An annual nautical-themed festival is returning to Steveston next weekend and visitors can even watch live as an old Japanese-Canadian gillnetter vessel is restored.
The 22nd annual Richmond Maritime Festival is taking place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24, and among the list of nautical events is the restoration of the 37-foot-long Crystal S gillnetter at the Richmond Boat Builders building near the Britannia Shipyards Heritage National Site.
Crstyal S is a 37-foot-long Japanese-Canadian vessel, donated by Steveston resident Bud Sakamoto, who built the boat with his father in 1963.
Dave Sharp, resident shipwright with the Richmond Boat Builders, is in charge of the project and describes the boat as a "perfect example of (a) Japanese-Canadian gillnetter (vessel) that has evolved in Steveston."
There are Western and European influences on building the Crystal S, but with a mix of traditional Japanese techniques, he explained.
Currently, the back half of the boat is the bulk of the project for the Richmond Boat Builders and having the current frame of the stern is a "big milestone" at the moment for Sharp and the team.
Visitors can view the restoration process and even ask Sharp questions about the boat during the festival.
Sharp said Sakamoto has been a good consultant in providing knowledge on how the boat was built, maintained and how it was fished as they started with the Crystal S restoration.
Sakamoto also provided old material, including bolts, to use in the process.
"It's kind of cool to be able to put some of the original stock from the Sakamoto Works back into this boat," said Sharp.
"We're trying to make it as accurate a restoration as possible, so we want to use the same material and a lot of the same techniques as we can."
Restoration work on the Crystal S will be mainly to repair the visible structure of the boat.
"We're going to be doing all the woodwork as if it were going back into service, so it will be seaworthy -- technically it will float," he said.
However, because they are not doing any mechanical or electrical repairs, it will become a static display.
Aside from the live boat restoration, the festival will give visitors a chance to learn and engage in the maritime legacy of Steveston through site visits, interactive activities, live music, puppet shows, art exhibitions and more.
There will be multiple heritage boats such as the 103-year-old SS Master tugboat, the MV Gikumi, Midnight Sun, Sandra Jean II and the Island Provider for visitors to see and even walk on.
Steveston will have the largest music stage ever at this year's festival with Murfitt & Main, Collage Trad, Irish Wakers, Nautical Notes and The Whiskeydicks.
Families can also visit the Octopus Garden, where there will be free facepainting and street-theatre picture-card shows by Stories on Wheels.
There will be more than 15 food trucks at the festival as well and picnic tables for people to eat at.
For more information on the festival, visit the Richmond Maritime Festival website.
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