How We Found a Live-Aboard Boat in B.C.

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Campbell River is a good hunting spot in the fall. We saw a burned-out boat there, one of several we examined in our travels. Burned uppers often do not seriously affect the hull of a vessel, and fires drastically reduce the selling price of a vessel. They're a lot of work, of course, but if you're up for that look over burned-out boats carefully. You might just do all right.

Quadra Island has several harbours, the principal one being the ferry terminal at Quathiaski Cove. We found a 40-foot tug hull there at the lovely price of $175 . . . but little else. The tug was hull and nothing else (except deck), with burned uppers. It would have been very expensive to fit out. Quadra, like many other B.C. coastal spots, has a fair number of nautical longhair types who can be helpful. We did not check the island's second port of Heriot Bay. . . perhaps you'll have a chance to do so and to drop us a card about what you find there.

Kelsey Bay, at the north end of Highway 17 was not a whole lot to us, but you might check it. It's the ferry depot for AlertBay , which we didn't check out due to limited time and funds and the generally boat-sparse reputation of the place. The northern end of Vancouver Island, as well as many other B.C. port areas, is a busy fishing region, but in general such areas do not offer a great deal in the way of boats for sale. We'd like to know more, however, about Alert Bay, Port Hardy, etc., and we hope to visit there sometime soon on our vessel. Let us hear about anything (even individual boats) that you think might be of interest to the alternatives-mariner.

UPPER MAINLAND: We were unable to visit Prince Rupert, a well-reputed northern fishboat center, due to its distance from us (900 miles from Vancouver by road via Prince George). Many people recommended Rupert, however, and a number suggested season's end as the time to buy there. Supposedly two or three years ago four or five gill netters in good shape were burned in the port due to depression of the market for such craft up there then. While such apocryphal tales are a dime a dozen around the floats, Rupert would very likely be worth the run if you can do it and we'd really like to hear from anyone who makes it up there to hunt boats. Long trip, and would cost a bit. The Port Edward area up that way is said to be good also.

LOWER MAINLAND: We ranged north along the mainland coast as far as the road would take us (to Lund, 15 miles above Powell River ) . Both these towns have Fisheries Floats worth checking. The one at Powell River is at Westport, near the ferry terminal for Comox.

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