Pacific Yachting

August 31 to September 2
35th Annual Victoria Classic Boat Festival:
Celebrating 35 years in the waters of Victoria’s Inner Harbour, the Victoria Classic Boat Festival will once again take place on Labour Day weekend.
For the third year in a row, Canoe Cove Marina and Boatyard will sponsor the festival, which, with the support of the Victoria Harbour Authority, continues to provide free admission to the public.
“This is the largest traditional boat show in Canada,” said festival chairman Jamie Webb, “and without the generous support of Canoe Cove and the Harbour Authority the expense of such a major undertaking would not be feasible.”
Don Prittie, General Manager of Canoe Cove Marina and Boatyard, said his company is happy to give something back to the boating community. “In the past year we have expanded our facilities exponentially with the addition of Freedom Marine, Jespersen Boat Works, Raven Marine, Seapower Marine and Watershed Canvas to our existing family of riggers, shipwrights and mechanics. The yard is busier than ever and a growing numbers of classic yachts are calling Canoe Cove home,” he said.
A particular emphasis for the 2012 festival will be small boats. Last year, the Open Boat Festival, normally held in the latter half of September in Brentwood Bay, joined forces with the Victoria Festival. Organizers of the Brentwood event, Abernathy and Gaudin Boatbuilders, discovered the event had grown to require more operational management than the wooden boat-building firm could devote in addition to their busy boatyard. The marriage has proved a success: a flotilla of new little boats registered for the first time last year and Robert Abernathy has joined the Festival Committee to keep an eye on the “small ships” division.
For further information, classic boat owners and lovers may contact the festival office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.classicboatfestival.ca.