'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
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.