Community

WATCH: Why dozens of boats gathered on Okanagan Lake

200-year-old tradition took place at the Kelowna Yacht Club

  • Sailpast originated in the Royal Navy
  • Purpose is to honour the commodore and show ship is seaworthy

A 200-year-old sailing tradition took place at the Kelowna Yacht Club (KYC) Sunday.

Sailpast is one of the club’s most longstanding events where the Commodore is honoured by the members of the club.

“It originated back in the Royal Navy,” Commodore Tillman Hodgson told Kelowna10. “Where admirals and royalty would inspect the fleet for sea worthiness, which was important in those days as ships were maintained individually by their captains and not centrally.”

Although Hodgson has attended many sailpast events, this was the first year in his role as commodore. He said the main purpose is for boats to sail past the commodore’s flagship to show that it is operational, and the sailors can sail.

“I really like the sense of community, all the people coming together,” he explained.

The morning was full of events, starting with a complimentary breakfast inside the club. Afterwards, everyone gathered for a flag raising. Hodgson and the KYC Board of Directors were led onto the docks by a bagpiper.

Hodgson’s favourite part was the ceremony on the docks, where Indigenous leaders welcomed everyone to their land and longstanding KYC members were honoured.

“We had the history, so many life members and past commodores all in one place,” he said. “The sheer mentorship and volunteerism that is represented in that couple dozen people is astounding.”

After the land ceremony, sailors took their boats out to the lake to sail by Hodgson, saluting him and dipping a Canadian flag in the water.

There were dozens of sailboats that went past in formation first, followed by just as many power boats.

“I was on my boat briefly yesterday and I saw so many people cleaning their boats,” Hodgson said. “That’s the biggest prep, they want to look good, they want to look impressive.”

For Tillman, keeping up the tradition is important to keep a sense of community.

“Traditions do evolve over time as our membership changes and as the city changes around us,” he explained. “We always try and have traditions that we keep, and we follow, but we also evolve them over time to meet the way the world is.”

After the last boats sailed by, the club members enjoyed some food and beverages on the flagship during the sunny morning.

Published 2022-06-12 by Jordan Brenda

Get a fresh daily look

See what’s happening in and around our city, and the people who call it home.

Our newsroom abides by the RTNDA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and follows the Canadian Press Stylebook. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to send us a news tip, please contact us.

Kelowna10 is division of Pattison Media, and strives to achieve the highest ethical standards in all that we do.