I popped in to the Vancouver International Boat Show yesterday afternoon looking for Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island (who is appearing there all week), and instead found a few things that I wasn't looking for.
The first was contrast. Sitting right across from each other on the main space (the floor of BC Place) were this aluminum fishing boat with accompanying dinghy - a mostly utilitarian pair - and the two luxury yachts with accompanying Ferrari.
The show is going on now until January 26th at BC Place and Granville Island, and luxury VS utility seems to be a theme, but even the small fishing boats have a fairly high price ticket on them. This amazing 21 foot tug below is the best thing I saw all day, and it's priced at just under $50,000.
A little closer to my price range were these sweet little fishing kayaks priced at $600 and $1200 respectively. The more expensive one is on the right - a 12 footer that the sales rep told me has been used to fish for trout, salmon as well as sturgeon. It's got multiple options for depth sounders, and is surprisingly stable.
And speaking of fishing, if you're looking to buy a really nice gift for someone you know is a fisherman, Islander reels are the best. Made on Vancouver Island, I don't know any fisherman who doesn't want one (or another one). Generally priced upwards of $600, there's a booth that has them for 10% off.
Even closer to what I'm interested in spending is $69.99 for one of these crab traps that are available on the 2nd level concourse. Roughly 200 vendors are up in that space, selling everything from life jackets to nautical BBQs to flagpoles.
There were quite a few different variations of these prefab docks at the booths. Some made of recycled fibre and others wood.
Environment Canada is on hand as well! Such a great opportunity for me to go and ask dumb questions of a scientist! I learned that there are quite a few life-sized variations of these weather monitoring systems in place all over our coast. I also learned (from the lady on the right) that Transport Canada has a number of sweet red airplanes that fly all over the coast looking for (and reporting/prosecuting) oil polluters. She told me that they catch polluters more often than you'd imagine.
But let's end this on a happy note: FISH POND! On the main level there's a pond full of trout that you can bring the kids to and have them throw a line in. Make sure to make a small donation to our friends at the Pacific Salmon Foundation on your way in.
The Vancouver International Boat Show goes until January 26th.
More info and tickets at VancouverBoatShow.ca
