om

’. carries 15 or more people in patio-style luxury.

capital cost to date: under $800 in cash, plus the annual gala trip to Kitsilano
time and I loving: labor of its owners..

iMeve over,

‘most bizarre pleasure craft on the Lower Mainland
coast, and a familiar sight during the summer room. .
months to West Vancouver waterfront dwellers. It

Its

. The Raft is the brainchild
and joint. property of three
‘young West Vancouver bus-
inessmen—Jamie _ Disher,
Brent Davies and Humphrey
.(‘Frumper’) Killam.’. Close.
friends, they conceived the
project in what Jamie Disher
. calls ‘‘a’ Huckleberry Finn
- mood’: -during some lazy
- summer weeks i in 1974, —

-Surplus lumber was avail-
able ftom a ° neighbor’s
building’ site at Dundarave
beach, and from this they
built a 16 foot square deck.
Then came’ the pontoons,
which technically make the |
craft into a catamarai.

SEWER PIPE. ;

‘They: were: the “most.
expensive parts,'’ said
_ Jamie. They're a couple of ©
20-foot lengths of industrial .
fibreglass sewer pipe, and at
$300 we got.a good price on
them. We cut the ends to a
45 degree angle and sealed
them with rounds of plywood
and fibreglass filler.”

A fourth friend, ‘Robin |
wibies: contributed a 10-.
year-old, 5% h.p. outboard, :

a - and after ‘three ‘weeks work

' ‘The Raft’ was ready for its.
‘ maiden voyage ‘from Dun- |

-durave pier'to Kitsilano on |

. a ate Sunday. of the ‘1974

ue

"Naniaimo-Vancouver bathtub
pace. ’ : . _ ‘ ;

We ‘statted: out with 22°
' Speople,"’, ‘gaid; Jamie, ‘but
we have:to'put five of; them
“ashore! at. Third .: Beach, .

a “because: that’ little outboard

ay

; © gauldn’ t buck the tide witha

‘fullload. We were beginning
_ to, go backward!" |

LONG DAY

The crossing took four

hours each way. The snail’s
speed at which The Raft
proceeded brought one or
two anxious moments from
approaching ferries and
freighters. However, there
was. plenty of feod: and
refreshment on board to
sustain body and spirits—
and some noticeable . ten-
dency, as the day wore ‘on,
for individual passéngers to.
enjoy a brief swim in. Eneish
ay.

Aside from these. » insignif-
icant little problems . the —
maiden voyage was voted a’
great success, and over, fhe
‘past: two: years: the’ Ra

bare deck of raw wood has |

‘been converted by its owners
into. ‘an open-air. luxury’
cruiser. fit for the Great °
Gataby himself. mos

’

The ancient 5% hp.
outboard has: been. replaced
by a powerful, Evinrude. A
stecrini wheel and elecironic:

‘gear shift have been installed |

amidships, with. bucket seats

for the: captain’ and second
officer. ‘Lush new ye
has: been: donated « by. the .
Harding. “people, friends of -
one of the’ owners. And’:
‘there’s been an immaculate ‘:
‘ white paint job.

“REST ROOM’

Pride and joy of The Raft.
today, however,
fortably equipped **Ladies’
rest room,’ screened-off

superstructure is appropria-
tely surmounted by a plastic

is a com-.

“THE RAFT” puts to sea off Dundarave Beach [Noel Wright photo] .

°

They call it quite simply ‘‘The Raft’’—because, owl to scare away the .
_ being unique, it needs no fancy. tiame. ‘It’s the seagulls—which had an un-- So

fortunate habit of mistaking -
the entire deck for a rest

A couple of weeks ago
. when The Raft made its third

on bathtub-race day, the
\ crossing took under. half an. —

___continued on page 14

. ES ao

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ee ARN TESTE en Fen a NTA ga Te

page 13, July 28, 1976 - North Shore News
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2294 West 10 Avenue, Vancouver, B. C.
Telephone: 731-1155 Local 194

: 985-1 867.

1
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my