beginning THURSDAY APRIL 18, join our COOPER BOATING CREW aboard ELECTRA, our 42 Nordic Tug on ‘F’ dock


a few of our lovely boats are featured at this event & we’d love to show you Electra as well as one of our 'COOPER BUILT' WESTCOAST 46 motor yachts & the best new sailboat on the BC Coast – ALEGRIA – an award winning Dufour 45E:


not to be out done -  IOLNAR NA MARA (eagle of the sea) will be there as well - heading to our SIDNEY base following the show - check out the most state of the art sailboat we've ever offered (bow & stern thrusters, electric 'rewind' winches):


COME BY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUPER BOAT SHOW SPECIALS - charters, course & club offerings - remember, life's just better on a boat

VICTORIA BOAT SHOW

date: APRIL 18 - 21 VICTORIA's BEAUTIFUL INNER HARBOUR

the WEATHER gods were kind to this year's EASTER FLOTILLA - check out our photo logbook with preliminary images of this year's event!



owners, bareboat charter clientele and club members enjoyed the fun and camaradarie of the northern GULF ISLANDS in this trip'

it's been a short week - although we managed to have the busiest boat shuffle in our 30 year history

over two million dollars in yachts added or changed hands
in the COOPER FLEET this week

with owners adding & even exchanging with eachother, we can barely type this- so let's share with some pictures:

  ARRIVED - RIGGED & LAUNCHING SHORTLY
(ALEGRIA - SEE HER AT VICTORIA BOAT SHOW)

PURCHASED -  BRAND NEW 2013
BAVARIA VISION 46 -SEE HER AT VICTORIA BOAT SHOW

ORDERED -  BRAND NEW 2013
HANSE 495 -EXPECTED SUMMER 2013

  DUFOUR 365

DUFOUR 385

MERIDIAN 490

HUNTER 31

GIB SEA 37

CATALINA 320

WHILE GRATEFUL THE MARKET WOKE UP, it was a bit odd to all happen same week

there are a few more items brewing that we can tell you about later, meantime, we're off to enjoy the beautiful EASTER WEEKEND weather on our legendary flotilla and recover from this week

SEEING AS THE GREAT WEATHER IS HERE - WHY NOT BOOK YOUR BOATING HOLIDAY NOW?

ps - odd as it sounds, we are still trying to find some mid 30 foot sail & power boats for the fleet - catch the wave

ps2 - MR COOPER will be BUSY shortly (like he isn't already - good thing we've also got the strongest team ever!)

for many years, we've had the ability to do SAILING lessons on smaller performance keelboats that blast around the bay & as one graduate put it well" "the boat taught me to sail" - the responsiveness of a pure sailing machine accelerates the learning process

similarly, CRUISING lessons like our popular CRUISE & LEARN allow you to venture off to explore our beautiful coast while enjoying a relaxing pace that is the essence of CRUISING



now, we can take that entry level concepts up to our bigger boat programs - with the recent arrival of ALEGRIA, our DUFOUR 45e, we have a giant sporty boat that will respond quickly to the inputs of the crew - taking sail training to a new level

at the same time, a few people want to continue a relaxed pace & don't obsessively tweak the sails - the lessons are as much about learning to unwind and enjoy the simple pleasures of cruising - the flavour is different and rewarding in a different manner - a great option, but not exacty what you'd experience on our new rocketship

our selection in sailing & cruising courses allows you to jump aboard ALEGRIA & push your boundaries - you should brush up past learning experience & prepare to enjoy two instructors - your certified instructor & a boat whose pedigree makes her a big part of your learning experience as well



alternately, you could turn the learning pace to a simmer and enjoy the relaxed pace of beautiful cruising areas like BARKLEY SOUND on BC'S WEST COAST

don't worry about the destination - when you're on these boats "you're already there"

contact our crew today to arrange your spectacular course - we'd love to help you choose from a variety of unbelievable experiences

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QUICK LINKS:

sailing lessons

advanced on ALEGRIA

offshore on ALEGRIA

CIRCUMNAVIGATE VANCOUVER ISLAND on ALEGRIA


cruising lessons

WESTCOAST ADVENTURES

CRUISING CIRCUMNAVIGATION

ALEGRIA, our new DUFOUR 45e, on path to set a new standard for sail training in CANADA, is approaching CANADIAN WATERS - see this morning's AIS plot as she piggybacks aboard the STAR ISMENE - next time she's off the OREGON COAST, she'll be on her own bottom!!



follow her steps to the ocean on her very own COOPER page 

CHARTER - we've been busy hauling, painting & polishing the fleet to ensure you've got a great ride for the EASTER FLOTILLA for the group you like to cruise with - boats from VANCOUVER & SIDNEY will join the flotilla & boats from POWELL RIVER have also been seen in VANCOUVER getting ready for the season 

 

CREW CLUB - if you don't have a group to cruise with, our CREW CLUB is all about BOATING ADVENTURES MADE SIMPLE - easter flotilla per member rate of only 

 

not a member? - try out the club with our current  bonus offer

 

COURSE - our mileage builder courses are great ways to cruise with professional coaching & we have one lined up to sail with the flotilla

 

contact MARLA today (604.683.6837 ext 19) & join us this FLOTILLA  FRIDAY for a fun filled session to get you ready for the season  

 

MARCH 15 FLOTILLA FRIDAY *PARTY*

 

MARCH 22 FLOTILLA FRIDAY *PLANNING & PREPARATION*

last weekend we saw some great sessions in VANCOUVER including DON MARTIN telling the epic tale of LADY VAN'S 2012 EUROPEAN ADVENTURE on the classic yacht racing circuit 

 

experts are on their way to EDMONTON & CALGARY this weekend with DEREK HATFIELD (see below), solo ocean racer with the SPIRIT of CANADA headlining with some of our popular favourites like JEFF COTE of PACIFIC YACHT SYSTEMS & newcomer ALAN BOREHAM author of BEER IN THE BILGES (~adventures in the SOUTH PACIFIC)

while our local in VANCOUVER was DON MARTIN and LADY VAN (how's the one above for a stunning photo?) we have EDMONTON & CALGARY locals from the ALBERTA OFFSHORE SAILING ASSOCIATION (love that name) and CANADIAN SAIL & POWER SQUADRONS joining us in their home towns

as we blaze the trails of WESTERN CANADA with boating experts in support of the FOOD BANK - be sure to let us know if we should bring this show to you - let our VANCOUVER OFFICE know if you would be interested in hosting a YES event in your town

ALBERTA HEADLINER - DEREK HATFIELD


ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION:

It takes tremendous courage, determination and persistence to race around the world alone, Derek Hatfield is the 126^th person in history and the only Canadian to have done it twice!
 
Racing single-handed around the world is an incredible accomplishment, for perspective over 400 astronauts have gone into space and 10,000 climbers have reached the summit of Mt. Everest. Having now raced over 200,000 miles singlehanded Derek’s truly inspiring story of becoming a competitor in 3 singlehanded races around the world includes a devastating pitch-pole and dismasting near the infamous Cape Horn, building North America’s first state-of-the-art all carbon Open 60, spending over 50 days alone at sea at a time, much of that time enduring vicious Southern Ocean storms, torrential rain, scolding heat and bitter ice and snow.
 
Most recently Derek raced in the Eco 60 Class working towards circumnavigating the globe without the use of fossil fuels. In order to reduce his impact on the planet Derek used solar and wind power instead of fossil fuels to generate the electricity needed during the race – an approach that goes hand in hand with the main principles of working towards a more sustainable future.
 
Derek finished the most recent race the VELUX 5 Oceans single handed around the world race in France at the end of May, 2011 and once again took a place on the podium for Canada.
 
Here to tell a story of perseverance & determination is Derek Hatfield - SPIRIT OF CANADA OCEAN CHALLENGES

OUR YACHT EXPO SEMINARS ARE UNDERWAY in VANCOUVER and next week we will be on the road to ALBERTA - come out & learn about some great boating topics in anticipation of the season ahead and support the FOOD BANK in the process

CHECK THE EDMONTON SESSIONS FOR MARCH 1 & 2


CHECK THE CALGARY SESSIONS FOR MARCH 3 & 4


please take a moment to quickly indicate the sessions you are interested in attending to help our planning (right hand side of detailed schedule)

your admission is your choice of something to support the food bank - food or money would be FANTASTIC

seminars begin 1300hrs FRIDAY and continue into the evening & through SATURDAY ALL DAY

come down to GRANVILLE ISLAND - everyone welcome with a donation to the foodbank as admission

see here for the COMPLETE SCHEDULE & simple RSVP form



DON MARTIN, BC SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE 2012 (sailing) will regale stories of racing classic boats (flying pianos as he may refer to them) in EUROPE last summer

see some of the pretiest boats on the planet & start tugging at those heart strings as boating season approaches on the horizon

wondering about ALBERTA SCHEDULES?  they go public mid day tomorrow

our 2013 YACHT EXPO seminars have a great lineup - DON MARTIN, 2012 BC SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE headlines VANCOUVER while DEREK HATFIELD of the SPIRIT OF CANADA offshore challenges headlines our ALBERTA events and many more experts partake in our fun get togethers on a great variety of topics

 

JEFF COTE is back to shock you on MARINE ELECTRICAL items, as is DAVE BONAR of BOSUN'S YACHT SALES - both with new topics and the same great delivery

JEFF SUTCLIFFE, only 16 YEARS OLD, will draw on his two VICTORIA-MAUI races and help you discover your appetite for a similar adventure

browse all the speakers

register to get the updates as they unfold - including CALGARY, EDMONTON & VICTORIA/SIDNEY

browse the FEBRUARY 22 & 23 VANCOUVER DETAILED SCHEDULE (others to be released shortly - register now for priority)