 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maple Leaf |
| Namesake | "Maple Leaf" |
| Builder | Vancouver,British Columbia |
| Launched | 1904 |
| Status | in active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner |
| Displacement | ~80long tons (81 t) |
| Length | |
| Propulsion | Sail |
TheMaple Leaf is aschooner built in 1904, making it the oldesttall ship still sailing in British Columbia.[1] In 1906, theMaple Leaf was the only Canadian vessel to qualify for the first everTranspacific Yacht Race, which was ultimately cancelled due to theSan Francisco earthquake that year.[2]
Today, the Maple Leaf operates as a sail training vesselecotourism schooner, offering small-ship expeditions along the west coast of North America. The vessel accommodates up to eight passengers and is recognized for its sustainable tourism practices.[3]
The schooner was commissioned in 1904 byVancouver businessman Alexander MacLaren, who sought to build the fastest and finest sailingyacht on the West Coast. He enlisted Captain William Watts, founder of Vancouver Shipyard (nowVancouver Shipyards), to build the vessel.[4]
Beginning in the 1930s, the Maple Leaf was repurposed as ahalibut longliner and fished in theBering Sea for several decades, becoming one of the longest-serving commercial fishing vessels of its kind.
In 1980, the ship was purchased at a government auction by conservationist Brian Falconer, who restored it and converted it into an eco cruise ship. In 2001, Falconer sold the ship in 2001 to Kevin Smith who continued theecotourism business to present day.
Originally built a yachtMaple Leaf has many features that make it a very unusual ship. The ribs are made of coastalyellow cedar wood. The planking, decks, and beams were constructed of coastalDouglas fir wood—materials emblematic of thePacific Northwest.
The ship's brightwork, made ofmahogany, was gifted by relatives of the builder. Notably, the Maple Leaf was the first vessel north ofSan Francisco to be equipped with electric lighting, and among the first on the coast to feature an external lead keel. The rigging of theMaple Leaf consists of agaff-rigged fore sail, aMarconi main sail, ajib, astaysail, and a squarefisherman's staysail.