While the history of wooden boats has been comprehensively chronicled from the earliest prehistoric dugouts to 20th century fishing boats, tugs and yachts, the same cannot be said of fibreglass boats. For two to three decades fibreglass boat building was a thriving cottage indust
While the history of wooden boats has been comprehensively chronicled from the earliest prehistoric dugouts to 20th century fishing boats, tugs and yachts, the same cannot be said of fibreglass boats. For two to three decades fibreglass boat building was a thriving cottage industry on Canada’s west coast. Arie and Len DeKleer developed an enduring fleet of yachts.
For a short time this company competed for dominance on the passenger run from Victoria BC to Nanaimo BC only to be put out of business by the E & N Railway.
Once a major employer on Esquimalt Harbour this company passed out of existence in the 1990s. Building naval and merchant vessels they were a scion of the great British ship builders.
The history of a pioneer west coast tug boat family and the vessels that they owned and operated over nearly a 100 year span in the forest and fisheries towing industries.
Today’s popular Victoria BC department store had beginnings as a ship breaker and scrap metal dealer. Moving slowly from that to surplus marine equipment sales to hardware to a fully fledged department store is part of British Columbia's maritime heritage.
Aidez à préserver le patrimoine maritime de la C.-B. pour les générations futures — numérisation des archives, restauration des photographies et expansion de notre collection.
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