HISTORY of the MARITIME CENTRE &
COWICHAN WOODEN BOAT SOCIETY

The Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Society was originally conceived in the 1970’s and started off as a boat building school.  The first location was a small building at the Bluenose Marina.  The present buildings were built on site and designed by Tim Richardson, a member of the Society, and were placed along an old Chevron Oil facility extending approx 82 meters into Cowichan Bay  This is probably the longest dock in the area.   These buildings are called pods and now house many maritime artifacts which reflect the history of Cowichan Bay.

The first three pods are open at each end which allows the public to walk through and view the displays.  The end pod is a two level enclosed unit which contains many of the more environmentally sensitive artifacts such as model boats, pictures and a marine library.

In addition to the historic displays, the Center conducts several wooden boat building classes annually which are available to the public for a fee.  These classes are conducted in a large workshop which includes many fine woodworking tools and equipment.

There is a marine ways which caters to the hauling and cleaning of wooden boats.  It is well patronized especially during the summer months.

The Society is committed to the restoration and repair of wooden craft, along with preserving the history and heritage of BC’s maritime past.  Boats are often up to 40 feet in length.  Unfortunately, simultaneous restorations are often restricted by the limited amount of outdoor covered space.

We organize and participate in many community events such as the Celebration of BC’s 150th Birthday, Fast & Furious Boat Building Festival, the Christmas Sail Past and a Pirates Festival, to name just a few.  We also travel to many local communities to support their events—Tall Ships Victoria in 2005 and 2008, Ladysmith coming events, Maple Bay Boat Show, Duncan Home Show are all examples of our involvement in other communities.

The aforementioned activities are in keeping with the Society’s Mission Statement.

• To preserve the heritage of BC’s maritime past as  it relates to Cowichan Bay
• To increase awareness and appreciation of this heritage
• To offer boat building programs and restoration projects.
• To conduct community activities that celebrates our maritime history

We have two full time employees: a shipwright who also is a restoration expert and instructor, and an executive director who is responsible for the many administrative, marketing, event planning and organizational needs of the Society. 

We are home to the Cowichan Valley Dragon Divas, a group of cancer survivors who train and race their Dragon Boats right in Cowichan Bay. www.dragondivas.ca  

We also are home to Herb Rice, a world renowned Coast Salish carver who not only practices his art but also gives courses in carving, paddle making and Coast Salish culture. www.coastsalishjourney.com

Over 10,000 visitors tour our facility annually from all over the world. We have over 250 members.      

All of our activities are economic generators for the community.  This area was traditionally fishing and logging environment.  Due to economic changes, the need for a tourism venue to attract both locals and tourists is essential to the future of the businesses in Cowichan Bay.  Our growth is important to ensure the continued employment of our two employees with the anticipation for future employment opportunities for the community.