Ellery Down News Today

The ceremony was conducted in two phases. To start, staff and invitees gathered on the small boat floats adjacent to building N126, where they heard remarks from the guest of honour, Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Christopher Robinson, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific.

“We’ve known for a while the new boats were coming, but now that they’re being rigged in Vancouver, they are no longer just an idea: they’ve become something tangible,” said Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) Ellery Down, RCN Sail Program Coordinator, during a recent inspection of the two yet-to-be-named Bavaria C45 sailboats at a contractor facility on Granville Island.

The 15-day race began June 3 and involved 40 teams and approximately 400 sailors competing in a challenging 580-nautical-mile course around Vancouver Island.

Pacific Navy News

“What goes on in the water is the simple part. It’s the logistics on the land that are hard.”

Thirty-eight vessels have set out to circumnavigate Vancouver Island as part of the Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race.

Five Grade 5 students from Glenlyon Norfolk School joined the Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Campus Support team on April 5 to learn the tricks of the trade, specifically the art of tying knots.