Tuna, Goldcrest sailors to test skills in ‘360’ race

Members of the Van Isle 360 racing team pose for a team picture during a training session in Esquimalt. The military members are competing aboard Sail Training Vessels Tuna and Goldcrest June 3-17 in a race around Vancouver Island. Photo: Peter Mallett/Lookout

Peter Mallett 
Staff Writer

Two sailing teams from CFB Esquimalt began their 15-day race June 3 at Van Isle 360, a 15-day yacht race around Vancouver Island.

The competition, which commenced in Nanaimo, involves 40 teams and approximately 400 sailors competing in a 580-nautical-mile course.

“This race will test our sailors in every way,” says Master Sailor (MS) Ben Sproule, HMCS Calgary Maritime Technician.

MS Sproule is the skipper of Sail Training Vessels (STV) Tuna, one of the two STVs participating in the race. He’s been working with Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) Ellery Down, the skipper of STV Goldcrest and Operations Officer of Naval Fleet School (Pacific) (NFS(P)) Campus Support, since the two teams assembled on May 1. Both skippers are experienced sailors who took up the sport when they were very young.

MS Sproule says the physical attributes of sailing in less-than-ideal circumstances around Vancouver Island, such as lack of sleep and temperature fluctuations, will be on par with the navigational aspects and staying together as a team throughout the challenges. But he and Lt(N) Down remain optimistic about their teams.

Members of the Base’s Van Isle 360 racing team practise deploying flares during training in Colwood, May 18. Photo: Lt(N) Ellery Down, NFS(P)

“We have taken [the recruits] from never having sailed to what I would consider a very well-rounded crew, capable of handling these boats with direction,” Lt(N) Down said.

MS Sproule and Lt(N) Down have been training their crews at HMCS Venture. Their training included in-class instruction, daily sail training around southern Vancouver Island, races against boats of the Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA), overnight sail training in more challenging seas at the western edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Sea Survival and Crew Overboard training courses.

Both skippers say the determination of their recruits and their willingness to learn grew exponentially over the past four weeks. Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A/SLt) Barbara Benes of STV Tuna says she is up for whatever the Van Isle 360 may bring.

“I love new challenges and trying new things,” said A/SLt Benes. “Sailing is a whole new culture, language and way of life to learn for me; that is why I applied.”

She occupies the cockpit position, working as a sail trimmer and ensuring the ship takes the best advantage of the wind and sailing conditions.

Developing friendly rivalry

Lt(N) Down continues to remind the teams that Van Isle 360 is a marathon, not a sprint.

“We need to slow down and be careful,” he says. “We don’t need to be the fastest boat; we just need to not make big mistakes and complete the race. That will be a success for me.”

This approach worked well in 2019, the last time the two boats raced in the biannual event; it was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The previous time, Goldcrest wrestled a third-place finish; Tuna had been in second place for much of the race but finished in fifth.

MS Sproule hopes Tuna’s fortunes will change this time as the friendly competition between the two vessels ramps up.

“I am competitive by nature, but my goal is to have a safe and fun race,” he said. Lt(N) Down adds that their participation is not about the trophy.

“Our first purpose is to continue maintaining the connection with sailing and the maritime element within the Navy and show the Navy still knows how to sail old-fashioned sail boats,” Lt(N) Down said. The other purpose is community engagement.

Also participating in the race is Raven, an Orca-class Patrol Class Training Vessel (PCT) for search and rescue capabilities. Raven will act as a supply and support vessel for the two racing teams while providing guided tours in port towns along the coastline.