The Sailpast and the Salute
Vessel
The Salute
The
Salute Vessel
Sunday, September 04, 0900 hours.
Skippers'
meeting.
We ask that all skippers attend
this meeting for instruction
on both the Sailpast and
the races .
Sunday, 1100 hrs
The start
of this event can appear
chaotic but we have certain
constraints that we must
accept; the main one being
the arrival and departure of
the ferry MV COHO. No vessel
should leave its berth until
the MV COHO has departed. The
only exception to this is the
Salute vessel.
The lead vessel will be designated
at the Skippers’ meeting.
The order of departure will
be power first followed by
sail. Further details will
be provided at the Skippers’ meeting.
All vessels are asked to take
the salute of the Honorary
Commodore who will be aboard
the Salute Vessel. Please follow
in line under power on the
Sailpast course. Please give
Clover Point breakwater a wide
berth to enable returning vessels
to clear. The distance travelled
past the breakwater will be
determined by the weather.
We ask that you maintain an
open channel 68 on all radios.
The Salute
The salute is made by “dipping” or
lowering the boat’s ensign
to one third from lower end
of the hoist. The ensign should
be left in that position until
the Salute Vessel returns the
salute in a like manner.
It is the custom for all Canadian
and other foreign vessels,
other than those from the US,
to salute in this manner. It
is not the custom for the Stars
and Stripes. US vessels may
dip their yachting ensign.
Crews should be at attention,
side by side along the rail
facing the Commodore. Skippers
only present the naval salute,
palm down. Small sailing vessels
may wish to luff the main sail
or fly the jib.
For your continued enjoyment
and convenience, we ask that
you return in formation to
the same place on the docks.
Harbour Control will be on
hand to assist you.
The Salute Vessel
Recognized by her lean white
hull, HMCS ORIOLE symbolizes
the romance and tradition of
sail for many thousands of
Victoria residents.
The 101-foot HMCS ORIOLE is
a true classic. Built
as a private yacht from a design
by George Owens of New York
for Mr. G.H. Gooderham, Commodore
of Toronto’s Royal Canadian
Yacht Club, she was launched
in June 1921 as ORIOLE IV. At
that time she was fitted with
a center board and had no bowsprit
in keeping with her intended
use for Great Lakes cruising
and racing. However,
at the start of the Second
World War, the Toronto branch
of the Navy League of Canada
acquired ORIOLE.
She was used to train sea
cadets on the Great Lakes until
1949 when she was moved to
the Maritimes for sail training
for new entry seamen. In
1952 she was formally commissioned
as HMCS ORIOLE. In 1954,
she sailed for Esquimalt, British
Columbia via the Panama Canal
and became a sailing tender
to HMCS VENTURE, the Naval
Officer Training Centre. Since
then, HMCS ORIOLE has been
continuously employed in sail
training on the Pacific Coast – the
longest serving ship in the
Canadian Navy. In her
training role as well as that
of ocean racer and good-will
ambassador for both the Canadian
Armed Forces and Western Canada,
HMCS ORIOLE has logged many
thousands of kilometres.
HMCS ORIOLE generally cruises
the waters surrounding Vancouver
Island, which are some of the
most interesting year-round
sailing waters in the world. She
is available to all units of
the Canadian Armed Forces for
sail and adventure training. Keen
racing competition supplies
the final test for most training
classes.
HMCS ORIOLE has been a worthy
ocean racer and has competed
in local and offshore ocean
races including Halifax-Bermuda,
Marblehead, Victoria-Maui,
Cobb Seamount, Norpac, Transpac,
Astoria Offshore and Swiftsure
Classic yacht races.
HMCS ORIOLE does not have
any winches to ease the workload
of handling sails. Crews
consist of trainees working
under the watchful eyes of
a small number of experienced
seamen. All halyards,
running backstays and sheets
are rigged luff upon luff to
provide mechanical advantage. Trainees
must still pull their hearts
out to sheet in the 2,500 square
foot genoa. It takes
15 hearty young people to handle
the 42-foot long spinnaker
poles and trim the 7,700 square
foot spinnaker.
HMCS ORIOLE acted as Salute
Vessel for the Classic Boat
Festival® in 1979, 1987,
1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. The
Festival Committee is delighted
to welcome her back as our
2009 Salute Vessel.
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