Cowichan Wooden Boat Society

The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society is a Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and demonstrating maritime heritage, with a particular emphasis on wooden boats and the maritime culture of British Columbia's West Coast. Incorporated with the business registration number 128596830RR0001, the Society operates the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre located in Cowichan Bay, British Columbia.

History and Mission

Founded originally in the 1970s as a wooden boat building workshop, the Society has since expanded its scope to function as a maritime centre and museum. Its mission is to preserve for present and future generations the maritime heritage and culture surrounding wooden boats. This includes fostering appreciation, education, and active maintenance of wooden boats, especially those integral to the coastal history of Canada.

Facilities and Activities

The Society runs the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, an active, community-based maritime museum open to the public year-round and seven days a week during the summer months. The Centre features:

• Historical exhibits and displays relevant to BC's maritime past and wooden boat culture.
• A fully equipped workshop for building, restoring, and maintaining wooden boats.
• Wooden boat building classes and workshops for both adults and children.
• A fleet of traditional small craft, including rowboats, maintained by the Society.
• Historic marine ways used for hauling, cleaning, and repairing boats.
• A marine library containing over 2,000 books and archival materials related to maritime history.

Programs and Community Involvement

The Society emphasizes community engagement through various programs and initiatives such as:

• Offering training and educational opportunities in wooden boat building and restoration.
• Organizing volunteer involvement in restoration projects and Society activities.
• Creating interpretive and interactive displays that enhance public understanding of maritime heritage.
• Encouraging family and youth participation in hands-on maritime heritage activities.
• Participating in local community events and supporting maritime cultural initiatives.

Purpose and Goals

The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society's purposes include:

• Providing facilities and equipment for wooden boat construction and maintenance.
• Offering educational workshops and training.
• Preserving and displaying wooden boats as living heritage artifacts.
• Enhancing resident and visitor awareness of wooden boat heritage.
• Maintaining a maritime museum and library to support heritage education.
• Fundraising to sustain the Society's programs and activities.

Location

The Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre is situated in the scenic coastal community of Cowichan Bay, British Columbia. This location serves as a hub where maritime history is preserved, celebrated, and actively practiced through traditional boatbuilding and restoration.

The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society stands as a steward of maritime heritage, providing a vibrant space where the culture of wooden boats continues to thrive through education, restoration, and public engagement.