News

On April 29, the Fleet hosted a live presentation with Rick Ellis. A scientist with a Master’s degree in Ecology, Rick has done an exceptional job of combining his passion for sailing with his deep scientific knowledge. Thoughtful and detail-oriented by nature, he designed the presentation to help sailors better understand the many changes we […]

Connie Morahan, VI Fleet Coordinator

Since the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Cruising (ESRC) Progress Report 2025 was published in Currents last December, the ESRC working group has continued to develop and share practical tools and resources. These have appeared in Currents and on the BCA website under the Responsible Cruising tab. The following highlights reflect some of that work over […]

Jacquie Kidd

Christopher (Chris) Michael Stask, passed suddenly on February 3, 2026. Chris and I (partner and Admiral Jacquie Kidd) became members of the Bluewater Cruising Association (BCA) in 1991. Over all these years Chris was actively involved in the club, and filled many roles. While with the Vancouver Chapter, he held the Watchkeeper roles of Port […]

Marilyn Sanford

The Vancouver Fleet met on March 25 at the Scottish Cultural Centre with 10 people present and 11 on Zoom. As always there was good enthusiasm. The meeting started with a show and tell where Duug presented a wire ‘Grabber Nabber’ which is great for retrieving objects from the bilge. He also spoke about a […]

Jennifer Handley

The 2026 edition of the Bluewater Cruising Association (BCA) Member Directory has arrived in mailboxes from Vancouver Island to Calgary to Ontario and beyond – have you received your copy?  If not, you might want to contact BCA’s Administrator, Amanda Lance, to ensure your membership and mailing address are up-to-date. If you have taken a […]

Trina Holt

This month’s Vancouver Weather session was an absolute blast! We had a great turnout with 14 connections and about 18 people joining the conversation. After months of grinding through the “hard work”—learning weather principles, reading cloud signs, decoding charts, and mastering the tech we need at sea—we finally pulled it all together. We shifted from […]

Jennifer Handley

Not only are Vancouver Fleet members busy preparing themselves and their boats for offshore, but a small committee within that group is researching, sourcing and assembling “leaver” packages for BCA members who plan to cast off their lines in 2026. This package is a farewell presentation from BCA given to all members in good standing […]

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC) is hosting a free Open House Expo between 1600-1800h on April 10, 2026 and you are invited! As you may know, RVYC is a member-only club, but for one day only, the Club is transforming itself into a BIG welcome fair for curious potential members.  Round up your friends […]

Trina Holt

The introductory OpenCPN course offered via Zoom by Charlie Aram and the Vancouver Fleet on March 4 went swimmingly. Charlie’s dedication to learning the program and its many nuances—along with the considerable effort he put into creating a clear and comprehensive presentation—was appreciated by everyone in attendance. Participants learned how OpenCPN allows cruisers to view […]

Marilyn Sanford

Fleet Meeting James McDonald, Director of Sales with Navis Marine Insurance Brokers attended Vancouver’s Fleet meeting, February 25. Attendance was good with 19 people attending, 9 online and 10 in person. James presented an overview of the boat insurance market in 2026 including local and offshore and also discussed medical insurance. Many attendees were appreciative […]