The Chandlery

The traditional name for a marine supply store is a chandlery.  According to Wikipedia the name is derived from centuries ago when candles were such a big item that entire businesses were dedicated to their manufacture and sale.  Apparently boat parts went hand-in-hand with candles so it became common practice for candle sellers to stock marine supplies as well.  Then again, using that logic they would also sell beer.

Before learning to sail I was always fascinated by chandleries.  There's an unexplainable feel about them that is something between a hardware store and a book store.  You can wander for hours looking at various gadgets and ropes, imagining what their practical use might be.  Now that I have a boat you might think the novelty would be diminished but far from it.  David and I take advantage of every excuse to make a visit, except now we stride in with the confident sense of purpose that only Boat Owners possess.  In truth, we still don't know what half of the stuff is for but we make far more educated guesses.

In Vancouver there are lots of Chandleries to choose from, ranging from the little one in our Marina to megastores like West Marine.  Quickly becoming my favourite is one that David introduced me to called Martin Marine in North Vancouver.  Unlike the megastores, it has the small, cozy feel that bookstores used to have before Chapters and Barnes and Noble came along.  The floor undulates, seemingly with the ground beneath it, and is made variously of either cement or old 2x12's that look like they were taken from a dismantled pier.  One of the charms of places like this is the eclectic mix of commonly used modern items and other more dated items that look to have been there for a very long time.

The other day, David and I were looking at our dock lines and fenders and realized that they were rather old and tattered.  Safety issues aside, they suddenly seemed quite unsightly and we concluded they had to go - lest we look like amateurs.  We made a trip to Martin Marine and picked up some new white fenders and packages of fresh blue line to tie them to the boat with.  We also bought some new dock lines.  As a bonus, the guy who sold them to us also showed us a quick way to make a clove hitch.  We listened intently.

New fenders

New dockline

David also purchased 100ft of rope specifically to use for raising the dinghy with his block and tackle.  He was determined to figure that particular problem out.  The next day we went to the boat at lunch and   replaced the dock lines and fenders with the new ones.  We stood back and assessed the boat - it looked decidedly more professional.  Later that day, with the help of David's friend Ed, we rigged the block and tackle with the new line and shortly thereafter we were celebrating the marvel of Mechanical Advantage, having lifted the dinghy into the air with ease.  I imagined that the people on the deck at Cardero's were watching us approvingly.  Pleased with the day, we went below and toasted our accomplishments with a bit of single malt.

The dinghy on the foredeck with David's block and tackle attached