Appropriate architecture (design) applies to both buildings and boats, as well as all the other manufactured items we use every day. Appropriate materials, aesthetics, how something fits in terms of surrounding environment, use, and historic context are all central to appropriate design.

My first lessons in architecture came from my Grandfather, Harry Roberts, when I was about 10 years old. Harry had designed and built a number of houses by this time in his life, first at Robert’s Creek, then at Merry Island, and finally at Cape Cockburn on Nelson Island. His ideas on architecture changed radically along the way. His first house was of logs, rectangular with a single level main floor, a single peaked roof, and was built on flat ground at Roberts Creek in 1905. He was young, newly married, and in a hurry.

Ten years later he started a second far more elaborate waterfront log home which was to become known as the “Castle”, completed in 1917 and still a landmark at the creek mouth. The castle is two stories though Harry was a short Welshman so headroom upstairs is minimal. But the building at least considered it’s environment, few small windows on the north side which is well sheltered by big fir trees, lot’s of south facing glass, a greenhouse on the southwest corner, and rooms grouped around the “central” heating (fireplaces and wood cook stove in the kitchen).

Harry’s fifth house is named Sunray, finished in 1932 and is by far the best conceived. Again of cedar logs with cement floors made of the sand and gravel found outside the front door. It’s built in a spiral completing one rotation on multiple levels with the kitchen (wood heat) lowest and master bedroom highest (over the kitchen). This building is nestled out of the wind behind the gravel beach berm on an exposed cape. Burrowed into the hillside, the kitchen is at ground level facing away from the weather and all levels have natural light. Its north side is sheltered by the woodshed and the cement and rock back of the big livingroom fireplace. The kitchen looks out on a large enclosed summer kitchen and work room which in turn looks out on the orchard and garden.

James Wharram has a theory that natural materials are the most comfortable and comforting for people needing shelter in a house or boat. One can (At least I can) feel this upon entry into Sunray, the low massively beamed ceilings, glowing oiled wood walls, built in log furniture, and natural rock and sand floors are an integrated design that is at once simple and complete. There is no fake gilding or plastic luxury, the luxury is in real materials properly used. This luxury is beyond stylish and will stand up as good design despite fashion.

These houses were my earliest examples of using local materials and letting the design flow from its use and environment. This is the direct opposite of the “dropped from outer space” school of design to which so called “modern” designers seem to ascribe. I feel part of the ill fit we find with modern design is the split between home and work. It used to be that home was where you did much or all of your work. In fact, at the time my Grandfather was building his houses, there was no split, it was all just life. Thus the house was a part of the work one did. In the past 50 years people have left home to go to a place of work, and the house becomes a status symbol (and a place to sleep) that is never under construction or less than perfectly neat as if no one lives there. Today we see more folks returning to work from or at home, which is in my view a healthy trend. Now if we could get past the ideas that boats can only be luxury yachts required for holidays and that families can’t spend days working at home together.

So my grandfather’s ideas about appropriate design and materials were passed to me. When I built a farmhouse in Maine it was an adaptation of the traditional style, but included modern insulation and passive solar siteing and it was entirely lined with Maine pine left bright.

In thinking about a new house for the BC coast, I look to native long houses or (IMO) their descendents, the net shed. These were large rectangular buildings, of simple form, set with one narrow end toward the water. Again modern architecture seems to push “busy design” as good design. I disagree; simplicity coupled with good proportion can be elegant. The simple form done with appropriate materials (local) fits into and becomes part of the landscape, just as the terracotta and tile houses of Tuscany fit into the ancient hillsides.

The net shed or long house is infinitely scalable and thus adaptable to numerous uses. Key would be incorporating home and work under one roof. My layout would have living space on the main (ground level) floor at the waterfront end. Above this would be office space and the back 2/3rds of the building would be boat shop, closed off from living and office areas but with connecting windows and doors. The smaller version of this arrangement would all be on one level.

Bringing this subject back to boats I am always struck by the inappropriateness of sleek white plastic boats in our bay. The hard surfaces, spaceship looks, aggressive stance and general inorganic unfriendliness just doesn’t fit. These boats seem at home in the harsh bright sunlight of the Caribbean but in our soft misty light they are alien vessels intended for very different use. Only in the very hottest days of August do they start to make sense with their dark interiors and tiny black tinted slit windows.

Wooden boats are imperfect, surfaces have character gained over years of hard use bumping docks and other boats, paint wears away to expose bare wood, grain shows as do fastenings that tell stories. These are stories of the past, but also of the future that can be. These materials and techniques remain timeless, they are not going out of fashion because fashion is not involved. The boats of our coast, built of our materials, do not fit in the Caribbean sun, but they fit here now and for ever.

Below is the net shed at the North Pacific Cannery on the Skeena River. Thanks to Carolyn at Living on the Edge for the photo.

Trolling is a fishing method utilizing hooks and lures being towed through the water at low speed. In BC trollers target salmon, mainly springs (Chinook) but also coho, sockeye, pinks (humpies), and Chum (Dogs). The work of setting out and hauling back these lures (hopefully with fish attached) is done from the safety of a trolling at the stern of the boat. As seen in the photo above the cockpit is a deep well, approximately hip deep on the fisherman, usually with removable covers to keep water out. The well extends completely across the boat and is often forward of the transom. This is because the lines and fish actually come up on the quarter rather than over the stern. Deck space aft of the cockpit is usually used for spoon and gear storage.

Aboard BC trollers the gurdies are outboard port and starboard directly forward of the cockpit. Gurdies are the hydraulically powered brass reels holding stainless fishing wires. At the bottom ends of these wires are cannonballs, the lead spheres seen resting in a holder outboard of the gurdies. Also note the metal davits with trolling wire lead through blocks to the cannonballs. When fishing the davits are swung outboard to lift the fishing lines and cannonballs out of the water clear of the boat. But also note the ironbark on the hull sides to protect planking from swinging cannonballs. Across the centerline between the gurdies is a penned off area called the “checkers” where fish are thrown as they come aboard.

The three separately controlled gurdy drums contain three mainlines per side. As these mainlines go out numerous shorter leaders with flasher, spoon, and hook attached are clipped to the mainline at different depths. Of course these leaders must be unclipped again as the lines come up. Tag lines run from the trolling poles to doughnuts on the main lines, a snap on the line will jamb the doughnut and the line trails from the pole tip.

The cockpit is set up for one man to fish and operate the boat from. So there is a steering wheel, engine throttle and clutch controls, often autopilot controls, and a depth sounder in that big box hanging from the boom midships over the checkers. A Loran or GPS receiver is also included to stay “on the spot”, in earlier days there was a compass.

Thanks to Don Macmillian for the photos.

The 1960’s were boom years for wooden boat builders in BC. Remmem Boat Works was one of many busy shops building fishboats on the Fraser River.

Rob Morris of Western Mariner relates that in the 1960’s the Remmem shop had a 10 man crew building three boats at a time. They would build these 42’ trollers in pairs with a smaller gillnetter crosswise under the bows of the larger boats. From 1965 through to 1970 they built 10 big trollers, all 42′ overall, I’m not sure of the order but the first was Cayman Isle and Northern Viking was the last.

Cayman Isle 1965
Pacific Traveller 1966
Alaskan 1966
Viking Princess 1967
Ocean Sunset 1966 (now called Split Decision)
Ocean Rambler 1967
Kelly Ruth
Solimar 1968
Ocean Bounty
Northern Viking 1970

These boats are all approximately 42′ (12.8m) by 12′ (3.6m) wide. They were built just before beam for 42’s started to increase to 13′ and 14′. This moderate beam is most important in both the boat’s comfort at sea and economy of operation. A number of these boats were originally powered with 115HP six cylinder Gardner engines. Their registered gross tonnage ranged from 14.07 to 14.85 tons.

In a search of the on-line Canadian Ship’s Registry, I can find 8 of these boats. Some are under Remmem Boat Works and others are under Remmen Boat Works. I also know the Kelly Ruth sank in the Hecate Straits. Of the 10 only the Ocean Bounty remains unaccounted for. The Registry also turned up another 6 boats built by Remmem Boat Works, 2 built by Harold Remmem, and one Lady Ingrid, by Alfred Remmem (one of Harold’s brothers).

Other boats by Remmem Boat Works

April Wine 1970 (9 tons)
Blue Line
Cape Hope 1962 (12.7t)
Dan Cameron 1962 (18.7t)
Grizzly King 1962 (11.9t)
Hi-Hope II 1962 (12.0t)

Built By Harold Remmem

Sugar Blues 1958 (12.7t)
Flink

They also built the 39’6” troller Wee Dala (originally Dor-Dar) in 1968. Harold was one of four boatbuilding brothers whose father, Krist Remmem, came to BC from Norway in 1910. Krist built gillnetters in Gunderson Slough (the site of BC’s first cannery, now Delta) and I’ll assume the boys learned their trade there. Harold’s first project on his own was the double-ended troller Dolphin launched in 1936. I also don’t know if Harold’s brothers worked with him in the Annieville shop but it would seem likely.

My understanding is that Harold built these boats from half-models he carved, and I believe those models were later destroyed. I hope to someday take the lines and data measurements from one of these boats.

My cousin Gordon Earl owned the Kelly Ruth for a number of years and I spent considerable time aboard her. At the time I lived in Heriot Bay and Gordie would winter there. We spent many days sport fishing for winter springs with the Kelly Ruth. I developed a keen appreciation for these boat’s comfort at slow speed in sea, and in general the highly developed arrangement. Everything seemed to come to hand naturally and working the boat was always easy. The only part that bugged me was the engine room, a hands-and-knees job.

Looking at the pictures you can note many distinctive details that were copied from or to other BC built boats of the style and era. To my eye the Remmem boats have always stood out as being exemplars of the type, every part is properly proportioned in relation to the rest. The sheer in the house top, the sweeping break in the bulwark, the tie trim top and bottom on the windows, all are BC specific. Note that only Pacific Traveller has a sloped aft window frame in the galley, bet there were some arguments in the shop about that innovation…….

Thanks to Don Macmillian for the photos.

Argentinian designer Manuel Campos designed Lehg II in 1933 and he was very much influenced by Colin Archer and Billy Atkin’s 1924 design Eric. He was also influenced by the very successful Fjord II designed and owned by another Argentinian, German Frers Sr. Campos considered these finer lined (than the Archer parent model) double-ended hulls the best possible model for running in a big sea, which of course Dumas became famous for never lying to but continuing to run, as he wrote “on a mattress of foam”…..influencing Moitessier to take up the cause (running off) 20 years later and win the Golden Globe before dropping out to head for Tahiti……..

Dumas was no doubt a character, pictures include lots of ladies and cigars…..Of French decent he was a rancher and farmer, and in 1931 he sailed (singlehanded) from France to Buenos Aires in Lehg I, a 20 year old 8 metre racer. This is believed to be the first singlehanded ocean voyage by an International Yacht Racing Union Yacht and was considered foolhardy. Lehg and Dumas became famous for the equipment they did not carry, no self-steering, no reef points in the main sail, no sea anchor, and no engine of course. In the picture above note the continuous baggy-wrinkle on the standing rigging of both main and mizzen.

Vito Dumas (the boat) was built in the same yard at about the same same time as Lehg II, though they are about the same size Lehg is heavier, deeper and of marconi ketch rig. Vito was originally called Irupe and rigged as a gaff cutter. Lehg II now rests a few blocks from where she was built in Tigre, Argentina…..There’s a very good piece on Campos in WoodenBoat # 196 and on the boat Vito Dumas in 116…..

These drawings and text appeared in the September 1954 issue of Rudder magazine, about a year before I was born.

Designers can never leave well enough alone and I’m no different. I would improve this boat by making sure the cockpit was 6′6″ long so I could sleep up there on anchor watch. I would add a heavy steel “roll bar” aft of the cockpit and run the main sheet to that. Then there would be space aft to store a decent hard dinghy on deck, a 9′ pram upside down. Three sinks and two heads in a 36′ boat seems silly, I would remove the head and sink from the aft cabin. Then I’d re-arrange the forward cabin by pushing the seat/berths forward and up a step, opening up space aft for a separate head on port and a larger galley to starboard. The aft cabin does require a heating duct from the galley range with fan which is the down side of the split cabin arrangement.

There’s no mention of sail area, displacement, or ballast, but she’s a fatty so I would guess some inside ballast. One can picture this boat at sea with her low profile riding over big seas just like a duck in great comfort with little fanfare. Why does no one bother producing such a versatile and comfortable boat today?

Designer’s Michael Peters, Nigel Irens, Reuel Parker, and Paul Bieker have all created rather lightweight powerboat designs. I have only a rough idea of how well these experiments turned out.

Light boats can be built but most people have no idea of the rigorous attitude necessary…..For instance we just checked the real weight of a Phil Bolger designed Windermere (30′ by 8′ ply houseboat), design weight is just over 7000 pounds, the owner built her to the plans and afloat she’s just over 9000 pounds light ship, 10,600 pounds fully loaded with 3 crew aboard. The foam cored Yellow Cedar (38′ by 10′) and strongly built with lots of wood trim and generator etc was 13,000 light ship without ballast aboard. The first Hinckley Picnic Boat (foam cored glass, 36′ by 10′) was 10,400 pounds with strict weight control and no extras…….

Parker’s 43′9″ by 10′6″ power sharpie calls for a design weight of 10,000 pounds with 200 usg of fuel. I think it will be almost impossible to build a 44′ at 10,000……even more impossible to actually use her at that weight……

The deck is too flat, if it had more crown the sheer could be lower…..Then the house is just bad, a twisted top with a dip (?) in the roof and too many tiny “Doppler effect” windows……As for detail the pedestal is completely wrong….a square box with a rectangular box on top is far from elegant, and instrument faces pointing at the sky are useless…….It appears the only thing to hang onto in the cockpit is the steering wheel!

Note a great deal of boat above waterline and very little below….This boat is not designed for heavy weather! In my opinion this boat is a textbook case of unseaworthiness. Note the flat and shallow bottom, blunt bow, tiny rudders and props, and no keel at all. Also note the huge windows well forward (where they are vulnerable to waves coming over the bow), low freeboard at the bow, and engine room vents below the sheer in the hull side (easily flooded).

As long as you can keep the speed up (at least 10-12 knots) this boat will be reasonably controllable and have adequate dynamic stability. In a big sea where you have to slow down she will make everybody sick with her fast rolling, plus wear you out trying to keep her pointed into the waves. The combination of tiny rudders, no keel (for directional stability), and very high windage will keep her out of control. Loose power and you are in real trouble.

She will probably be fine for inland cruising, but I would not recommend this type for any open water passages.

Below is what I would consider a reasonably capable semi-displacement boat. The Nelson 42′. Note the differences from the Prowler. Lower height above water, higher freeboard at the bow, finer and deeper bow, less beam and more depth to the hull, no flying bridge on top of the pilothouse, huge keel, deeper draft, engine vents in the house side well above the sheer, bigger rudders, and smaller windows set well aft of the bow……

These are just some factors that affect seaworthiness. Besides design the construction, crew preparation/skill, and maintenance of the boat and her systems are also critical in how seaworthy she might be.

Today my son and I were looking at the Nanceda construction drawing by Robert Allan published in the opening pages of Alan Haig-Brown’s Fishing for A Living. Keel, 11 ½” sided, 13 ½” molded, Fir, Shelf 4×10, Clamp 4×12, Horn Timber, Fir, sided 16”, Stem 10×18, Gum…..and so on. Every piece an awesome timber, shaped to create a structure which will never be built again. The Nanceda sank in 1987……

The historic boats conceived, built, and used in British Columbia over the past 120 years are disappearing. There are no longer any existing examples of archetypes such as the sealing schooner or rowing/sailing gillnetter. There are a handful of original Handliners, original trollers and gillnetters have become endangered. Other more modern boats will follow this same path and diverse and unique hull forms, construction techniques, and uses will disappear completely. I would like to start documenting some of these boats before all memory is gone.

What follows is a list of 20 boats which could form the nucleus of a project which could eventually encompass many more boats. I have chosen 20 because that is enough to form an overview of boatbuilding and boat use in BC over the past century and also because it is enough to make a book. I have chosen these particular boats because they appeal to me personally or I have some personal connection with them. Also I have chosen types that are poorly documented (if at all) elsewhere, so I’ve not included power yachts which are moderately well documented already.

My plan is to document these boats so that they may be studied and actually re-created if desired. This documentation will take the form of plans, and would include whatever builder’s information and photographs are available.

1) Sea Star – 1934 Matsumoto troller
2) Tempest – Vestad Gillnetter
3) Romance (Hermod) – John Group troller 1944
4) Sealing Schooner
5) Small tug – 36’ GM Flyer
6) Gas Boat, (putter)
7) Nimrod – Larger gas boat 1920’s
Pacific – Halibut Boat (1960’s)
9) Halibut Boat – older style (Anker A)
10) Small Table Seiner – BCP cannery type
11) Collector – Canfisco DE style
12) Rowing/Sailing Gillnetter – river and inlet fishing
13) Handliner – Burt’s boat
14) Tanza – 1951 Coal Harbour Halibut Boat
15) Ida-T – Camp Boat
16) Sea Ace – Camp Boat
17) Westward Ho – sailing yacht
18) Dragoon – sailing yacht
19) Valerie K – Small tug
20) Forestry Blimp – small ranger boat

I’ll collect whatever research I can though I don’t believe there are drawings in existence for any of these boats. Certainly there are no easily accessible drawings. That is one of my chief aims, to make this information accessible. Thus it will all be available on a website as well as in printed form in a book. We will include personal histories when we can get them and eventually we’ll expand to take in further boats.

To start this project I’m looking for initial sponsors to contribute toward making this work possible. You can have a hand in recording some BC Maritime history and making it available to others.

Contact me if you can help. email tadroberts@shaw.ca

There is some commonality of the ships in these photos, they all appear to be schooners, and hulls are uniformly painted black though there is one picture of a white painted BC Sealing Schooner at anchor in the Falkland Islands! They almost all feature doubled topmasts, though some seem to lack the forward topmast, and a few are bald-headed. But the really interesting part is the variety of hull shapes and sizes, a few have the wide low transom with little taper in their ends, while others look more like (and perhaps come from) Grand Banks cod schooners. Another almost universal feature is extremely long doubled bowsprits and it appears the clipper bow was fairly common.

The only other source of data on the shape of these vessels is Francis “Frank” Fredette’s 46′ Sealing Schooner design (his #7) dated 1954 but conceptualized about 1914. As a “cabin boy” Frank had sailed to the Bering Sea with the sealing fleet. Frank’s drawings below, the sailplan shows the fishing version with hold midships and the construction shows a modern yacht version with auxiliary power.

She’s a perky looking ship which I like very much, it would be interesting to know if Frank drew her “sailing West” or the “wrong way”……To one accustomed to always viewing sailplans pointing right, flipping the drawing makes the sheer exaggerated……

And My own try at the type….I’ll probably revise the sheer and transom of this boat……The raised aft deck to make a roomy “cabin” comes from one of the 1895 Victoria pictures….it’s a cool feature.