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Race management is held to high standards. Moreover, if you want to improve your own racing skills, WVYC offers regular opportunities for hands-on competition, race-committee volunteering opportunities, tech talks, and Safety at Sea courses for distance and offshore racing.

WVYC is home to the most active and competitive racing program in Metro Vancouver. Club races are held throughout the year, from no-flying sails right up to some of the most competitive racing in the region.

The highlights of the racing year are the Southern Straits Classic, a national one design regatta and the Pumpkin Bowl Regatta for youth racers. These signature events attract competition from all around the Pacific Northwest. Competitors relish the fact that WVYC is located in an ideal racing environment. If there is wind anywhere, it’s here - it's very rare for a race to be cancelled due to lack of wind. Current Race Calendar

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SAIL LOFT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

North Sails is the world's premier sailmaker for racing and cruising sailboats. Since opening our first sail loft in 1957, we have been the number one new sail choice for world-champion racers, superyachts, one-design sailboats , catamarans, trimarans, and casual cruisers. New sail options range to cater to any sailing adventure or budget. We look forward to welcoming you to our sail loft in Vancouver, British Columbia. Contact our experts to learn more.

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Cruising, Racing, Superyacht Sails, Vancouver Sailmaker

Our conveniently located full service sail loft in the heart of Vancouver, specializes in sales and repairs for sails on all sizes of cruising and racing sailboats.

It is our goal to provide to Pacific West Coast customers premium made sails with top quality cloth for their needs.  Panel sails are Canadian-made in-house, and we source our state of the art  Element Membrane EM2 skins from New Zealand.

Our experienced staff provide:

• On-boat sail and hardware consultations
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• Replace genoa UV covers
• Installations
• Boom covers
• Sail cleaning
• Winter storage
• Custom sail/canvas and industrial projects

We stock all standard repair cloth and materials to get you back on the water in a timely fashion.  A full complement of sail repair kits and materials, cleaners and fabric guards, sailing gloves, bags, and accessories are available.

We are authorized dealers for all top sailing brands including ATN, Selden, Bamar, Marlow, Samson, Gill, Antal, Carver, Harken, CDI, Lewmar and Tides Marine, just to name a few.

Deeply entrenched in supporting BC sailors year-round through local club regatta sponsorship, donations to cruising clubs and yachting rendezvous, and offering informative sail care presentations.

We want you to have you sailing your best, whether to the next windward mark, or towards one of BC’s beautiful anchorages.

The Team - Vancouver

Jason Fanjoy :

Owner/Operator

With 15 years in sailmaking and a lifetime of sailing, you can count on Jason for experienced advice.  Jason grew up racing dinghies and spent 8 years teaching/coaching sailing on the Saint John River in Rothesay, NB.   Racing keelboats in BC eventually led him to taking a position in a sail production loft in Vancouver in 2003.  With 6 years of building sails, Jason has a strong background on how sails come together and the specific needs of Pacific West Coast sailors.

Jason has enjoyed divisional wins in the VanIsle 360, Swiftsure and Southern Straits, and years of racing one design action in Farr 30’s, J24’s and 505’s.  An incredibly well-rounded sailor, Jason adds depth to any program; whether driving, tactics and navigation, or for expert trim or troubleshooting on the bow. All this on and off the water experience led him to starting his own sail loft in 2011, and you will find him there, hard at work at Evolution Sails Vancouver.

Jaye Fanjoy:

Marketing & Office Support

Jaye’s many years of sales and marketing experience in premium sporting goods rounds out the ESV team.  Adding to the service aspect of Evolution Sails Vancouver, she may be on the road to pick up or deliver your sail, measuring or taking notes for you order, or in the office keeping things running smoothly.  You’ll find her out on the race course when time permits, always encouraging many new people to the lifetime passion of sailing.

Nicole Foster:

Sail Recut and Repair Specialist

Nicole is a native Vancouverite who caught the sailing bug in 1968 and hasn’t left the ocean since. She started working in the sailmaking industry in 1974 for Thunderbird Sails. Over a 30 year career of building sails she has worked for 5 sailmakers, including 10 years each with international companies. One ‘claim to fame’ is building a Star Class set that won the World Championships! To say Nicole has a strong background of how sails come together is an understatement. She has built sails in size ranging from the 89’ Schooners’ Marble Head Class, to radio controlled boats. An avid racer, Nicole has logged over 20 000 hrs on the race course. Nicole also has 5 years of experience consulting on electronics and sailboat rig and deck layouts. Today you will find Nicole accepting sail repairs at the loft, doing offshore sail preparation seminars, or coaching new keelboat owners in English Bay.

150 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC V5L 3L1, Canada

Loft Location - Vancouver

Location Loft 200C, 150 McLean Drive Vancouver BC V5L 3L1 Canada Phone: 778-887-7245 Contact: Jason Fanjoy- Owner/Operator Email: [email protected]

Contact: Jaye Fanjoy- Marketing and office support Email: [email protected]

Contact: Nicole Foster – Sail Recut and Repair Specialist Email:  [email protected]

Contact Evolution Sails - Vancouver

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Viking Sailing Club

Jericho Beach Vancouver Canada

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Learning to sail on English Bay

For members new to sailing we offer introductory sail training on the best-maintained fleet of vessels out of Jericho Sailing Centre. How much experience do you need? We recommend an introductory sailing course such as CanSail 1 and 2 and then we can provide you with a chance to grow from novice to experienced sailor on a variety of boats.  We do accept a number of new members with no previous sailing training or experience as well.

Our Novice classroom and beach training includes:

• Two classroom sessions focusing on sailing terms and basic concepts, safety, and equipment
• Beach training with hands-on rigging and launching instruction
• Scheduled one-on-one sailing lessons on double-handed Tasar dinghies with experienced club members who have a Senior rating
• Opportunities to pair up with Senior members for additional training time if needed once the formal training period ends, usually in June.

All new members start as Novices and upgrade their rating with experience and by demonstrating competency in our training curriculum . The club has three dinghy ratings: Novice, Intermediate, and Senior.

We also offer regular training days for our sailboards and kayaks to all members, and on catamarans and Lasers to all sailors who have achieved their Intermediate rating. Be aware that a life jacket / PFD is necessary in all Viking dinghies.

Novice Training

Your first steps to becoming a competent sailor begin in the classroom. Classroom sessions are conducted on a week night beginning in early April.

Here you will learn things like the parts of a boat, language of sailing, personal gear you will need, sailing manoeuvres, points of sail, right-of-way, how to safely handle a capsize, and knots you’ll need (eg. bowline, reef note, figure-8, clove hitch).

Even if you are an experienced sailor, we encourage you to attend these sessions. You will meet new friends and potential shipmates as well as learn how to do things the Viking Way, a necessary requirement to maintain our fleet in shipshape condition and to upgrade your rating.

Next, you will spend time in the Jericho compound familiarizing yourself with the Tasars and learning how to rig them. Tasars are the club’s training boats. They are double-handed dinghies sailed by a helmsman and one crew member.

On the Water

Getting a Tasar ready to go with a Senior

You will then go out on the water as crew with an experienced Viking Senior who will help you bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and practical experience.

On-the-water training sessions begin in May and are held through out the week, with Prime-Time Spots on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturdays. Formal Novice training usually ends in late June.

As part of your training, you will also:

• be trained and tested on various sailing knots
• learn to properly rig, launch, and return to the beach
• be trained and tested on wind direction and points of sail
• be trained and tested on ‘rules of the road’
• receive Viking clubroom and Jericho Sailing Centre orientation

The length of time it takes for a Novice to achieve Intermediate and Senior ratings depends on your previous sailing experience, time on the water, and participation in the club. Working to upgrade your rating is entirely up to you.

Check out the Viking Sailing Club Training Curriculum Checklist below for complete details of what your training includes and the experience you will gain.

Training Curriculum

Rigging a Tasar

The skills you will learn in your Viking training are:

• rigging and derigging
• sailing to and from the beach
• sailing without a rudder
• sailing a figure eight
• crew overboard drill
• capsize recovery
• assessing weather conditions
• boat and sailor safety

In general, to sail our fleet and upgrade ratings, you train, practice, and then demonstrate competence in the above skills to the rating level you want to sail at, in the category of boat you want to sail, to the training director (Vice-Commodore) or their designated Senior trainer. Progress is at your own pace and depends on the time you put in and what you want to achieve.

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Stunning Vancouver is a city packed full of fun and incredible landscapes. What better way to enjoy all that this Canadian gem has to offer than sailing in Vancouver with a private yacht charter.

With a great location between the mountains and the sea, Vancouver is a city with a lot going on. In just over an hour you can be skiing on snow capped mountains. But if you prefer your thrills at sea level, why not go sailing in Vancouver?

As the city is sheltered from the open seas, sailing here in Vancouver is a relatively sedate experience. Whatever your experience level, you’ll find that a day with a Sailo boat rental in Vancouver and British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast will be a pleasant experience.

In fact, with a choice of bareboats and captained yacht charters, anyone can get out and enjoy sailing in Canada.

Make a splash in BC

With a private boat charter in Vancouver you can enjoy a thrilling day out on the water with friends and family. Enjoy a spot of fishing, jump in a kayak or paddle board or just set a course for adventure and see where you end up! <

Another fun idea is to charter a party boat for your special event in Vancouver. From birthdays to wedding receptions, a party boat rental in Vancouver is a 

Serious sailing

Those of you who love to get out and feel the sea spray, a bareboat charter is the best way to enjoy the water in British Columbia. There is lots to see and do, so if you want to charter a yacht for a few days or a week, Vancouver makes a great base.

So what are the best things to do in Vancouver with a Sailo boat charter?

Bowen Island day trip

Just a short sailing from Vancouver city, this tranquil island offers an easy escape with a boat rental. Although it’s a popular spot for day trips from Vancouver, there are plenty of places to find your own idyll. Bowen Island is dotted with walking trails, beaches for lounging and plenty of coast for exploring by kayak or paddle board. 

The island is also a hotspot of relaxation and wellness centers, so if you decide to stay longer you can enjoy everything from a round of golf to a massage and facial.

Sunshine Coast hopping

The area known as the Sunshine Coast is stunningly beautiful, with fjords and islands around almost every corner. For an experience sailing in Vancouver and British Columbia, there is so much to choose from that you’ll want to charter that yacht for longer. Towns such as Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay and Garden Bay offer ideal waypoints for any sailing trip. 

There’s adventure to be found at every turn, with hiking and mountain biking, swimming and nature reserves. Find your new favorite spot in British Columbia aboard a Sailo boat charter from Vancouver.

Party on a yacht in Vancouver

If you’re looking for a dazzling location for your party in Vancouver, why not step aboard your own private party boat charter. Perfect for any private event, from birthdays, bachelor or bachelorettes and club events, to wedding receptions or corporate events. With a party boat charter in Vancouver, you’ll get the best view of the city as well as the joy of sailing with your exclusive invitees. 

Party boat rentals are suitable for a large number of guests and often include options for catering, an on-board bar and even entertainment. Enquire directly with your boat captain.

Explore the Southern Gulf Islands

Set a course south west from Vancouver and you’ll land on the Southern Gulf Islands. This archipelago of beautiful and unspoiled islands is a haven for sailing in British Columbia, and if you head here you’ll soon see why. The lifestyle here is super laid back, wildlife is everywhere and finding an idyllic spot to kick back and relax is effortless. 

With a Sailo boat charter from Vancouver, you can enjoy a spot of Southern Gulf island hopping, or head over for a day trip to refuel those batteries. However long you’re here, you’ll wish you had longer!

Also, check out these destinations:

Sailing in Portland, Oregon with a Sailo Boat Rental

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2 hospitalized after seaplane goes down in Vancouver: officials

Harbour air floatplane, with 6 people on board, collided with a pleasure boat on saturday.

Seaplane crashes into boat in Vancouver's Coal Harbour

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Two people have been hospitalized after a seaplane collided with a boat in Vancouver's Coal Harbour near Stanley Park on Saturday, officials confirmed.

A CBC reporter on the scene, near Canada Place, confirmed that rescue boats were circling a small plane in the water near Brockton Point in Stanley Park.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said in a statement that a Harbour Air seaplane collided with a pleasure boat in the water around 1 p.m. PT.

"A number of people were on board both the plane and boat," police said. "Several passengers have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital."

Police did not confirm exactly how many people were injured, but said more details would come as the investigation progresses.

On Sunday morning, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Assistant Chief Jarret Gray confirmed two people on the boat were taken to hospital.

Two injured after float plane crashes into pleasure boat in Vancouver

A spokesperson for Harbour Air said one of its planes, with five passengers on board for a sightseeing tour, collided with a boat after takeoff from the seaplane terminal.

"All five passengers on the aircraft, and the pilot, are uninjured and safe," according to the statement.

"We have been advised by the local authorities that all passengers on the boat have also been accounted for."

The spokesperson added they were working with authorities to support the people affected by the collision.

Our <a href="https://twitter.com/VanFireRescue?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VanFireRescue</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/VancouverPD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VancouverPD</a> are on scene at a marine incident in Coal Harbour.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#breaking</a> &mdash; @Karen_Fry

Brian Twaites, a spokesperson for B.C. Emergency Health Services, confirmed that crews transported two people to hospital after the collision.

"None of the 10 additional patients required transport to hospital," he said in a statement.

In a statement to CBC, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) confirmed the downed aircraft is a De Haviland DHC-2 Mark 1, commonly referred to as a Beaver, which carries up to six passengers. 

According to the board, the plane is underwater and secured to a barge at the Main Street Dock.

The TSB said it has begun conducting witness interviews and is co-ordinating with the aircraft recovery team to understand its plans.

"In the next few days, the investigation team will attend the aircraft recovery, examine the wreckage, continue gathering information, and conduct more interviews," a TSB spokesperson said.

'It sort of jumped in the air'

Pat Anson, a tourist from Australia, said he was walking around Coal Harbour when he saw the floatplane seemingly crashing into a boat.

The plane looked like it was about to take off, he told CBC News. 

"We saw two speedboats in front of it and I am not sure if it hit the speedboat or not, but it sort of jumped in the air and did a nosedive over the top of the speedboats."

The Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria said officials received a call around 12:55 p.m. PT involving a floatplane and a boat in Coal Harbour. 

"Kitsilano Coast Guard station sent two vessels to the scene ... Once on scene, they worked with multiple agencies to respond," the JRCC said in a statement.

Coal Harbour is the site of Vancouver's downtown seaplane terminal, served by carriers such as Harbour Air and Seair Seaplanes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Akshay Kulkarni is a journalist who has worked at CBC British Columbia since 2021. Based in Vancouver, he has covered breaking news, and written features about the pandemic and toxic drug crisis. He is most interested in data-driven stories. You can email him at [email protected].

• Follow Akshay Kulkarni on Twitter

With files from Sohrab Sandhu

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Update: Two people hospitalized in floatplane crash with boat in Vancouver harbour

Police said a Harbour Air seaplane collided with the boat near Canada Place just before 1 p.m. Saturday

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Article content

Two people were taken to hospital Saturday when a floatplane accelerating for takeoff in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour collided with a pleasure boat.

Vancouver police said a Harbour Air seaplane collided with the boat near Canada Place just before 1 p.m.

“A number of people were on board both the plane and boat,” VPD Const. Tania Visintin said in a news release. “Several people have been treated for injuries and taken to hospital.”

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Vancouver Fire Rescue Services confirmed Sunday that two people on the boat were taken to hospital.

Harbour Air said in a statement that there were five on board the plane. “Upon takeoff, while operating a scenic tour with five passengers onboard, our aircraft came into contact with a boat. All five passengers on the aircraft and the pilot are uninjured and safe.”

The statement added that all passengers on the boat have been accounted for.

Videos posted on social media showed a floatplane sinking in the water surrounded by rescue vessels.

One video appeared to show the floatplane hitting the boat, catching some air, and then plunging back into the water.

The Transportation Safety Board confirmed it deployed a team of investigators to the site.

According to its website, Harbour Air is one of the world’s largest all-seaplane airlines and flies 500,000 passengers a year.

With files from Douglas Quan 

Coal Harbour collision. pic.twitter.com/kLCma6njMJ — Peter Kelly (@PeterKellyBC) June 8, 2024

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A small plane just crashed into the Vancouver harbour right by us. Emergency services were there in seconds! Hope everyone ok🤞 pic.twitter.com/uOePagkJDV — Nicky Furmage (@NickyFurmage) June 8, 2024

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Vancouver port open to recommendations from TSB after seaplane-boat collision

V ANCOUVER — The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it is "certainly possible" that rules surrounding seaplanes operating in the city's downtown harbour could change in light of an aircraft colliding with a pleasure boat on takeoff over the weekend.

Sean Baxter, the authority's acting director of marine operations, says they've been advising boats to steer clear of the aircraft operation zone in Coal Harbour for many years, but it's ultimately up to boat operators to "decide whether or not they go in."

His comments come as an air traffic control recording reveals the pilot of the Harbour Air float plane was cautioned just before takeoff about a westbound boat coming into the flight path.

While the audio has been removed by the Air Traffic Control website archive, several media outlets have obtained the recording of the controller saying, "takeoff northwest at your discretion," and the pilot acknowledges him.

The crashed happened Saturday in Coal Harbour, with videos posted online showing the seaplane skipping over top of the vessel, ripping off the boat's windshield and awning, and then slamming nose first into the water.

Baxter says the aircraft operation zone in Coal Harbour has a number of rules in place, including a 5-knot speed limit for boats, but there are no physical signs warning boaters of the zone's boundaries beyond two lights marking its northern borders and a buoy in the southwest.

The Transportation Safety Board says crews will recover and examine the wreckage of the sunken plane in the next few days, and investigators have already begun interviewing witnesses.

Pacific Seaplanes president Randy Hanna, who has spent his four-decade career logging 20,000 flying hours primarily flying seaplanes, says the crash is shocking because of the sterling safety record in Vancouver harbour despite it being among the most complex marine traffic environments in the world.

"It's one of the best-run marine and aviation environments quite possibly in the world, with really a minimum of incidents over many, many years," Hanna says. "And that's attributable to both Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard, and Nav Canada on top of that operating the control tower."

Unlike Victoria's waterfront, where a runway zone is clearly outlined, landing and takeoff paths in Vancouver's Coal Harbour are more loosely defined within the aircraft zone, and vessels are free to enter and exit as they see fit, Hanna says.

"Many, many times I've been advised that there's a couple of high speed vessels, perhaps a Sea-Doo or something at high speed, crossing this area to that area," Hanna says of his experience taking off from Coal Harbour.

"I've sat myself there for five or 10 minutes waiting to go because (the water) was just too rough or too crazy, or too many boats or whatever the factors are. And then when it's safe to do so, you request clearance and on tower's advice, off you go."

Hanna says landing and takeoffs at Coal Harbour are ultimately at the pilot's discretion, and communication and awareness are essential in maintaining a safe operational environment.

Baxter says the aircraft operation zone is clearly shown in every navigational map available for the harbour, and the port authority is taking Saturday's collision as a chance to remind boaters of safe practices while operating on local waters.

He says boaters are advised to listen for nearby aircraft and be prepared to move out of the way on short notice, while some planning ahead of the trip doesn't hurt, either.

"You should be consulting official publications before you go on the water, including the nautical charts that clearly mark areas like the seaplane operations area," he says.

"We tell people to watch out for large, deepsea vessels as well as seaplanes. Those are two examples of port users that have limited visibility … (and) they cannot move quickly, especially in confined waters like narrow channels. We tell people not to assume that they have the right of way when interacting with deepsea vessels as well as the planes."

Baxter says additional changes to how the port authority approaches regulations at the Coal Harbour aircraft zone will depend on what the Transportation Safety Board recommends in its investigation.

"Typically, the TSB will offer recommendations to any number of government agencies, and the port authority could be included in that," he says. "And if there are recommendations around how to enhance safety in an area like … Coal Harbour, we're certainly keen to listen to those and implement them as required."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2024.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

Dramatic video shows floatplane crash into boat during takeoff in Vancouver, B.C.

Video shows floatplane crash into boat during takeoff in vancouver, b.c..

Video shows the moment a floatplane crashed into a boat during takeoff in Vancouver, B.C. on Saturday. (Video: Tom Adrion via Storyful)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Several people were injured after a seaplane crashed into a boat in Vancouver waters on Saturday afternoon, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).

The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. near Canada Place in Coal Harbour, when a Harbour Air plane collided with a pleasure boat.

Footage of the collision was captured by Tom Adrion, showing the aircraft crashing into the boat before re-entering the water.

All five passengers and the pilot aboard the Harbour Air seaplane were reported uninjured and safe following the incident, according to Harbour Air.

Authorities transported several passengers from the boat to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. Details on their conditions were not immediately made available.

Vancouver Police are currently investigating the collision and coordinating efforts with various agencies, including BC Emergency Health Services, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Coast Marine, and the Vancouver Port Authority to assess the situation and determine the cause.

This is the third small plane crash in the Pacific Northwest since June 6.

Retired American astronaut William Anders, who was a member of the Apollo 8 crew, was killed in a plane crash just off the San Juan Islands on June 7.

A pilot was also killed when his small plane crashed into the roof of a building on June 6 in Auburn, Washington.

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