a “dragger”. In 2006, she was purchased in the U.S. and brought to Canadian Registry for a complete refit and repurpose, which was completed in 2014. All work to refit and repurpose the boat was performed on the water at Ladysmith Fisherman’s Wharf, with the exception of the hull sandblasting and painting which took place at Stone’s Marina in Nanaimo during a 3-month period.

The engine was rebuilt by Trend Diesel of Nanaimo, and the marine gear was rebuilt by Cullen Diesel of Nanaimo.

Hai Long

• Type of Vessel: Chinese Junk Sailing Ship
• Number of Masts: 2
• Year Built: 1968
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 11.6m/38′
• Beam: 3.8m/12′ 4″
• Draft: 1.4m/4′ 6″
• Engine: Volvo Penta diesel
• Builder: Cheoy Lee (Hong Kong)
• Gross tonnage: 15 tonnes
• Homeport: Charlottetown, PEI (soon to be Steveston, BC)

Hai Long is a rare find, a true and authentic, Hong Kong-built, all-teakwood Chinese Junk Ship with full provenance. She is authentic and original in every regard, including her large, fenestrated rudder, ornate woodwork and brightwork and her robust teakwood ribs and framework. Her overall condition is remarkable, a pure testament to the previous owners who grew old with Hai Long, having commissioned her bespoke construction in 1968 and making the decision in 2016 to sell to her present owners, the Gisbornes. She spent all of her 55 years on the East Coast of Canada, only recently making her debut in Steveston after a long haul. With her sails in full bloom, she cuts an impressive profile and becomes the primary subject of discussion amongst all in view of her.

Delta Lifeboat

• Year Built: 1944
• Flag: Canada
• LOA: 15.9m/52’
• Beam: 3.9m/12’ 8”
• Draft: 1.5m/5’
• Engine: Detroit G.M.
• Engine (hp): 157
• Builder: U.S. Navy
• Gross Tonnage: 30 tonnes
• Home Port: Ladner, BC

The Delta Lifeboat was built in Pearl Harbour in 1944. She operates out of Ladner under the flag of the Canadian Lifeboat Institution (CLI) and the City of Delta. The CLI is a volunteer Search and Rescue organization whose main objective is to patrol during certain fisheries and other events and to prevent accidents at sea. They are a search and rescue partner working together with professionals and other volunteers to save lives at sea.

The CLI dedicates much of its service conducting safety patrols especially during herring and salmon fisheries to ensure assistance is always close at hand. The all-volunteer crew continue to provide search and rescue services in the Gulf of Georgia and Fraser Estuary. As of today, over 890 marine incidents have been handled by the “Delta Lifeboat.”

Spirit of Hastings

• Year Built: 2013
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 11m/33′
• Draft: 0.6m/2′
• Home Port: Steveston, BC

The Spirit of Hastings is named after 35-year RCMSAR and retired CCG member, Barry R. Hastings. Barry’s life was dedicated to boating safety and helping those in need. The vessel is unique, with its twin water-jet propulsion system. This means there are no propellers below the hull line reducing exposure to river debris. The vessel is capable of 37kts speed and rated to sustained 50kt wind speed. As well, the vessel is capable to automatically re-right itself. Based out of Steveston Harbour, the Spirit of Hastings responds to more than 30 calls for assistance each year and is crewed 24/7/365 by the members of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue – Richmond – Station 10.

Jimmy Ng

• Year Built: 2004
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 8.5m/28’
• Beam: 3m/10′
• Draft: 0.9m/3′
• Home Port: Steveston, BC

This boat is named after fallen RCMP officer Jimmy Ng, who volunteered with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) in his hometown of Richmond. With a top speed of 39 knots, RCMSAR volunteers crew this vessel when responding to distress situations in the Fraser River and the Strait of Georgia. Members go through extensive training before they qualify as Search and Rescue (SAR) crew. In addition, the volunteer organization contributes hundreds of hours annually in support of boating safety in the community. RCMSAR Richmond Station 10 leverages two Dedicated Response Vessels (DRV) that are considered Fast Response Craft (FRC). Both are Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) designed to taken on the environment, keep volunteers safe and bring those in trouble home.

Sea Dragon

• Year built: 1982
• Flag: Canadian
• LOA: 8.2m/27′
• Beam: 2.8m/9’2″
• Draft: 1.6m/5’2″
• Designer: C&C Design
• Built by: Capitol City Yachts, California, USA
• Gross tonnage: 3 tonnes
• Home Port: Richmond, BC

The “Sea Dragon” is a Newport 27 sailing vessel used by the Sea Dragon Sea Scouts Group for deep-sea expeditions. It is a training sailboat for scouts and venturers to learn seamanship and navigation which fulfill requirements for the Chief Scout Award, Queen’s Venturer Award, and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.