Whether it’s a houseboat, trawler or yacht, we get the scoop on watercrafts that call the Cove home. For September, we feature a 1994, nine-metre Camano 31 called “Trivial Pursuit,” captained by former Canadian Press photographer and Deep Cove resident Chuck Stoody.
Why did you the name the boat Trivial Pursuit?
The inventors of the game Trivial Pursuit were my good friends and work colleagues, and I became one of the original investors in the game. They worked hard at developing it and I invested to support them and their efforts. I’d say it turned out to be a good investment.
What special features does it have?
The boat is a trawler-type boat and has a 200-horsepower Volvo diesel engine; it is well designed and laid-out, and very open and roomy; I keep it in immaculate condition. I have GPS, radar, radio and mostly I use the helm on the bridge.
What’s your favourite area to explore in it?
My family and I love the B.C. coast; we’ve been exploring it by and boat and this boat for 35 years. A favourite spot is Smuggler Cove, on the Sunshine Coast: we swim, go on dinghy rides, go across the strait to the beach on Thormanby Island and usually make it our first stop on our summer cruising journeys.
Any cool stories about adventuring in the boat?
I took the boat to Alaska in 2008 and had a fabulous trip with good friends on their boat. We went up the B.C. coast, stopping along beautiful areas of the Central Coast, to the Khutzeymateen Provincial Park near Prince Rupert, and into Alaska, stopping in many ports and going into Tracy Arm, and then onto the amazing Glacier Bay. It was a fantastic three-month trip I took to celebrate my retirement!
What’s your dream day on the boat?
My dream day is going up Indian Arm with clear skies and a slight breeze. I stop at the DCYC outstation at Iron Bay and have a swim, and maybe stay overnight.
How often do you go out in it?
I’m out on the boat all the time. I use it in the winter to go up Indian Arm, and throughout the summer my wife and I join other boating friends to go up the coast. We’ll go out just for a day cruise and swim to Bedwell Bay and over to Port Moody to pick up my grandchildren for a ride. I also go on a “gentlemen’s cruise” with friends on their boats from time to time, where we have gourmet meals.
When/why did you start boating?
I was a skier and my wife bought me sailing lessons the Christmas we moved here so we would have something to do in the summertime! We bought our first sailboat, a C&C 25, when my first daughter was born, in 1982. We moved up to a C&C 30 when our twin girls were born and sailed it around the coast for 25 years with all of us on board.
What kind of wildlife have you spotted up Indian Arm from the boat?
I’ve seen bears on the land, and sea lions and many seals in the water. The scenery is spectacular and I never get tired of it.
What do you enjoy the most about being a member of the Deep Cove Yacht Club?
I love the fact that the club is three minutes from my house and I that have my boat so accessible. I have many friends at the club and it’s a great place to gather. I joined in 1984, and while growing up my three girls have enjoyed the many annual activities put on by the club. I was even Santa Claus at one DCYC Christmas party (and they didn’t catch on)!
How did you arrive in Deep Cove?
My family and I have lived in Deep Cove for 37 years. We bought our house when we moved here from Montreal, and haven’t moved. We love it and wouldn’t live anywhere else!
How long were you a photographer with Canadian Press for and what are a couple highlights from your career?
I was a national news photographer with Canadian Press for 35 years and feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to witness history. I worked out of Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and covered many major international and national political, sporting and social events, including Olympics and Stanley Cups, national and provincial elections. My favourite assignments were adventurous ones, such as the seal hunt off Newfoundland in the early 1970s. The fires in B.C. have been a challenge to cover, and I’m glad I’m not out there this year with the record-breaking number of fires we’ve had. ■
