 Black Jack on the Britannia Yacht Club's Commodore's Sail Past 2014 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada | |
| Name | G.B. Pattee II |
| Launched | May 2, 1904 |
| Acquired | the Upper Ottawa Improvement Company |
| Fate | Driven ashore and abandoned after World War II |
 Canada | |
| Renamed | Black Jack |
| Builder | Capt. Thomas George Fuller |
| Launched | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Recommissioned | May 2, 2004 |
| Status | In service |
| Notes | Hulk rescued in the 1950s. Converted into abrigantine rig as a family yacht. Later donated to Bytown Brigantine |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Brigantine |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Draught | 6 ft (1.8 m) |
| Propulsion | GM671diesel engine |
| Sail plan | 3,000 sq ft (280 m2) 9 sails in a brigantine rig |
| Complement | Crew: 5, Trainees: 12–15. |
| Armament | 10 gauge saluting cannon. |
| Notes | 5 kW generator |
STVBlack Jack is abrigantine operated by the Ottawa-based youth charity Bytown Brigantine, Inc. Black Jack sails on theOttawa River betweenBrittania Yacht Club andQuyon, Quebec. On May 2, 2004,Black Jack was designated "Ottawa's Signature Tall Ship".
Black Jack was the first ship in service with Bytown Brigantine, Inc., a charitable organization devoted to providing sail training adventure for youth. This 87-foot (27 m) brigantine is home to 15 youth between the ages of 12 and 15 during the summer months. The program is designed to develop character and foster leadership, confidence and self-reliance in youth through the medium of sail training. Hersister ship,STV Fair Jeanne, is also in use by Bytown Brigantine on theGreat Lakes and Canada's east coast.[citation needed]
Black Jack is steel-hulled with woodenbilge keels. Her sparred length is 87 feet (27 m), length on deck 62 feet (19 m), andbeam 14 feet (4.3 m). Shedraws 6 feet (1.8 m), which allows her to go almost anywhere a keelboat can, which is very useful when maneuvering theOttawa River and docking at her berth in Britannia Yacht Club. She can be seen at the yacht club but is not open to the public except on special occasions. Her mast height is 80 feet (24 m) and she carries a total of 3,000 square feet (280 m2) of sail area on nine sails.[citation needed]
Black Jack was originally a loggingtug on the Upper Ottawa River and was based inQuyon, Quebec. She was built inScotland in 1904 and made her way to Canada that same year. In 1952, the ship was converted by the lateCaptain Thomas G. Fuller into abrigantine. She operated as the Fuller familyyacht for several years until hersister shipSTV Fair Jeanne was built in 1982. Rather than see the ship fall into disuse, Captain Fuller's son, Simon Fuller, refitted the ship with the intention of using her as asail training vessel. She made her sail training debut in 1983 and in the summer of 1984 attended the 450th Anniversary of Jacques Cartier's Landing inQuebec City with many other internationaltall ships. Since then,Black Jack has remained on the Ottawa River where she is the focal point of the Black Jack Island Adventure Camp for youth.[citation needed]
In 2004,Black Jack celebrated her centennial birthday.Adrienne Clarkson, thenGovernor General of Canada, re-christenedBlack Jack atBritannia Yacht Club and helped Bytown Brigantine wish the ship well on her next 100 years of service in the Ottawa area.[1]
In 2012,Black Jack helped Britannia Yacht Club celebrate her 125th anniversary.[citation needed]
Black Jack is now part of a sail-training summer camp for youth 12–15 years olds on the Ottawa River. Based on a private 15-acre (61,000 m2) island nearFitzroy Harbour, Ontario, participants work closely with crew to learn all aspects of seamanship, from hoisting sails and learning basic navigation to tying knots and steering.[citation needed]
The island is used to teach campers other aspects of sailing, navigation and teamwork. Participants sleep either aboardBlack Jack (on deck or down below depending on weather), or on a floating bunkhouse moored at the island.[citation needed]
Black Jack is supported by two navywhalers and twobarges. The two whalers,Agnes Irving andAlan E. Jacques, are 27-foot (8.2 m)-long traditional navy boats that can be sailed or rowed withsweeps. They have two masts, alug-rigged main mast and a driving mizzen, as well as being equipped with 20 hp (15 kW) diesel outboard engines. They were traditionally used as training boats by theRoyal Canadian Navy.[citation needed]
Two barges are kept moored at the island during the summer months. The Stanley Carson Bunk Barge is an authentic logging bunkhouse that was used by loggers on the Ottawa River. The two-story barge provides accommodation and cooking facilities for up to 30 people. The second barge is equipped as a well-stocked supply barge, large enough to carry vehicles and equipment.[citation needed]
