Jason Emiry
Northern News Services
Published Friday, July 25, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - About 30 people attended the launch of a home-built sailboat last week.

Witnessing the Great Slave Cruising Club-hosted event were local friends and neighbours of boat-owners Annie and Ryerson Clark, and others from their hometown in Nova Scotia.

"We came here from Halifax, Nova Scotia just over a year ago," said Annie Clark.

"We couldn't bring a boat with us so we brought some parts which included some hardware and rig."

They spent most of last winter building the boat which, starting with plans from Stevenson Boats. The public was able to follow the progress of the boat through a blog that the couple has been maintaining throughout the building process.

"The most difficult part is getting started," said Ryerson Clark.

"The sides were difficult too," said Annie.

It is a problem they have dealt with well because the Clarks have built more than a dozen boats together and individually over the years.

The designs have ranged from the Weekender and Windsprints to kayaks and cruisers.

The boat launched, known as a Weekender, is 16 feet long and features two trailboards. Both sides are carved and feature images from their home in Halifax and the other side features art from their new home in Yellowknife.

"We built a demonstration project at the Maritime Museum in Halifax," said Annie.

As tradition dictates, the boat was christened by a woman, although a bottle of champagne was not smashed over the hull. Ryerson backed the trailer into the water to wet the boat and Annie simply poured champagne on the boat. They named the boat Sans Souci, which means without worry or concern.

Fellow sailor Greg Miller gave the couple a bottle of Pusser's Rum. Miller sails a Vacationer named Jenny Rae, a 24-foot-long boat also designed by Stevenson Boats.

"There is a growing community of boat builders worldwide called The Backyard Yacht Builders Association," said Miller. "There are four other Weekenders in the Great Slave Cruising Club and our Vacationer. We will have another Weekender launched this Sunday."

"Some of the boats here have been brought up to Yellowknife, but many are handed down from old sailors to new ones," said Therese Boullard of the Great Slave Cruising Club.

Ryerson and Annie Clark were all smiles after taking the boat out for a short sea trial.

"It isn't perfect yet," said Ryerson. "I jerry-rigged it so we could do this launch. We'll make some adjustments and it should be good."