Welcome to CS West

About Us

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CS Yacht Owners West was founded in 1997.  We are a group of boaters primarily from the Pacific Northwest, who race and/or cruise CS (originally, "Canadian Sailcraft") sailboats (CS 27, 33, and 36T designed by Ray Wall, and the CS 30, 34, 36M and CS 40 designed by Tony Castro.  We also welcome owners of the Quanta, a 28 ft. sailboat designed by Ray Wall who is retired in the Victoria area and is a member of our group.
* Click here for an overview of CS Yachts.

* Reviews about CS yachts

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Our regular cruising grounds include: Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands, Howe Sound, Georgia Strait and Desolation Sound and beyond. Most of our members live in the Vancouver, southern Vancouver Island and Seattle areas.
CS or Quanta Owner?  Join us for -
  • Spring & Fall Rendezvous 
  • Flotilla Cruises to San Juans, Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound
  • Discounts at chandleries
  • Technical discussion about our boats
 Marine Weather reports:  Swanson Channel  I  South of Nanaimo   
North of Nanaimo   I    Trincomali Channel |   Washington | WindyTV
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​Holland Marine - Holland Marine Products is the source for those parts that in the past were only available from manufacturers such as CS Yachts including the old style grey window gasket for CS
 Tides:  Fulford Harbour | Sidney | Pt. Atkinson | Washington
Currents:  Active Pass | Dodd Narrows | Porlier Pass
CSOA (Canadian Sailcraft Owners Association) Forum
This is a source for CS discussions. The "digest" form is recommended as the most compact form of receiving the email. Any user can change to digest mode, and receive one message daily grouping all the messages sent that day.
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Sailing Courses for Women 

Instructor:  Marla Hedman is based in Vancouver Island, Vancouver and Desolation Sound
  • Her niche in the world of sailing is to provide instruction to enhance the skill set, confidence and enjoyment for female sailors including those who all ready sail or neophytes that would like to take up the sport and lifestyle. 
  • Her approach is highly social and hands-on. Perhaps, one of female members could take the lead and enlist others that would enjoy a women-centered sailing school led by Marla. 
Expertise
Coastal Navigation,Tide and Current Charts, Dead Reckoning and heavy weather trip planning. VHF Radio Operators certified w/DSC. Personal Skipper on sailing vessels to 53 feet in the Pacific Northwest, Mediterranean and Caribbean. Basic Mechanical knowledge of boat systems, electronics and diesel engines. Catamaran cruising yachts: I run “train the trainer” programs, and also teach clientele coming for learn to sail programs in Canada. Coach cruising instructors on Advanced Docking and Line Handling.​

2023 CS Spring Rendezvous at Port Browning Marina

On the May 26 - 28 weekend the CS West club held its annual Spring Rendezvous at Port Browning Marina, Pender Island.  Sixteen CS boats with 31 members attended.  The weather cooperated as we had our events outside on the front lawn of the marina.  
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2023 CS Spring Rendezvous at Port Browning
16 CS boats, 31 attendees
​Thanks to Bert Vermeer of Good Old Boat magazine for taking this photo.
Here's how the rendezvous went ..
By the time everyone arrived on Friday we had 16 boats: Abracadabra (Ladysmith), Wind Dancer (Sidney), Heron (Sidney), C-Otter (Squamish), Verdia II (Maple Bay), Tack-Tic (West Van), Far Fetch (Brentwood Bay), Slipstream (Ladysmith), Slip Stream II (Sidney), Rosmond (Maple Bay), Cahoots (Sidney), Musashi (Sidney), C'est la Vie (Mayne Island), Minnedosa (Nanaimo), Chaka (Maple Bay). Three of our owners reside in Alberta - Edmonton, Calgary, and Sundre.  Other owners came from Burnaby, Ladner, Langley, Squamish, Port Alberni  so we are a far-flung club!
Click on images below to enlarge.
Friday, 5 pm - Welcome and Happy Hour
  • We gathered under the Event Tent for introductions, the weekend schedule, apples, and time to socialise.

Saturday 
  • Breakfast on own
  • Warm up exercise on the front lawn led by Angela
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  • Bocce Tournament 
The defending champions were Alison and Andrew.  Guess who won again?  Yep, A & A, beating Rob and Cliff for the coveted Fred Draine trophy.
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Bocce winners - Alison and Andrew on the right. Runners up - Cliff and Rob
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  • Lunch on own
  • Buy/Sell/Swap​
  • A Good Old Boat
Spotlight on Musashi, one of "our" CS 30 sailboats, owned by Jack and Marilyn Williams.  Congratulations on being reviewed in Good Old Boat magazine by Bert Vermeer!

At our rendezvous, owners Jack and Marilyn, as well as writer, Bert Vermeer shared their boating and writing experiences.
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Click here to read the review about Musashi.
  • Tech Talk
This is one of the most important reasons for CS owners to attend the rendezvous.  Lots of questions and answers about our CS boats.  This Tech Talk was led by Bob who brought in a heat exchanger.  Lots of good discussion.
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  • BBQ Dinner
Dinner was a do-it-yourself BBQ at the Event Tent.  
  • Gift Exchange Game
​​ A great way to end the dinner gathering.  Thanks to Molly for organising this fun activity.
Sunday Departure
  • Yoga for mind and body with Pat under the Event Tent.  
  • Continental breakfast with pastries purchased from the Driftwood Bakery courtesy of the club.
  • This was followed by a very efficient AGM led by Wayne.
Then it was time to go down to the docks and cast off for home.

Next rendezvous will be this September.  Exploring possibility of Snug Cove, Bowen Island.

2022 CS Fall Rendezvous at Ladysmith Community Marina

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2022 Fall CS Rendezvous at Ladysmith. Photo by Alex

Video of CS yachts at the Fall Ladysmith Rendezvous 2022 -
click here  https://youtu.be/A6Q6hQkbPNk
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Gian,Gail, Cathy, Heidi. Photos by Joanne
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David, Jenny, Henry, Gian, Jean, Derek

Memories of 2022 CS Spring Rendezvous at Telegraph Harbour

May 27-29, 2022
Summer Snow carefully backing out with lots of helpers at Telegraph Harbour, 
Spring Rendezvous, May 2022
​Movie by Jeff
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Saturday BBQ with the fixings catered
Thirty-one CS members in 14 sailboats and 2 cars attended our Spring Rendezvous at Telegraph Harbour on Thetis Island.  
A highlight of the rendezvous was welcoming several new members from Victoria, Duncan, and San Francisco/Nanaimo!
Check out the complete photo gallery .....

Memories of 2021 CS Fall Rendezvous at Salt Spring Marina


September 7-10, 2021
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The crew's all here (minus 2 who had guests on their boat)
We held a very successful Fall rendezvous at Salt Spring Marina.  13 CS boats and 33 folks attended including several who drove in plus two more boats could have attended except they were already on Salt Spring.    It was great to see some former CS owners as well as welcome new members.  Highlights included the artisan tour, the prize draws, tech talk, new bocci champions, dinner at Moby's, and the farewell breakfast.  Thanks to organizers Joanne and Judy, with help from Mike (bocci), Jeff and Maria (tai chi), Yvonne (prizes), David (tech talk) and Cliff.  Thanks also to Salt Spring Marina, Tour Salt Spring, Moby's, Calibre Yachts, and Barb's Bakery.
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Michael Terides CS 36T "Wanuskewin" with new dodger
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After leaving Bahia Tortugas, Mexico. Will be cover pic for an issue of the Bluewater Cruising Assoc. Currents magazine
Michael Terides from Duncan is one of our CS West members.  After recently retiring he refitted his CS 36T and sailed it down to Mexico where these pictures were taken.  He has given us permission to post them.
2022 Cruising Memories
Here are a couple of articles about CS adventurers:
Two CS36T sailboats, STV Goldcrest and HMCS Tuna, were part of the fleet of 37 sailboats that embarked on the 20th anniversary  of the Vanisle 360 race this June (2019).  Both CS boats, Canadian Forces Sail Training Vessels,  were from Canadian Forces Esquimalt.
STV Goldcrest placed second in her class in the Winter Harbour to Ucluelet leg.  According to CS member, Eric, the original HMCS Tuna  was a RCN torpedo boat in WWI, commissioned from 1914 to 1917.  The CS36T named HMCS Tuna was commissioned in 1985.

Here are a couple links to the CS36T racing boats:
Here is an article on a cruise around Vancouver Island in a CS 36T.  This is a link to the story in the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Spring/Summer Special Edition of Mainsheet, Oct 11, 2018.  Thanks, Henry for bringing this to our attention.
"We had been living aboard our CS 36T, Mamaku, in Victoria for almost two years ...." 

Click on the following link to read the rest of the article, "Cruising Around Vancouver Island" by Sarah White, p, 12. 

Here is a follow up link to Sarah and Harry's blog, called Mamaku Sailing.