If you’re looking for Romance, you might want to attend this weekend’s Victoria Classic Boat Festival in the Inner Harbour.
There, you’ll find Romance and about 70 other classic wind and power-driven pleasure craft from all over the Pacific Northwest gathered to celebrate the region’s rich maritime history, Friday to Sunday.
This is the 44th year for the classic boat gathering, hosted by the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. The event attracts vessels from both sides of the border, with up to 10,000 visitors expected to view the boats, moored by the public docks along Wharf and Government streets over the Labour Day long weekend.
Some of the boats will be open to the public and visitors can meet and chat with the owners.
Anya Zanko, events and development manager with the Maritime Museum, says what sets Victoria’s festival apart is the sheer variety of classic vessels. “You can see classic boats of all sizes and shapes, including rowboats, work boats and even one small steamboat.”
She said small boats are very popular with the public.
While many of the vessels that come for the gathering are old, the festival is also open to classic boats built more recently, such as Romance, which was was built with the help of Brentwood Bay’s Abernethy and Gaudin Boatbuilders and launched in 2008.
“There are so many ways to interpret classic these days,” said Zanko.
The festival offers an optional judging service. Judges, each an expert in their field, can offer guidance and suggestions to owners dedicated to the accurate restoration of their vessels. Some boats return improved year after year, until they reach the pinnacle of their restoration and owners are recognized for their efforts.
The Honourary Commodore for 2023 is Captain Richard “Slim” Gardner aboard MV Deerleap.
The festival kicks off in the Inner Harbour at noon on Friday. A sail-past starts at 11 a.m. Sunday, with the best views from Ogden Point Breakwater and Clover Point.
A sail race takes place immediately after, between Clover Point and Ogden Point, with Dallas Road the best spot to watch the spectacle.
Take a moment during the festival to step aboard China Cloud, a 45-foot junk-rig sailing vessel built on the beach with a handsaw and axe by Allen and Sharie Farrell in 1982. The ship’s current owner, Eden Murray, is this year’s recipient of the Abernethy and Gaudin Boatbuilders Young Boaters Scholarship.
Admission to the festival is by donation (suggested $5), with volunteers on the docks to give out stickers to indicate you have already donated.
The docks will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The boats will start arriving in the Inner Harbour at noon Thursday.
The Victoria Classic Boat Festival is made possible with the support of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, Mill Bay Marine Group, a grant from the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events Fund and a Festival Investment Grant from the City of Victoria.
For more information, go to mmbc.bc.ca/news-and-events/classic-boat-festival.
