A 125-year-old sailboat must return to the waters of British Columbia after being landlocked for more than 20 years.
According to BC Ferries, the nine-foot sailboat (30 feet), named Dorothy, was first built in 1897 by shipbuilder John H. Robinson for a round sum of $ 1,800.
BC Ferries describes Dorothy as “the oldest sailing ship in Canada”, while the Maritime Museum of British Columbia recognizes the ship as the oldest sailing yacht in the entire Northwest Pacific of North America.
Dorothy has many accolades for her name, according to BC Ferries, including winning the regatta for Queen Victoria’s birthday in 1900.
In the last 125 years, the sailboat has had nearly a dozen owners, including the ship’s first owner, WH Langley, who swore he had seen a sea monster called the Cadborosaurus.
Langley’s sworn oath, which says he saw the sea monster, is still in the Maritime Museum of British Columbia and marks the creature’s first official sight.
“VERY GOOD YEARS AHEAD”
The museum was acquired by Dorothy in 1995, and in 2012 the ship was transported to Gabriola Island by BC Ferries to be repaired by shipbuilder Tony Grove.
“While working on Dorothy, it became clear that she had been ‘rebuilt’ to some extent, which affected her longevity,” Grove said in a statement Monday.
“With the restoration work done and regular maintenance, Dorothy must have a very good year ahead,” he said.
Dorothy is pictured in Tony Grove’s workshop on Gabriola Island, British Columbia (British Columbia Ferries)
The shipbuilder planned to keep the boat until the museum could find her a permanent home, but the search continued a decade later.
BC Ferries has now agreed to return the sailboat from Gabriola Island to Ladysmith, British Columbia, where Dorothy will dock before sailing again.
“Dorothy has not dipped her toe in the water for more than 20 years and will need a week at the dock to allow her boards to expand before she can sail,” a statement from BC Ferries said.
The Ladysmith Maritime Society will take care of the sailboat until the Maritime Museum of British Columbia finds Dorothy a permanent home.
The Victoria-based museum hopes to eventually keep Dorothy in the city’s inner harbor. There are also plans for day trips with the oldest sailboat in Canada.
“Dorothy was the flagship of the Victoria Yacht Club and one of the first yachts in the area,” said Angus Matthews, a former shipowner and current board member of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.
“She was beautiful and graceful and moved like a rocket.
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