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The Tari Jacque: ex–Mission Boat Rendezvous

by John MacFarlane and Robert Critchley 2016

Tari Jacque

The Tari Jacque at Pender Harbour around 2005. She was attending a rendezvous of old mission vessels being held in association with the former St. Mary’s Hospital which, after it closed, became a popular restaurant. (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )

The Tari Jacque was built in 1924 as the Rendezvous by The Hoffar Motor Boat Co., at Vancouver BC. In 1924–1955 she was owned by Columbia Coast Missions Inc., Vancouver BC. In 1937 she was operated by the Reverend Alan Greene. In 1955 she was renamed as the Tari Jacque In 1955–2004 she was owned by Edward C. Tooker, Whaletown BC. In 2015–2016 she was owned by Robert Critchley, Sayward BC.

Tari Jacque

The Columbia Coast Mission boat Rendezvous with the United Church of Canada mission boat Sky Pilot berthed in the Salmon River at local pioneer Hans Otto Sacht’s store. The old bridge in the background was eventually washed out and replaced by a modern bridge in use today. (Note: "Sky Pilot" was a popular term for a Protestant Clergyman at the time.) (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection. )

She is 9.5m x 3m x 1.4m (31.3’ x 10.0’ x 4.7’) with a wooden hull 12.19gt 8rt. She powered by a 35hp gas engine by the Kermath Mfg. Co., Detroit MI USA.

Tari Jacque

The Tari Jacque at Pender Harbour around 2005. She is flying the flag of the Anglican Church of Canada Columbia Coast Mission at the peak. (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )

She was operated by the iconic missionary the Reverend Alan Greene. She was a key mission boat for the Anglican Church of Canada which operated the Columbia Coast Mission. After a wharf was built at Pender Harbour in 1930 she was able to access St. Mary’s Hospital which served a significant stretch of the British Columbia coast poorly served by roads. In the 1930s she was mainly based in Quathiaski Cove, on Quadra Island. In 1944–1954 she was based at Whaletown on Cortes Island under the Reverend Rollo Boas.

In his book God’s Little Ships author Michael Hadley states of the Rendezvous:

As the Boas family settled into their work of pastoral and medical calls, a rough pattern emerged that enabled them to visit each district approximately once a month. Each week the Rendezvous took a different route. Week one: east side of Cortes Island, up toward Desolation Sound, Bliss Landing, Squirrel Cove, Refuge Cove, Teakerne Arm and Toba Inlet. Week two: Whaletown, Mansons Landing and Read Island. Week Three: Surge Narrows, Owen Bay, Granite Bay and Rock Bay. Week four: Yuculta Rapids, Bute Inlet, Redonda Bay and Stuart Island.
Log of the Columbia

A cover of the magazine Log of the Columbia which kept supporters in touch with the activities of the Mission. (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection. )

CCM map

The Map of the territory served by the Columbia_Coast_Mission (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection.)

Tari Jacque

A plaque removed by Robert Critchley from when the Rendezvous was an active Mission Boat. It was presented by the Women’s Auxiliary of St. Mary’s Anglican Church in South Vancouver. This group was instrumental in supporting the Mission and provided Christmas presents distributed to under privileged children up the coast each year by the Reverend Alan Greene. (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection. )

Tari Jacque

Ed Tooker on the Tari Jacque hosts Catherine Greene Tuck in 1995 (the daughter of the Reverend Alan Greene) who apparently was very pleased to be able to visit her Dad’s old ship of 1924–1936. (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection.)

The vessel served as a missionary platform for baptisms, marriages, burials, church services, medical and dental services, and a whole host of essential personal support services to the people of the region. As time progressed welfare and medical services improved and the need for a mission boat began to recede. In 1955 she was sold to a new owner and used for summer fisheries patrol work.

Tari Jacque

The Tari Jacque dry berthed by Robert Critchley (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection.)

Tari Jacque

The name Tari Jacque was applied in 1955 when the vessel came into the possession of Edward Tooker, who owned her for 60 years. The name is derived from the names of his two daughters Tari (now Chiasson) and Jacque (now Scholtz). The daughters arranged for the vessel to be transferred into the ownership of Robert Critchley. They were very pleased that the vessel was being preserved by someone who understood the historic significance to the history of coastal British Columbia. (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection.)

Robert Critchley acquired the vessel in 2015. He trucked her onto his property and has dry–berthed her while he works to stabilize, preserve and restore the vessel for display. She will soon go under cover which will increase the probability of success.

Tari Jacque

In 1996 marine author (of God’s Little Ships) Michael Hadley presented a flag of the Columbia Coast Mission to owner Ed Tooker on the Tari Jacque. That flag is now in the Robert Critchley Collection. (Photo from the Robert Critchley collection.)


To quote from this article please cite:

MacFarlane, John M. and Robert Critchley (2016) The Tari Jacque: ex–Mission Boat Rendezvous. Nauticapedia.ca 2016. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Tari_Jacque.php

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