'Oldest sailboat in Canada' returning to the sea with help from BC Ferries
A 125-year-old sailboat is set to return to the waters of British Columbia after being landlocked for more than 20 years.
According to BC Ferries, the nine-metre long sailboat (30ft), named Dorothy, was first built in 1897 by shipbuilder John H. Robinson for the round sum of $1,800.
BC Ferries describes Dorothy as the "oldest sailboat in Canada," while the Maritime Museum of B.C. credits the ship with being the oldest sailing yacht in all of North America's Pacific Northwest.
Dorothy has many accolades to her name, according to BC Ferries, including being the winner of the Queen Victoria birthday regatta in 1900.
Over the past 125 years, the sailboat has had nearly a dozen owners, including the ship's first owner, W.H. Langley, who swore he saw a sea monster dubbed the "Cadborosaurus."
A sworn affidavit by Langley saying he saw the sea monster is still housed at the Maritime Museum of B.C., and marks the first official sighting of the creature.
'A LOT OF GOOD YEARS AHEAD'
The museum acquired Dorothy in 1995, and in 2012 the ship was transported to Gabriola Island by BC Ferries to undergo repairs by shipbuilder Tony Grove.
"As I worked on Dorothy it became clear that she was 'overbuilt' to some extent which has factored into her longevity," Grove said in a release Monday.
"With the restoration work done and some regular maintenance, Dorothy should have a lot of good years ahead," he said.
Dorothy is pictured inside Tony Grove’s workshop on Gabriola Island, B.C. (BC Ferries)
The shipbuilder had planned to hold onto the boat until the museum could find it a permanent home, but the search continues a decade later.
Now, BC Ferries has agreed to take the sailboat back from Gabriola Island to Ladysmith, B.C., where Dorothy will dock before setting sail once again.
"Dorothy hasn’t dipped her toe in the water in more than 20 years and will need a week at dock to allow her planks to expand before she can sail," said BC Ferries in a statement.
The Ladysmith Maritime Society will look after the sailboat until the Maritime Museum of B.C. can find Dorothy a permanent home.
The Victoria-based museum hopes to eventually store Dorothy in the city's inner harbour. There's also plans to have daytrips running on the oldest sailboat in Canada.
"Dorothy was the flagship of the Victoria Yacht Club and one of the very first yachts in the area," said Angus Matthews, a former owner of the ship and current board member for the Maritime Museum of B.C.
"She was beautiful and graceful, and moved like a rocket."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.