The Maritime Museum of BC’s classic 30’ sailboat Dorothy is no stranger to the winner’s circle—her first owner from 1897 to 1944, the young barrister W.H. Langley, had her built in J.J. Robinson’s Inner Harbour boatyard and then raced her at every opportunity to win an impressive share of silver. With her extensive refit complete, she won a 2024 Classic Boat Award for Best Restored Vessel Under 40 ft, administered by the yachting world’s most prestigious magazine, UK-based Classic Boat Magazine.
Can our cherished “Victoria local” Dorothy win her second Classic Boat Award in 2025? You have a chance to vote for this beloved living celebration of traditional sailing.
Classic Boat Magazine and the Classic Boat Awards
Dorothy faces fierce competition in her category of Gstaad Yacht Club Centenarian of the Year, but her deep connections to Victoria, her inspiring story and continuing legacy of sailing after 128 years, and her beautiful design and workmanship make it clear that she is a strong contender. Especially, if you vote.
“Vote today for what we believe to be Canada’s oldest sailboat still sailing—Dorothy–and tell your friends to vote; share as widely as you can,” said Anya Zanko, Events and Development Manager, “We are delighted to be in the running for an award once more, and so proud to be representing Canada in this category!”
Contest Rules
You may only vote once! Make sure to vote for Dorothy in the category of Gstaad Yacht Club Centenarian of the Year and share with your friends!
Link to vote: https://awards.classicboat.co.uk/centenarian-of-the-year/
About Dorothy
Designed by Linton Hope, built by J.J. Robinson, and sailed by W.H. Langley and 9 other owners until it was donated in 1995 to the Maritime Museum of BC, she is described by Robert Lawson, historian and boatwright, as “intrinsically beautiful in the perfection of her lines. She harks back to a time when everything was simpler, when sailing a small boat involved the sailor in a delicate and intimate relationship with wind and water.”
Maritime Museum of BC Collections and Exhibits Manager, Heather Feeney, said “The Dorothy story is truly remarkable. A very large percentage of the vessel is original. The Maritime Museum of BC collection includes extensive documentation, photos and objects from her past including the original invoice from J.J. Robinson, photos from the turn of the century (not the last century… the previous century) and trophies she won in regattas at Cowichan Bay and Victoria.”
Built before the Wright Brothers flew, Dorothy is a 75 mile boat in that she has never left the Salish Sea. Generous individual donors and several local companies in the marine industry have made the refit possible. Managed by the Maritime Museum of BC’s collections committee, the refit began on Gabriola Island in the hands of respected shipwright Tony Grove. Dorothy was moved to the Ladysmith Maritime Society workshop in Ladysmith in 2022.
Both the Ladysmith Maritime Society and the Maritime Museum of BC are registered charities. The collaboration between these two organizations, dedicated to the maritime history of the coast, has been very beneficial. A keen group of volunteers, led by experienced boatwright and maritime history enthusiast, Robert Lawson completed the refit, and she celebrated her relaunch in Ladysmith on May 27, 2023, almost 127 years after her initial launch in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on July 27, 1897.
Read more about Dorothy here: https://mmbc.bc.ca/dorothy/
Information for the Public
Voting Closes: March 24, 2025 at 9:00 AM Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)–that’s 11:00 AM Pacific Time (PT)!
Dorothy’s Category: Gstaad Yacht Club Centenarian of the Year
Link to Vote: https://awards.classicboat.co.uk/centenarian-of-the-year/
— 30 –
For further information, please contact:
Anya Zanko, Events and Development Manager
Maritime Museum of BC
azanko@mmbc.bc.ca
