# Advice for newcomer to BC



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

Hi there. I'm new around here, although some of you may know me from the YBW Scuttlebutt. 

I'm going to be emigrating this summer to Vancouver and am looking to get afloat once there, so I'm on the scrounge for as much advice and local knowledge as I can get. 

My experience has been in sailing our family boat around the Menai Straits, in Wales (v. tidal) since the grand age of 6 weeks old, and sporadically dodging around in the Forth, under the famous bridge, over the past few years. I've never done a practical exam, but have a shorebased qualification under my belt, never saw a kicking strap on a boat bigger than a dinghy until I was about 37 and always hanked on my jib, so to speak. So, I'm definitely at the lo-tech end of things, although I'm looking to upgrade to more modern when I get my own boat. 

Advice on what sort of boats to look at would be good - 27-30' & no more than $15-20k is my target range, with the Whitby 25 (I know...), CS-27, Ericson 29 and the like currently being shortlisted. My knowledge of sailboats built in the US and Canada is limited to what I can find on the net, so first hand opinions would be welcomed.

I'd also like to get as much information as I can on the sailing grounds over there, and how best to get onto them. I think I'll probably do some crewing this year and look at a purchase next, so a friendly yacht club with an active racing and cruising program would be a must for me, as would be recommendations for pilot books and charts to whet my appetite. 

Thanks in anticipation!


----------



## jackdale (Dec 1, 2008)

The Pacific Northwest (as the Americans call it) is a great place to sail.

I have not sailed any of the boats you mention, but a friend had a CS 27 they quite liked. Take a look at Yachtworld.com to see what is available.

Cruising guides.

Inexpensive - Northwest Boat Travel Northwest Boating Northwest Boat Travel On-Line, Waggoner The Waggoner Cruising Guide, Annual Guide to Northwest Boating from Weatherly Press

Expensive, bit worth it - The Dreamspeaker Series. (Boating Destinations in the Pacific Northwest | Dreamspeaker Guides)

Official publication - Sailing Directions from the Canadian Hydrographic Service Sailing Directions - British Columbia coast (South Portion) Volume 1, Seventeenth Edition, 2004

Yacht clubs can run from very expensive to something more reasonable:
CYA Member's Area

Feel free to fire away with more questions.

Jack


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Welcome, you should be looking forward to sailing/cruising here in BC. Where are you going to be based?

I don't know any unhappy CS owners... of any size. So that's a good sign. The early models have their roots deeply into 'merry old', with the designer Ray Wall having moved here from Camper Nicholson. You could do much worse, but there are other equally viable options once you get here, and the boat market in the PNW United States is quite good esp if you're shopping with Canadian money these days. Boats found in the Puget Sound area are easy on-their-own-bottom deliveries.

You're coming into one of the world's premier cruising grounds and just in time for summer. Jack's posted some good links to information and options.


----------



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

Thanks chaps - I had hoped that you two would chip in as I've noticed you are both good on the local knowledge front. We're not sure exactly where we're going to be based- ideally it would be the island, but given that I have a job offer in New Westminster, working 2 weeks out of 4 from FSJ (not close to the sea, or my family) and we have to find somewhere to set up a stud, we're thinking possibly Maple Ridge/ Langley/ Fort Langley at the moment, depending on how much we can afford. Ask me again in a couple of weeks time, once we've done landfall and met with the bank!

Thanks for the reading material Jack. I've got a few of those in my amazon wishlist, but shall be adding to that forthwith...

I agree with the CS yachts - I'm looking at a certain CN 30 on Yachtworld at the moment, and went from there in my researches to the CS's. I agree, they certainly seem to have a reputation for underlying quality, which I like if going for a MAB. 

I have previously been told of the Tiddly Cove YC as a friendly place (without some of the insane membership price tags that are out there). Have you any knowledge of that or other clubs that might be more accessible to mere mortals?

Faster - is the Fast the same as the South African Fasts? I crewed a 42 a couple of years back and had a lot of fun.


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

AC2

The Fast is not the South African one, rather it's Brazilian, now out of production however it's orginally a C&N design by Ron Holland.

Tiddly Cove is a racing convenience club - many regattas require a membership of a recognized club to qualify. If you're looking for a good cruising club I recommend the Gulf Yacht Club - a cruising club with about 100 memberships, monthly meetings Sept to June, monthly cruising rendezvous' pretty much year round. I'll be happy to introduce you in Sept if you like. This club has no assets, no floats, no facilities (nor does TCYC) but it's a great group and only $100/yr.


----------



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

Many thanks for the offer - I'll bear it in mind. We'll get settled in and see how we go - so many things in the air just now. Our realtor has offered me a sail out of VRC, which I'm hugely looking forward to!


----------



## AdamLein (Nov 6, 2007)

Faster said:


> I recommend the Gulf Yacht Club


Really? Never heard of them before.... is there a website?


----------



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

It doesn't appear to be working. There is an snailmail address however. (That's sooo 20th century...!)


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

AdamLein said:


> Really? (Gulf Yacht Club) Never heard of them before.... is there a website?


Weird.. there is a web site.. we just renewed our domain name but I guess something's gone wrong with that. The site is in committee for a major overhaul but the old one should be online still.

Will look into it (monthly meeting tonight)..stay tuned.

Adam.. meetings tonight at 8 pm at the Maritime Museum (right after the Canucks win the cup!! )


----------



## AdamLein (Nov 6, 2007)

Hm, tempting! Maybe next month. Meantime I will keep an eye open for the website.


----------



## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

Good to hear the Gulf Yacht Club is still around, I was a member in 1972 with my Westerly 25 "Sabrina" and have the small brass plaque in front of me now.
"Gulf Sailor #165"

Sad to report the Canucks seem to be losing - 4 - 0 for Boston in the 2nd.

Not to hijack the thread totally, welcome to B.C.

And I second the choice of a CS27.


----------



## GraemeInCanada (Jun 17, 2008)

Well, welcome to the lower mainland! possibly the island? There are tons of places to sail around here and lots of social events going on in the summer season. I've no idea on the CS but I haven't heard anything bad about them around here. 

Anyways, not so much to add to everybody else other than "welcome!".


----------



## marpen (Aug 13, 2000)

*Gulf yacht Club website*

Hi 
The website for the Gulf Yacht Club is now active go to Gulf Yacht Club - Gulf Yacht Club, We are the friendliest sailing club in Vancouver , BC still working on adding content but it is in business...Martin


----------



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

Thanks for all the info and some really great information. I have a further little question:

Do you need insurance to own a boat in BC? It's optional here, but highly recommended, but I've no idea what it's like in the PNW.

Thanks!


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Pretty well all marinas require you to have liability insurance. Whether you need to carry full coverage usually depends on if you own the boat outright or not. If it's financed you'll most likely be required to protect the bank's interest.

btw have you found the PNW forum here yet?

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/pacific-northwest-alaska/


----------



## Armchairsailor2 (Jun 13, 2011)

Aha! I thought I saw that forum - can't believe that I mislaid it. Thanks for that.


----------



## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

Thanks Faster - I didn't know it existed!


----------

