Category: News & Events

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CLI supports RNSA single handed race 2020

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most sporting events have been cancelled.   However, the Royal Naval Sailing Association’s annual Single Handed Yacht Race did take place on 06 Jun 2020 in partnership with the West Vancouver Yacht Club, normally racing from Vancouver to Nanaimo and return.

This year’s race was shortened with strict personal safety in mind.

The Delta Lifeboat” has served as safety vessel for the race for 42 years and this year’s assistance was given to a 38′ yacht that suffered a rigging malfunction.  The sock for the spinnaker got stuck at the top of the mast and it was impossible to contain or lower the spinnaker.

The Lifeboat launched her RHIB and two crew members transferred to the yacht to assist the lone skipper.   With no other option left to resolve the situation, they winched him up to the masthead to effect repairs.

On completion, the RHIB returned to the Lifeboat.  The yacht retired from the race and returned to harbour under power.

The Lifeboat continued to follow the race back to Point Gray to ensure all participants were safe.

The race over, transit was made back to the Ladner Lifeboat Station ending a 12-hour deployment.

Owing to the current situation the crew was restricted to 5 members and safety protocols were in place.

The day’s weather had been variable starting with heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and winds from 10-20 knots.  It cleared later to sunshine and pleasant 10-knot wind.

Even with all the restrictions and the shortened course, 50 yachts enjoyed a fantastic race and the Delta Lifeboat crew proved their worth.   “BZ”.

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Delta Lifeboat Refit – Apr-May 2020

The Delta Lifeboat carried out her annual refit at Shelter Island from the 15th April to the 14th May.  This year’s work involved removing the after deck, removal of old steel water tanks and installing two new 165-gallon stainless steel tanks.

Inspection of the ‘A’ bracket bolts and supports found degradation and so new pads and bolts were installed.  This was a huge job only made easier by the fact that the aft deck was removed.

The whole vessel was sanded, filled and painted from the keel up to the main deck.

The main work was superbly conducted by our friends at Commodore’s Boat Ltd. and by our own volunteers – Bjorn Andersson, Brian VanVliet, Tim Carey, Brian Cook, and John Horton.   ‘BZ’ to you all.

Care was taken to keep social distance and to sanitize at all times.

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City of Delta Recognizes CLI Volunteers

In April 2020, CLI members were recognized by City of Delta Mayor George Harvie for being Emergency Program volunteers.

The CLI provides marine services to the City of Delta for search and rescue, public education, and other on-water services. We support Delta Fire, Police, and Engineering services as required.

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Delta Lifeboat Supports March 2020 Roe Herring Fishery

March is herring time when the fishing fleet gathers in the Strait of Georgia for the roe herring fishery.

Once again, the ‘Delta Lifeboat’ with her all-volunteer crew onboard sailed from Ladner Harbour to join the fleet in the fishing grounds off the east coast of Vancouver Island between Nanaimo and Comox.  Up to 12 Delta-based fish boats take part in this fishery.

This year’s quota of 8,000 tons was down from the 18,000 tons quota for 2019.  Close to 90,000 tons of herring were estimated to be in the area during the fishery.

The Delta Lifeboat patrolled and anchored with the fleet out on the grounds where they could respond immediately to any distress calls.  During the four days of concentrated fishing, which went on day and night, the lifeboat crew responded to two separate requests for medivac of two fishers from different boats, both with serious hand injuries.  The Delta Lifeboat crew provided first aid on-route to Comox where they were transported to the Comox hospital.

A may-day call from a fishing vessel sinking by the bow brought the Delta Lifeboat into action again.  They were alongside the distressed vessel in minutes where the situation was stabilized.

These incidents proved the value of the Canadian Lifeboat Institution (CLI) having one of its lifeboats at sea along with the fishing fleet, monitoring radios and maintaining visual watch around the clock rather than being tied up in harbour waiting for a call.  In all three of these incidents, the lifeboat was on-scene in under five minutes.  Grateful acknowledgement of the Delta Lifeboat crew’s efforts was expressed by Worksafe BC, The Canadian fishing Company and the Canadian Coast Guard.

With the fishery coming to the end, the Delta Lifeboat returned to its station in Ladner Harbour at 15:00 on March 12th.

To all the lifeboat crew ‘BZ’ (Bravo Zulu – a naval term for Well Done).

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Towing Sailboat From Point Roberts, WA, USA – Feb 2020

When two CLI members found themselves at short notice to move to Belgium, they generously donated their 26-foot sailboat to the CLI. The sailboat was moored at Point Roberts WA – USA, but needed to be in Canada to enable CLI to put it up for sale.

It was decided to send the Delta Lifeboat to Point Roberts to tow the yacht to Ladner and so at 08:00 on Saturday 22 Feb 2020, the Lifeboat departed Ladner with a crew of six. The forecast was for NW wind rising to 15 – 20 knots. Not ideal conditions for a 26-foot sailboat to be towed, but an improvement was hoped for. Off Sand Heads, a lively 3-foot short caused a lot of spray, but after altering course to the south an easy following sea gave two new recruits a good workout on the wheel.

Arriving in Point Roberts, the RHIB was launched as it was planned to use it to tow the sailboat out of its berth. After securing it alongside the Lifeboat and laying out the towing gear an easy departure was made. Once clear of the harbour, the tow was streamed to 300 feet astern. The RHIB was recovered and the tow was taken up at 6½ knots. Fortunately, the sea had calmed considerably allowing the passage to be made at the sailboat’s hull speed.

With one crew member on the sailboat’s helm, there came a time for the crew change. The transfer was made by launching the RHIB. All of the above proved to be excellent training and was carried out in very good order.

The Delta L/B finally secured back at the station with the sailboat again secured alongside at 16:15. A very good day, excellent training, and a job well done.