History

WITHEY SHIPYARDS

Les Withey was born in Fort William, Ontario on March 2, 1915 and after his family came out west, he decided to become a fisherman.   Les married Margaret (Marg) Inglis in September 1939 and they launched the Naomi 1 that November, moving to live aboard at Cardero Wharf.   In 1941 Les worked at Wallace's Shipyard (Burrard Dry Dock Ltd.) in North Vancouver, building warships for the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy.  But in August 1943 Les Withey’s boat Naomi II was expropriated by the RCAF for use in their Marine Patrol, which looked for submarines off the BC coast. Les signed up with the RCAF and his family went to Gibsons a couple of days later. Les served in the Marine Squadron's vessels that patrolled the Strait of Georgia.  

Les was discharged from the RCAF in May 1945 just as the war was ending. The Withey family moved to Gabriola Island that summer.  

Norm Sear and Les Withey started their boat building and repair company, based on Withey’s expertise and Sear’s property. As soon as his family’s house was built, Withey began to build the new shipyard. Withey started to build boats in Silva Bay and between 1945 and 1949 the business built seven fishing boats. 

In 1952, for the first time since the war years, Canada’s Navy contracted the construction of four wooden boats in BC.   Withey had handed over his first two naval vessels, HMCSs YFM 306 and 308, on January 20 and 21, 1954 at CFB Nanaimo.  Our boat HMCS YFM 314 was built in in 1954 and handed over to the Canadian Navy Fleet at CFB Esquimalt.  Three further boats were commissioned built: YFM 317 was handed over on August 5, 1955, YFM 319 on September 7, 1955, and YFM 320 on November 1, 1955.

In 1960 She was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force, named Nimpkish II under designation M975, and was based in Holberg in Northern Vancouver Island. Her role was to ferry Personnel and supplies from Coal Harbour in Vancouver to the base. CFS Holberg was a NORAD Radar Station established as part of the Pinetree Radar Network and described as No. 501 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron. In 1965 she was administratively transferred back to the Navy, but remained in Holberg

In 1978 she was returned to the Canadian Navy and was designated YFP 314, (Yard Ferry Personnel) an Orca Class Patrol Boat and was initially a Torpedo Recovery Vessel. She was designated YAG 314 (Yard Auxiliary General) and named HMCS Caribou. Later in 1978 she was assigned to the CFB Comox Sea Survival School, and later continued as a Naval Officer Training vessel. The YAGs ceased active service by 2008, and then in 2011 were sold by the Navy into private hands. YAG 314 was acquired by Gary Kleaman Marine in North Vancouver and was brought up to good operating condition. Sold  to Alain Tremblay in 2016, then acquired by the present owners in November 2017. She has since been refurbished into a west coast style recreational  cruising vessel.

YAG 300 Class Vessel

Length Overall: 75' 3" (22.94M)

Beam: 18' 6" (5.69M)

Draft: 4' 6" (2.57M)

Displacement: 47.9 Tonnes

Powered by twin Detroit Diesel 6-71 

Total power 320 HP (239 kW)

Speed 10 knots

Fuel Capacity: 690 Gallons

Yanmar 6.5 kW Generator

Water Capacity: 385 Gallons

Compliment of 14 Officers and crew

We offer classes and personalized training courses for Coastal and Celestial Navigation, and general operating of a vessel in BC's Coastal waters.

Look forward to seeing you out on the water, as well as taking part in the numerous Wooden Boat Festivals around the Pacific Northwest in the coming years...