Tips about extended stay in Vancouver, B.C.

[ProteusRising]

My husband and I bought our first liveaboard sailboat last month. We're making plans...

Top of which include being near Vancouver, B.C. during Fall 2018.

He works for an American company that will put them in their Vancouver office for a few months.

If anyone here has any sailing/liveaboard experience in VAncouver and can offer any advice, that would be great.

Our boat is an '88 Bayfield 36 with LOA of 41'. Initial research of the marinas in the area don't show a lot of love for liveaboards. But we just started our search.

[Navi2016]

Take a view, Spruce Harbour Marina - Home

Then call/email the office and ask about short term live aboard sub-lets. Many of the members go sailing for months at a time and sublet their slips.

Denise will post your request to the members and you never know. Its a nice place

[yalla]

how about anchoring? you can stay for 3 weeks at a time in False Creek and they don't seem too fussed about the whole permit system anyway so i'm sure you could get a month or two there easy. Lots of room too after the summer. There are lots of places to tie up a dinghy - I believe most/all the water taxi landings allow a few dinghies to tie up. Beware of dinghy theft, mine was cleaned out last year - oars, bucket, sponge, dirty rag...
you can also anchor off Bowen island near the ferry, easy commute to the city. Same same for the eastern end of Burrard Inlet around port moody, belcarra and deep cove to name a few.
After september it gets harder to find a reasonable moorage in Vancouver. Check craigslist, people do sublet but at that time of year everyone is thinking of putting her away for the winter, not going for an extended cruise. I reckon your best bet will be somewhere on the Fraser river in Richmond or Delta. That certainly is the cheapest place to tie up on the lower mainland, there are a fair few marinas as well as float homes and businesses that have dock space for rent. Try putting a moorage wanted ad in Craigslist.

[rbk]

All good tips above and worst case might have to move around every few weeks if you can’t find moorage in one place. Few weeks here, few there shouldn’t be too bad for a few months. Harder part will be transiting in the middle of winter/early spring when you’re leaving? And depending where you’re leaving too? Winter storms can hold you up for a while and can make it all but impossible if you’re planning on going south.

[ProteusRising]

Thanks again for all the replies folks. Refit took way longer (I know everyone reading this is laughing...). But we're finally headed to VanCity, BC. We're cruising from Olympia up to there all summer and should be there by the first part of August. So if anyone has any new suggestions over last year's that would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Casz & Greg
SV Elli

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by ProteusRising

Thanks again for all the replies folks. Refit took way longer (I know everyone reading this is laughing...). But we're finally headed to VanCity, BC. We're cruising from Olympia up to there all summer and should be there by the first part of August. So if anyone has any new suggestions over last year's that would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Casz & Greg
SV Elli

Welcome back. hahahahahaha Just for grins&giggles!


Just a potential safety item: Could anybody chime in to say if "VanCity" is as bad as calling San Francisco "Frisco" to locals and to be avoided at all costs?


I moved here three years ago and never heard that one!

[ProteusRising]

I hope not. I learned it from a local; but, someone please correct me if I'm wrong...
~Casz

[flyingfin]

Winters are long and brutal on both your body and personality, be best to find a cheap apartment and keep the vessel on the hard

[Scatterling]

Originally Posted by ProteusRising

I hope not. I learned it from a local; but, someone please correct me if I'm wrong...
~Casz

The locals don’t call it VanCity. That is the name of a banking institution though.