The People's Boat: HMCS «Oriole», Ship of a Thousand Dreams

Gordon Turner is the author of Empress of Britain: Canadian Pacific’s
Greatest Ship and the editor of SeaFare, a quarterly newsletter on sea
travel.

The 80-year-old sailing ship Oriole began its career with two decades on
the Great Lakes, followed by almost a decade of World War II and postwar
service. It was built to the highest specifications for the noted
yachtsman George H. Gooderham of Toronto, and soon earned a reputation
for its fine sailing qualities. For the last half-century, its has been
a member of the Royal Canadian Navy, which still believes in sail
training. In this role, HMCS Oriole has introduced thousands of mostly
young people to the intricacies of using weather and water to move a
vessel from one point to the next, and has taught them the value of
teamwork. Its age notwithstanding, Oriole, now based on Vancouver
Island, continues to take part in races long and short.

The author, who served as an Oriole crew member in 1998, has written a
detailed history of the ship. Hewett’s affection for the graceful
yacht is apparent, and she is well qualified to write about sailing
vessels. However, readers who are not acquainted with nautical
terminology may be baffled by such phrases as “aft the sheets” and
“ready on the port mizzen backstay,” not all of which are explained
in the glossary. Sixteen pages of color photos have not been reproduced
well, but the black-and-white photos have received better treatment.
Oriole has many fans, civilian as well as naval, and for them The
People’s Boat will find an audience.