History: SBSS occupies part of the original Whithey Shipyard, where wooden commercial fish boats, Canadian Navy patrol boats, and yachts were built from the mid 1940's through the late 1960's. The buildings were restored with funds from Heritage Canada.
Development
Overview - 1997 to 2005
SBSS is located at the site of the historic Whithey Shipyard. In 1997, working with funds from Heritage Canada and the HRDC, the School's founders Fred Apstein and Bob Wyche refurbished the buildings the School now occupies. In the fall of 1998, the School held its first traditional wooden boatbuilding class.
By 2000 the School had grown substantially; a second full-time course, Ship's Cabinetry was added, and both courses were accredited by PPSEC. Boatbuilding class sizes doubled to 16, and a second instructor was hired. At the same time, the School incorporated as a non-profit Society with an official Board of Directors and obtained Federal Charitable status. As well, the School was the receipient of a donation from Weyhauser Corporation of old-growth timbers and benefitted from its relationship with well-known yacht designers Ted Brewer and Paul Gartside.
To the present, the School has added a third full-time accredited course, Introduction to Marine Woodworking, and short-courses and seminars, hired a third instructor, and formally documented its curriculum. The School, which is now operated by its Board, continues to develop its good relationships with the Gabriola Island community; the annual Launch Festival continues to be an important event.
Funding and Donors
The Silva Bay Shipyard School is operated by a non-profit Society and a volunteer Board of Directors: Currently, almost our sole source of funding is student tuition. We do gratefully accept donations of various types, such as boats and marine artifacts for resale, tools and equipment for use in our shops, and maritime books to add to the school library. If you have something that may be of value to the School and would like to donate it, please contact Les Jackson, the School Administrator.
Our Future
During our first seven years, the Silva Bay Shipyard School has concentrated on maintaining and improving our core courses, our facilities, tools and equipment. A recent important step in improving a core course and developing new content is our acquisition of the sailing yacht Vertue. While substantially broadening and improving Ship's Cabinetry, the Vertue project lends itself to offerings in wooden boat renovation and repair.
The present vision of the School's future includes more full-time courses, like restoration, blacksmithing, and sail making. Our future also holds with the construction of many more beautiful, traditional small wooden boats.