SPROAT LAKE CANOE CLUB

How We Came To Be...

Sherry Workman was instrumental in bringing outrigger canoes to Sproat Lake BC. By 2003 dragon boating was well established in the valley and she thought the canoes would be great for cross training during the winter months. In October she, Sharon Ault, Aveleigh Hess, Darrell Holt, Barb Jakubowsky, Donna James, and Ester Pace travelled to Victoria to have Peter Hartman introduce them to the technique of paddling in an outrigger. Needless to say, everyone saw the potential possibilities and benefits of this new sport. We left Peter in search of used canoes that were for sale.
November 8th, 2013, with the help of the Victoria Canoe & Kayak Club, and the Ocean River Spirit Club, 2 OC6's, the Rhino and the Cal-Mar arrived at Bishop Drive on Sproat Lake. November 20th, 2003 The Sproat Lake Canoe Club (S.L.C.C.) was formed with Anne Aylard, Aveleigh Hess, Helga Husstvedt, Ester Pace, and Leanne Taylor as the first board directors. The club ran into difficulties, but thanks to policy revisions, membership restructure and a bridge loan from Darrell Holt it survived and expanded. With very little training, but a whole lot of enthusiasm, teams entered Victoria's races "Wake Up The Gorge", then a 10 km distance, and the Crazy Eights in Nanaimo, placing well in each of their categories. 
July 16-17, 2005 the club hosted our first ever 24 km change race on our lake. Teams were made up of 9 paddlers, 3 of whom changed places from the chase boat with 3 from the OC6 while the boat was still moving. These water changes were done about every 20 minutes. It was a huge success and the races were held again in 2006 with the addition of OC1's, OC2's, Olympic canoe and kayak on the Sunday.
One winter a privately owned OC2 was damaged in a storm, repairs were made by John Parker and it was donated to the club. It's still in operation. In later years the Rhino was sold and replaced by a new OC4 in 2009.
What started with 10 members, the SLCC now boasts 31 members including an active competitive team. You will see the club boats on the lake almost every day of the week and evenings too.
For those who just can't get enough, and work during the day, there are night practices in the dark of the winter months. Boats are fully equipped with regulation safety lights and the paddlers wear headlamps too. 
If you are looking for a water sport that you can participate in all year long, it may be time to try outrigger canoe!