Yacht Launching in the 1970s: by Bill Harris

Oakville builders produced 10 more Canada Cup contenders, more than any other city. They included 1903 Strathconna for Norman MacRea, as well as the Canada Cup 1978 winner, Evergreen.

In the 1920s Andrew's yard was purchased by a syndicate of sailors from the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto, and renamed the Oakville Yacht Building Company. The yard carried out maintenance work and built custom yachts as well as the 25-foot C class. The yard also built the 8 Meter Quest for the RCYC which unsuccessfully contested Canada' cup in 1930.

This was the last of the famous yachts built on the Sixteen. Harry Greb, who owned Metro Marine at Bronte, bought the old Andrew site in the 50s as a permanent mooring for his 78-ft yacht Mir.

Oakville however, continued to be a major centre for yacht building, thanks to the fine reputation of Erich Bruckmann who built Red Jacket at his shop in Bronte in 1966. Red Jacket won the prestigious Southern Ocean series in 1968, establishing a new demand for Canadian built boats in the United States.

George Cuthbertson records from the C&C Custom yard on Speers Road report that in 1973 they had 13 yachts of 43 to 63 feet long under construction, half for US customers.

Of course many boats were built elsewhere but were designed in Oakville by people like George Cuthbertson and Mark Ellis. Over 900 Mark Ellis designed Nonsuch yachts are enjoyed by sailors around the world.

During the 1970s as many as twenty major yachts a year were launched in Bronte harbour. While the number of boats built in Oakville declined towards the end of the century due to the builders moving to less expensive facilities elsewhere, boat design and modification continued through the year 2000.

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