Captain's Log

Legendary 26’ West Coast Designed Sailboat Regretfully I must part with my beloved vintage Thunderbird as I must return to the east coast.

The Thunderbird design is extra fast for her 26’ length, easy to sail even for beginners, and well built. The design was developed in the late 1950’s to “be both a racing and cruising boat…sleep four… be powered by an outboard auxiliary…and out-perform other sailboats.” (see http://thunderbirdsailing.org).

Fleur de Mer was built in 1978 (hull # 1066) and has been carefully maintained. She is cruise-ready with all the sails, (Main, Genoa, Jib and Spinnaker), a Yamaha 8-hp outboard in excellent condition and all the ropes and equipment you need.

Engine: Yamaha 8-hp outboard, electric starter and throttle, new gas tank and hose, starts every time, recently tuned up.

Interior: Cushions, radio, depth sounder, bilge pump, toilet , 2 burner stove, sink, water tank (in hull), lighting, storage, etc. Recently restored, with meranti plywood, all hardware and caulking done. Beautifully finished inside.

Exterior: All marine hardware (winches, cleats, etc.) in good condition, New compass, teak lattice cockpit liner, spacious lazarettes, anchor with chain and rope, bosun’s chair, bumpers, extra lines, spinnaker , etc.

Reused Trouper 2's first solar panel and a charge controller I bought for $5 at Capital City Yacht Club's garage sale.

Hi,

ITCA web administrator
 

Hello.

I'm hoping you can help me. I'm looking for a John Booth built Thunderbird. Specifically sail # 1005 'Sea Jay'.

She was my family's boat built by John Booth and my father (Also John.).

My father designed a modified 'cruising deck' and I helped him build the mold for it.

Anyhow, if you know where she is or who owns her, I'd appreciate it if you could forward this email.

Thanks.

dt

I will have to get a hold of the original owner of Shuttlelock (John Dewey) to find out what went into the original cut-out on the port side galley slider. My original configuration placed the stove too close to the ceiling, so I rotated the slider 180 degrees, cut the back out of the drawer and slid it in from what was the back, and is now the front.

With the arrival of new cushions generously hand crafted by Ruth along with her curtains and pillows, the interior of Shuttlecock was almost complete. I repainted the cabin floor 'velvet brown' and added the same Chinese rug that Dad used to have on Trouper 2. Now all that's missing is the hot, sunny days of Summer.

Dad's original house panel. After 40 years the switches are starting to show signs of corrosion. Plus with all of the USB charged devices now, I want some more power outlets.

Dad's wiring. Looks fairly straight forward. No problem troubleshooting this bird's nest. Looks like he hired someone from India to wire it.

So I built a box out of maple to house the fuses panel and two terminal strips.

Of course I stained it. After all, even though no one will see it, it's beautiful ribbon grain maple.

The box is wired ahead of installation so when I get it on the boat all I have to do is connect the existing device wires to the terminal strips.

I'm just waiting for my 4 port power panel to arrive from China. Next steps include mounting the new part, re-cutting plastic face panel and mounting on board T2.

The new panel

A little more plastic than I'd like but... The panel had to be large to facilitate access to the fuse block and wiring behind.

I had been meaning to row out and leave a note on Shuttlecock. She's been moored not far from where Trouper 2 used to be for the last few years. There have been almost no sailboats for sale locally, in fact I've only seen one other. The ol' woody listed elsewhere here. The guy never did sell it. It's now moored just off Oak Bay Marina.

So it was with great delight that I received a call from the owner of Shuttlecock who found my business card at R.V.Y.C. (I had posted it there with a note; "Looking for a Booth T-bird."

Back in February of 2023, I sold the mooring I had built, and deployed for Trouper2. When Shuttlecock came into my possession the following June, I needed a mooring. Since the new owner wasn't using it, I reached out and asked if I could moor my new boat there until I found a permanent home. He graciously agreed and I've been using it ever since.

Fast forward to November. The day before I left for Florida, I get a message from (Let's call him, 'Bob') the mooring owner. He's bought another boat and wants to bring it to Cadboro  Bay. GULP! I explained to him the situation and that he could raft up to me, but I wouldn't be able to move Shuttlecock until I got back in a couple of weeks. With that, I put out a few fenders and left the country.

When I got back, Bob wasn't rafted up so I got a hold of him and it turns out, his new boat developed engine trouble so he's been unable to bring it South. While he works on that, I reached out to the Yacht Club member I bought Shuttlecock from and asked him if he would ask around if anyone had a mooring they weren't using and wanted to sell. It turns out another member, whom I used to work with at UVic wasn't using his mooring and agreed to sell it to me. The only problem was the fact that a notorious local pirate was 'squatting on it'. In other words, he was using the mooring without the permission of the owner.

BIG PROBLEM!

For the past couple of weeks, I've been watching the new mooring and wondering how in the hell I'm going to get the pirates off it. After all, possession is nine tenths of the law and their boat never left the mooring. The pirates were living on board, which further complicated the situation.

So imagine my surprise when I showed up for a sail on January 1, 2024 and...they were nowhere in site. Well, not exactly. In scanning the bay, I noticed a black-hulled sloop with sails very poorly trimmed and heading toward Discovery Island. In no  time, I was underway to get a handle on the situation. Were the pirates out for a day sail or were they leaving for parts unknown. I didn't want to swoop in on the mooring, even though they had no right to it. Not much point in discussing rights when your boat is on the beach after being cut free in the dead of night...

So I watched the black-hulled pirate ship sail past Banes Channel, and along the West side of Chatham Island. I grabbed a vacant mooring off Willows Beach and brewed a coffee, while taking in the polar bear swim. After a time, I returned to Cadboro Bay but chose to moor using my old mooring. I drove past Willows Beach and see where he was. Oh, before I go any further, I should mention the pirate ship doesn't have a working engine.

He was anchored off Mary Todd (Jimmy Chicken) Island. A bizarre place to drop the hook but the tide runs pretty good through there and he ran out of wind. So, I can see him dropping anchor to stay off the rocks. I decided that if he wasn't back in Cadboro Bay the next morning, I would assume ownership of the new mooring.

He wasn't there the next morning. But he was underway as I discovered in my drive-by, and I assumed he was returning to Cadboro Bay. I decided to take the new mooring and wait for him to show up. When he hadn't showed up after several hours, I left Shuttlecock on the new mooring and drove around to Oak Bay to see where he was.  It seems he hadn't gotten very far before anchoring just off Willows Beach. As the wind slowly dropped off for the evening, I returned to Cadboro Bay and re-labelled my new mooring.

The next morning, this would be January 4th, as I cruised Willows Beach, I was greeted by the site of the ship wreck. This pirate ship isn't returning to Cadboro Bay.

Launched at Canoe Cove with Doug and Stefanie. (4 gal. fuel)

Cora, John, Nelly, Fred, Mike, Simond (4.5 gal)

Cora, John, Marny, Simond