What started as idea a several years back, with the efforts of the club and volunteers, the first dock was built and loaded with the dinghies at the Shingle Mill. Fast forward to this year, after a successful year of the Sailing School in the ocean in 2013 the club realized there was a need to move forward to build a bigger dock so we could add more boats and be able walk around the boats while rigging.
It started when Brian secured a couple of docks in good condition from the harbour upgrade, many thanks to the city for providing these free of charge. Moving them from the Shingle Mill to the new location was a task in itself. The docks where pushed by an inflatable boat to the loading ramp at the Shingle Mill where one at a time they were loaded onto a trailer and dropped off at the public loading ramp in the north harbour. The wind and seas were not cooperating, adding the congestion of the fisher folk as they were returning with their evening catch; the docks had to be tied off to wait for calmer weather. Of course low tides added to the urgency to make the move sooner than later. Questions being asked as to where we found the docks made for some interesting speculation.
The next move required a towing boat and two small boats working as thrusters to move the docks through the fishing crowds and boats in the harbour out to the ocean and down to their new home in the south harbour. The move was done by volunteers of the club and one innocent bystander who had some experience and came with a newly repaired boat. Two members rode on the docks in case of a need to fend off boats in the harbour. We did get close to Blakes cat, with boat hooks in hand and legs we avoided an incident. Sorry about the foot prints on the side of your boat Blake. (just kidding).
This past weekend a crew of eight with Brian's drawing and Chris's masterful planning saw the dock start to come together. Holes were predrilled on the giant timbers in Chris's yard. Saturday the timbers where loaded on a trailer and carried down the ramp to the dock one at a time. Tides are never in your favour. After a full day Saturday and over worked muscles the plan was to get up and start again Sunday. Good thing for the enthusiasm of the group to stay focused and with the project. Did I mention the passer by that took pity and offered up a 20 pack of warm beer for encouragement? Lucky for us we had a cooler filled with ice and water, the water was quickly replaced with the beer in the cooler. Water can be consumed warm, definitely not beer. The crew was looking forward to that carrot by the end of Sunday
This is a huge asset to the club and could not have been done without sailing school and volunteers. It was great fun for the team and rewarding to see this wonderful addition to sailing in Powell River. The team, Brian, Chris, Anne and Barry, Tim, Kim, Dan, Bob Johnson, and Terry, had great fun on the build and the debriefing sessions in the Pub. Alane hosted a BBQ for the dock workers on Saturday night that was much appreciated.
Come down to the South Harbour and see our great new dock.