The Nauticapedia

The Case for an Historic Vessel Registry for British Columbia

Naval architect Robert Allen and nautical historian John MacFarlane make the case for a designation process to identify truly significant floating heritage in British Columbia and documentation database to record their details for historical reference.

Some Thoughts on Collecting Nautical Antiques

When the decision to become an antique collector is made some good background information is needed to be successful. Collectors need to be more strategic than accumulators and make calculated decisions about what to buy and when to buy it.

The Nauticapedia in 2017

The Nauticapedia Project has been operated for a number of years by a small group of dedicated volunteers. At the end of 2017 we did a summary of where we are now in the process.

The Best Ship Watching Locations in the Lower Mainland

Contributor Robert Etchell may be the most passionate ship watcher in British Columbia. Over many years he has amassed a huge collection of very high quality images. He shares his favourite ship watching locations with readers who may wish to get their own images. If you bump into him when visiting these sites – introduce yourself.

The Search for British Columbia’s Oldest Floating Heritage

The search for the oldest vessel afloat in British Columbia is a difficult and complicated subject. The list is constantly shifting as vessels disappear and as the wrangle over defining terms such as afloat, or oldest vessel creates debate and disagreement. I would argue that just recently shifting an ancient vessel into BC waters does not create a new entry to the claimant list but that is only an opinion. Here is my attempt to establish the list of oldest vessels for consideration.

Recognizing and Preserving British Columbia’s Floating Heritage

Recognizing and preserving British Columbia’s floating heritage is a subject on which almost every amateur marine historian holds strong opinions. Many initiatives to keep vessels away from the breakers fail. Is there a business model that will accomplish the goal and yet be financially and socially sustainable?

Vessel Registration in Canada

Vessel Registration in Canada is a process poorly understood by mariners and nautical history buffs alike. It is actually a poorly enforced legal system of title registration for vessels.

Through Black Binoculars: Boat Watching on the Sunshine Coast

Contributor David Sheffield recounts his early days watching boats with his brothers on the Sunshine Coast, experiences that created a lingering attraction and interest in the boats for a lifetime.