AWARD-WINNING Westlake Boats

2008 - "Best Human Powered Vessel"
Sunshine Coast Wooden Boat Festival, Pender Harbour, BC
14-foot Modified Thomson-Malyea Hand Troller.
This boat was built for a customer in 2006. It is based on a boat built by Roy Malyea in 1937 in Gibsons, BC. Will Thomson recorded the lines for the Malyea boat in 1964. The original 13-foot length was increased to 14 to accomodate two rowers. Larry can build this design to order in either length. Plans for amateur builders are available for $45.

Plans webpage.
Sunshine Coast Wooden Boat Festival website.

2007 - Winner of the Alder Bay Classic Cup rowboat race -
Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival, Granville Island.
Sunshine Coast Hand Troller replica Anna rowed by Larry Westlake.
Larry rowed Anna approximately 21 nautical miles from Gibsons to Vancouver and back again to attend the Wooden Boat Festival, for the second time. This boat was also rowed from Gibsons to Lund (about 90 miles) in 2005. The design is a faithful copy of a boat built by author/fisherman Hubert Evans in the 1930's. Larry can build this design to order. Plans are available from the Sunshine Coast Museum for $45(contact below).
Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival webpage.
Gibsons Museum website
.

2007 - First Prize, Woodworking category, Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival Juried Exhibition.
"Twilight" wood-canvas double-paddle canoe. Designed by Larry Westlake. Built by Larry and Hannah Westlake.
Some of the construction was done as public demonstrations. The ribs were bent at the Pender Harbour April Tools event, and part of the planking at the Gibsons Museum Heritage Small Boat Show. The wood-canvas construction follows traditional methods employed first by Maine builders in the 1880's, and in Canada later by the Chestnut Canoe Company (1905-1978). A strong, basket-like wooden hull is combined with a tough waterproof fabric skin.
Built to order only, no plans available.
Fibre Arts Festival website
Photo: Will Cummer - www.willofthewoods.com

2004 - People's Choice Award for Best Of Show, Gibsons Museum's first Small Wooden Heritage Boat Show.
"Brightsides" Handliner reproduction prototype, designed and built by Larry Westlake.

Brightsides was the first modern design to revive the vanishing classic West Coast Handliner type for recreational use and for amateur construction. The building method is taped-seam sheathed plywood, also known as 'stitch-and-glue'. Stitch-and-glue is currently the most popular construction method for amateur builders. This boat can be built to order for you and plans are also available to build your own.
Plans webpage.
Custom-built boat webpage.
Gibsons Museum website.

Westlake Boats HOME page.