George Dyson -Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidarka

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Nov 8, 2008
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Location
North Vancouver
Sunday June 8th at Belcarra Park
About 1 PM

The Mount Fairweather, the creation of historian and the man largely responsible for the popularization of the baidarka, George Dyson, will be launch from its current location in Belcarra Park, where it has sat idle for some 25 years. The 46-ish foot, 6 passenger baidarka is a fiberglass on aluminum frame bairdarka that George built many years ago.

It has been stored in Belcarra Park across the Indian Arm Channel from Deep Cove, North Vancouver, where there are several houses in the Metro Vancouver Park. The "white house" sits adjacent to where George's famous treehouse was located. The future of the houses located in the Park is uncertain, and the Mount Fairweather has to be relocated and I believe they are looking for a permanent location.

Here's some info about George Dyson:

Co-subject of the book, "The Starship and The Canoe"
TED Talk Lecturer: "History of the Computer", and "The Story of Project Orion"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dys ... _historian)
The Belcarra Story: http://www.belcarra.ca/reports/George_Dyson_Story.pdf
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Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

Has it or is it being restored? Does it need it? Is it being moved somewhere specific? Isn't it park property now, so is Metro Parks involved?
What are the basics?
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

Sorry Mick, I'm short on details. I saw it a few weeks back and it looked in remarkably good shape. It's fiberglass on an aluminium frame. I think they are moving it to a temporary home in the park but are hoping to find a permanent home. I don't believe Metro Parks are involved.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

Sounds great, but moves sometimes jeopardize the object being moved.
Quite a cool bit of history resting down there for all this time and wouldn't want it threatened by an unsympathetic or careless move.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

I'm sure George will exercise due care and sympathy to his creation, and exercise a well planned move.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

I didn't understand that he's involved, that's the perfect situation.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

Some one needs to interview George regarding this sailing canoe. Would like to hear what parts , if any need replacing . How it was stored , how useful it actually is , future plans etc .

I understand it was built with a grant from the Canadian Federal government . Should it remain in Canada then ?
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

There's a bunch of information from a few years ago at Brandon Nelson's blog:
http://www.chargelife.com/category/mount-fairweather/
It looks like the idea then was to do a temporary patchup and then paddle it down to Washington and keep it there. The issue of course, is display space.

Here's a pic from the blog showing the outriggers and other dyson kayaks there also:
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Further information from Jo Ledingham of the Belcarra South Preservation Society (a society to continue occupation of cottages in the park) is that
"It will definitely not be junked. It will either be stored back on the Bole House property (unlikely) or down . . . at one of the cottages."

I'm not sure if this is a strategy to get publicity to keep the housing and just maybe the boat(s), or a strategy to save the boat, or a strategy to move the boat.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

I'm not sure if this is a strategy to get publicity to keep the housing and just maybe the boat(s), or a strategy to save the boat, or a strategy to move the boat.
I retract the above. I still don't know what the strategy is, but Jo confirmed that the Preservation Society and George are all part of this. Sounds like an ideal conjunction.
 
Re: George Dyson - Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidar

I understand it was built with a grant from the Canadian Federal government


From the book:
It looks like it was built prior to a grant, but 'wide' modifications were made as well as the other kayaks built using Habitat Forum I funds. Then it was measured and registered under British registry rules.
 

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Re: George Dyson -Re-launch of the Mount Fairweather Baidark

A fair number of people showed up, George Dyson was there orchestrating the launch and captaining Mt Fairweather, and the Preservation Society provided some food. The boat then went for a short jaunt over to the main beach, returned and later was brought back up to one of the houses.
Launch
 

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