GORE BAY—A long-time permanent seasonal boater in Gore Bay is donating his sailboat to the Gore Bay-Western Manitoulin Lions Club to auction off to support the community.
“I really like the aspect that whether the Lions make $500, $1,000 or more in auctioning off the boat it is going to be use for the tremendous work they do in the community,” stated Norm Wilson from his home in Sarnia. “I’m not interested in making any money off the boat, and I hope it will be auctioned off to someone who appreciate the boat and what I’ve done with it. I really like the idea that the funds from the auction will remain on the Island to benefit the people of Manitoulin.”
Mr. Wilson, who turned 71 in June, has terminal cancer. “My children and grandchildren are not in the situation currently that they could spend the time or money to properly maintain and enjoy the boat.”
“My dream was to spend my last summer on the boat in Gore Bay,” said Mr. Wilson. “But when I found out this was not a possibility or reality, I started to look at making arrangements as to what to do with it.”
“The funny thing is when I contacted the guy I originally bought the boat from, he suggested donating it to a community service organization,” said Mr. Wilson. “I knew exactly after he said it that this was the right answer and the one I had been looking for.”
The manufacturer of Mr. Wilson’s 28-foot sailboat, which he calls ‘Windhover Two,’ was Hinterhoeller Yachts located at Niagara on the Lake. When George Hinterhoeller sold the business it became C & C Yachts.
“George Hinterhoeller always wanted to build boats, but through his business he was usually stuck in his office. That was when he approached a Mr. Cuthbertson of C and C Yachts to take over the company. “He did build many different boats, the most famous being the ‘Nonsuch’ boats, but I don’t know how many he made.”
“I’ve owned this boat since the early 1980s (with the boat having been manufactured in 1964),” said Mr. Wilson. “I’m the fourth owner of the boat, and I have owned it longer than anyone else. I paid $20,000 which was a lot of money for me at the time but was a fair price.”
“The reason I bought this boat is I could see the potential for it and that I could mount modern hardware on it and sill have room to operate it,” said Mr. Wilson, noting the sailboat has six individual sails. The only sail on it that I haven’t replaced is the number one genoa (which is 135 percent overlap). The headsail inventory ranges from 105 percent overlap to 155 percent overlap genoa.
After visiting Gore Bay years ago, “and finding out about the seasonal rates for having it here, on my way back home the whole way I was thinking I am going to bring the boat back to Gore Bay in the spring and it will remain there,” said Mr. Wilson. “That was in about 1993-1994 and I have been back every year since.”
“When I first came up to Gore Bay Paul Purvis owned the boat storage business in Gore Bay and Bob Zahnow was the harbour master,” said Mr. Wilson. “When I moved the boat up to Gore Bay there was limited space for seasonal boat owners, and I was the junior guy for seasonal boat owners when I arrived.”
“I have never regretted moving my boat up there. Even during life’s difficult times I always wanted to keep my boat up north,” said Mr. Wilson. “You have to think through a commitment like that and decide if you feel you are getting good value by stay in one place every summer. I’ve loved being in Gore Bay every summer. Gore Bay is ideal for exploring the North Channel, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time there.”
“I’m hoping whoever the Lions Club auctions off the boat and enjoys sailing as much as I do, will enjoy it as much as I have,” added Mr. Wilson.
