Hello from Powell River

New to Trawlers and this site has been a great resource.
Lots of knowledge and experience here.
Just picked up a 1970 38' Offshore Cruiser built in Taiwan. The wooden hull is in very good condition.
Superstructure, not so good.
It's a project but seaworthy.
Thanks to admin and all the people posting
Steve

Just across the water from you, welcome. Boat is in Comox.

Figured there might be a few people from this area. It's a cruising paradise.
Well I guess near anywhere on the water can be.
I have a cabin on Powell Lake so brought the boat here to complete the work. The boat on the trailer looked bigger than the stores on main Street.
I'm sure it's all over Facebook by now.
It'll be going back to the Chuck
Maybe we'll see you on the water
Steve

Welcome Steve. What a boat you have! I don’t think I’ve any seen one. Any pictures?

Hope you're nicer than that other Powell River guy here on TF

Welcome aboard from up coast a bit

It's been difficult finding info online about it.
Lots of documentation came with it.
It was their 7th built. The guy started work on the cabin and didn't finish making matters worse. The damage is mostly superficial.

Pretty friendly ��

Welcome to the forum Steve, there are indeed many from your area on the forum and it's great to have another. Hope your projects still allow time on the water and please post pictures.

Thank you
I live on a little island and the boats parked out back so intend to use it.
Always wanted to see the head of Powell Lake so may spend Christmas up there.

Rid, welcome to TF. If the stars align we'll be headed up your way next summer. Can't wait to do a little sight seeing up your way.

Thanks
Hope your stars align.
This is a great place to work on my boat but it'll be great to be back on the Chuck.
I'd love to see Haida gwaii

Never mentioned but it's a DeFever

Welcome aboard.

Welcome. So the boat is in the lake or in the chuck?

Don't recognize where the photos are from.

Northern Spy said:

Welcome. So the boat is in the lake or in the chuck?

Don't recognize where the photos are from.

Click to expand...

Arrrrr...there be the scallywag I talkin' of

The photos are from Gibsons harbour north of Vancouver.
I brought the boat to Powell River where we pulled it out and brought it to Powell Lake.
It's parked at my home where it's handy to work on.
I'll be putting it back into the chuck when I'm done.

Welcome Steve. Keep us updated with your refit projects. We like lots of pics!

BTW have they removed the big rock in the middle of the channel at the Powell River Marina?

Nope.

I wasn't even aware of the rock
I have so much to learn ��

The story behind the rock.

The rock has always been there. But the harbour grew to encompass the rock.

I was on the select city committee to improve Powell River's waterfront.

We had just had a referendum approved for funding and finalized plans for the reconfiguration and new floats for the North Harbour. Had architectural drawings for the Wharfingers office, got the infill legal ownership transferred, made arrangements for sewage treatment lines with BC ferries, removed the oil lines on the pier, got funding for the gazebo and railing for the pier.

Out of the blue, it was suggested that if we applied for Federal funding for south harbour improvements, they would be granted and matched with provincial funding. But we had to do it quickly. So we did.

We had to move Wharfingers office, complete the trail, get fisheries to approve the larger harbor, design a seagrass habitat compensation marsh, get new docks built, and dump rock to build the breakwater extension, all prior to the herring spawn closure.

It was an epic achievement as it involved Federal, Provincial, City funding and environmental approvals, which are known to be glacial in progress. We had the breakwater extension done in less than 6 months.

When the contractor couldn't get the rock moved, and blasting wasn't an option (I recall we were on a permit extension for herring spawn) the decision was made to keep the rock and add a lateral mark.

Back then, we had a lot of people in town against the development then as it was only going to "benefit rich people".

With today's new group of global warming hand-wringers over increased sea level in the future, no politician in BC or Trudeau's government is going to stick their neck out to approve or remove a rock in our harbour.

And really, single screw, deep draft fishboats don't have much issue with it. And they have to get to the crane to unload.

So, yeah, this is an excuse, but we ran out of time, money, permit to deal with it properly. So it became a comprimise. It is a bit of a pain at low tide admittedly.

And it does sort out the boaters that have no idea of what it means, which can make listening in on 66a entertaining...

[emoji846]

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Welcome Steve. Keep us updated with your refit projects. We like lots of pics!

BTW have they removed the big rock in the middle of the channel at the Powell River Marina?

Click to expand...

Seems I only ever go there for fuel at low tide and there is also ALWAYS a boat that’s finished fuelling but takes forever to get underway. Once there was a twin-engine tug there and he ran his bow on the shore so I could get by his stern. I certainly didn’t expect that! It’s also a great place to fuel at low tide because the wind can be howling but it’s calm inside the breakwater. Oh right, the rock...what rock?

Xsbank said:

Seems I only ever go there for fuel at low tide and there is also ALWAYS a boat that’s finished fuelling but takes forever to get underway. Once there was a twin-engine tug there and he ran his bow on the shore so I could get by his stern. I certainly didn’t expect that! It’s also a great place to fuel at low tide because the wind can be howling but it’s calm inside the breakwater. Oh right, the rock...what rock?

Click to expand...

Last 2 years I have fuelled at Powell River. Same experience as Ken, as I had to wait for someone who, after fuelling, had to take 2 little dogs up teh very steep ramp and wait for them to do whatever, then reverse the process. While waiting, a local tug came in and poked around, eventually deciding to wait outside, so was next in line. I don't think there was enough depth where I was drifting, as we churned up lots of mud when our turn came. Very quiet in behind the rocks, on a close to 0' tide.
Oh yea, the "rock". No sign of any.

Welcome aboard RID,were just South of you in Secret Cove:

Just picked up on this. Yeah. I am so intimidating.

MurrayM said:

Arrrrr...there be the scallywag I talkin' of

Click to expand...

Nice fish Spy. We'll see you in 2020. Now for finding that #*& rock, or better yet, not.

I had a "woodie" in the 80's, It was a lot of work but so is my Albin. If, If, if...I was younger, lived closer to the water, didn't have other things going on, etc I might consider a project like yours.

Keep us posted with pictures of your progress

pete

Im on #23 you sent me the message instead of Murrey,anywho
Happy New YEAR

There is more than one rock in the Westview south harbour though only one in the main entrance/exit channel. The other rock is in the north east corner of one of the berths. My previous boat drafted seven feet. One day I came down to check her on low tide and found her raised a foot above her normal waterline.

That is how I found that rock! It is a large flat one so no damage to the vessel but hard on the heart rate on initial viewing.

Welcome, RID, to the wooden DeFever club! We have a 1969 50ft wooden DeFever and are in the PacNW. Your boat is DeFever's design DF70-38 built by Oriental Boat Company in Taiwan. It was DeFever's fourth production line of wooden Offshore Cruisers, three of which were built at OBC. There were 35 38ft hulls built. My in-laws bought Hull#15 in 1973 and cruised from San Diego to Acapulco for 7 years, then through the Panama Canal and cruised the Caribbean for another 7 years - a very reliable, comfortable and well-loved boat!

Does the boat have a name? Do you know former names and owners? Most OBC boats have a 6-digit hull number carved into the keelon but that doesn't seem to be the case with the 38s. Does yours? I've connected with quite a few of the early DeFever owners on the west coast. There are some experts, and a talented, wooden-boatwright and 50 DeFever owner in Ladysmith. Do join the DeFever Cruisers Association: https://www.defevercruisers.com. There will be a PacNW DeFever Rendezvous in Anacortes Sept. 18-22. And don't hesitate to get in touch. Good luck with your project!

Welcome RID from the Great Lakes region (and also a new member). Looks like quite a project. Once had a 45' mahogany Chris Craft and remember what a labour of love she was. Moved on to sailing vessels for quite a number of years and after a summer of viewing trawlers, ended up with a completely rebuilt 69' Concorde that does not have a single bit of wood. I am sure that is no coincidence! Look forward to reading about your project and seeing the 'after' photographs.