STV Black Jack
Encyclopedia
STV Black Jack is a brigantine
operated by the Ottawa-based youth charity Bytown Brigantine, Inc. Black Jack sails on the historic Ottawa River
between Brittania Yacht Club and Quyon, Quebec
. On May 2, 2004, the STV Black Jack was designated "Ottawa's Signature Tall Ship".
Black Jack was the first ship in service with Bytown Brigantine, Inc., a charitable organization devoted to providing sail training adventure for youth. This 87 feet (26.5 m) brigantine is home to 15 youth between the ages of 12 and 15 during the summer months. The program is designed to develop character and foster leadership, confidence and self reliance in youth through the medium of sail training. Her sister ship STV Fair Jeanne
is also in use by Bytown Brigantine on the Great Lakes
and Canada's east coast.
Black Jack is steel-hulled with wooden bilge keels. Her sparred length is 87 feet (26.5 m), length on deck 62 feet (18.9 m), and beam 14 feet (4.3 m). She draws 6 feet (1.8 m), which allows her to go almost anywhere a keelboat can, which is very useful when maneuvering the Ottawa River
and docking at her berth in Britannia Yacht Club. She can be seen at the yacht club but is not open to the public except on special occasions. Her mast height is 80 feet (24.4 m) and she carries a total of 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of sail area on 9 sails.
. She was built in Scotland
in 1904 and made her way to Canada that same year. In 1952, the ship was converted by the late Captain Thomas G. Fuller into a Brigantine. She operated as the Fuller family yacht for several years until her sister ship STV Fair Jeanne
was built in 1982. Rather than see the ship fall into disuse, Captain Fuller's son, Simon Fuller, refitted the ship with the intention of using her as a sail training vessel. She made her sail training debut in 1983 and in the summer of 1984 attended the 450th Anniversary of Jacques Cartier's Landing in Quebec City with many other international tall ships. Since then, Black Jack has remained on the Ottawa River where she is the focal point of the Black Jack Island Adventure Camp for youth.
In 2004, Black Jack celebrated its centennial birthday. Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson, then Governor General of Canada, re-christened the Black Jack and helped Bytown Brigantine wish the ship well on her next 100 years of service in the Ottawa area.
. Based on a private 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) island near Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario
, participants become immersed in an environment that could be described as Peter Pan meets the Pirates of the Caribbean. Campers are swept up in the training and challenge it takes to sail a tall ship. Under direction of the ship's certified Master, participants work closely with crew to learn all aspects of seamanship, from hoisting sails and learning basic navigation to tying knots and steering the ship.
The island is used to teach campers other aspects of sailing, navigation and teamwork through popular games like the “Great Canadian Buoy Hunt” and the “Island Bridge Challenge”. Evenings on the island are filled with camp fires and extremely popular island-wide Manhunt or Capture-the-Flag games which can become very competitive. Participants sleep either aboard Black Jack (on deck or down below depending on weather), or on a floating bunkhouse moored at the island. At the end of a long day, participants find their beds on an authentic floating bunkhouse, the Stanley Carson Bunk Barge.
Two barges are kept moored at the island during the summer months. The Stanley Carson Bunk Barge is an authentic logging bunkhouse that was used by loggers on the Ottawa River. The two-story barge provides accommodation and cooking facilities for up to 30 people. The second barge is equipped as a well-stocked supply barge, large enough to carry vehicles and equipment.
Ottawa Citizen article from 1984
Bytown Sail Training Montage
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
operated by the Ottawa-based youth charity Bytown Brigantine, Inc. Black Jack sails on the historic Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
between Brittania Yacht Club and Quyon, Quebec
Quyon, Quebec
Quyon is a village in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It is located within the Pontiac Municipality.-Geography:...
. On May 2, 2004, the STV Black Jack was designated "Ottawa's Signature Tall Ship".
Black Jack was the first ship in service with Bytown Brigantine, Inc., a charitable organization devoted to providing sail training adventure for youth. This 87 feet (26.5 m) brigantine is home to 15 youth between the ages of 12 and 15 during the summer months. The program is designed to develop character and foster leadership, confidence and self reliance in youth through the medium of sail training. Her sister ship STV Fair Jeanne
STV Fair Jeanne
Tall Ship Fair Jeanne is a Canadian sail training ship built and registered in Ottawa, Ontario. She is operated by the Ottawa-based youth charity, Bytown Brigantine Inc. Fair Jeanne is a 110 ft traditionally-rigged brigantine of composite construction, outfitted with a Detroit Diesel...
is also in use by Bytown Brigantine on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and Canada's east coast.
Black Jack is steel-hulled with wooden bilge keels. Her sparred length is 87 feet (26.5 m), length on deck 62 feet (18.9 m), and beam 14 feet (4.3 m). She draws 6 feet (1.8 m), which allows her to go almost anywhere a keelboat can, which is very useful when maneuvering the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
and docking at her berth in Britannia Yacht Club. She can be seen at the yacht club but is not open to the public except on special occasions. Her mast height is 80 feet (24.4 m) and she carries a total of 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of sail area on 9 sails.
History
Black Jack was originally a logging tug on the Upper Ottawa River and was based in Quyon, QuebecQuyon, Quebec
Quyon is a village in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It is located within the Pontiac Municipality.-Geography:...
. She was built in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1904 and made her way to Canada that same year. In 1952, the ship was converted by the late Captain Thomas G. Fuller into a Brigantine. She operated as the Fuller family yacht for several years until her sister ship STV Fair Jeanne
STV Fair Jeanne
Tall Ship Fair Jeanne is a Canadian sail training ship built and registered in Ottawa, Ontario. She is operated by the Ottawa-based youth charity, Bytown Brigantine Inc. Fair Jeanne is a 110 ft traditionally-rigged brigantine of composite construction, outfitted with a Detroit Diesel...
was built in 1982. Rather than see the ship fall into disuse, Captain Fuller's son, Simon Fuller, refitted the ship with the intention of using her as a sail training vessel. She made her sail training debut in 1983 and in the summer of 1984 attended the 450th Anniversary of Jacques Cartier's Landing in Quebec City with many other international tall ships. Since then, Black Jack has remained on the Ottawa River where she is the focal point of the Black Jack Island Adventure Camp for youth.
In 2004, Black Jack celebrated its centennial birthday. Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson, then Governor General of Canada, re-christened the Black Jack and helped Bytown Brigantine wish the ship well on her next 100 years of service in the Ottawa area.
Black Jack Island Adventure Camp
Black Jack is now part of a sail-training summer camp for youth 12 – 15 years old on the Ottawa RiverOttawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. Based on a private 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) island near Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario
Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario
Fitzroy Harbour is a small village within the city of Ottawa in eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Ottawa River at the mouth of the Carp River. A branch of the Mississippi River, known as the Snye, also empties into the Ottawa to the west of the village.The town was founded by Charles...
, participants become immersed in an environment that could be described as Peter Pan meets the Pirates of the Caribbean. Campers are swept up in the training and challenge it takes to sail a tall ship. Under direction of the ship's certified Master, participants work closely with crew to learn all aspects of seamanship, from hoisting sails and learning basic navigation to tying knots and steering the ship.
The island is used to teach campers other aspects of sailing, navigation and teamwork through popular games like the “Great Canadian Buoy Hunt” and the “Island Bridge Challenge”. Evenings on the island are filled with camp fires and extremely popular island-wide Manhunt or Capture-the-Flag games which can become very competitive. Participants sleep either aboard Black Jack (on deck or down below depending on weather), or on a floating bunkhouse moored at the island. At the end of a long day, participants find their beds on an authentic floating bunkhouse, the Stanley Carson Bunk Barge.
Black Jack's Fleet
Black Jack camp would not be complete without its support fleet of two navy whalers and two barges, affectionately known as 'Waterworld' when all together. The two whalers, Agnes Irving and Alan E. Jacques, are incredibly sturdy 27 feet (8.2 m)-long traditional navy boats that can be sailed or rowed with sweeps. They have two masts, a lug-rigged main mast and a driving mizzen, as well as being equipped with 20 hp diesel outboards. They were traditionally used as training boats by the Canadian Navy and are very popular with campers for exploring and racing.Two barges are kept moored at the island during the summer months. The Stanley Carson Bunk Barge is an authentic logging bunkhouse that was used by loggers on the Ottawa River. The two-story barge provides accommodation and cooking facilities for up to 30 people. The second barge is equipped as a well-stocked supply barge, large enough to carry vehicles and equipment.
External links
Bytown Brigantine Inc.Ottawa Citizen article from 1984
Bytown Sail Training Montage