The "Cyclone", a hydraulic dredge that was operated by the Toronto Harbour Commissioners in the early part of the 20th century, was a major force in the extensive lake filling that shaped Toronto's Central Waterfront, Toronto Island and its airport, Port Lands, and Bathurst Quay. Much of what constitutes today's waterfront was built over a relatively short time by this dredge (at the time the world's largest) and others in the Harbour Commission's fleet. About Ron Jenkins
Ron is a long-time member of the National Yacht Club. His father, Alf (past Purser Shellbacks, Class A Dinghy Sailor and was an active keel boat owner) and his grandfather, Herb (long time treasurer of NYC and an active keel boat sailor) carries the Jenkins’ name well back in NYC history. Herb had a wonderful style to deal with all kinds of difficult matters with a deft touch. And so it continues in the family. Ron is an active nature and sailing photographer; when hobbies do not interfere, he works in technology marketing. In the technological area, Ron is our web master; he, weekly, records the sessions and uploads them to our web, in addition to loading our schedule and any other pertinent information. He is an active participant in Waterfront for All, a coalition of groups protecting the Toronto waterfront.
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Bill Bialkowski returned to entertain the Shellback Club for the third time. His topic: Celebrating Canadian Naval Aviators since 1914. About Bill Bialkowski
Bill was born in Poland in 1940. His father, an aeronautical engineer, had escaped the German invasion and was already flying in RAF 300 Bomber Squadron. The family escaped to England after WW II, where Bill’s father worked on a jet fighter project. Bill set his sights on becoming a naval aviator, flying Sea Hawks from carriers. His interest in Naval Aviation has continued ever since. In 1957, the family moved to Canada as Bill’s father was hired by AVRO for the Arrow project. In 1963, he received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Nova Scotia Technical College, paid for by Royal Canadian Navy as an ROTP cadet. On graduation, he served in destroyers at sea, before electing to leave the navy in 1966 to pursue graduate studies. He graduated again with a Masters Degree as a Control Engineer from the University of Toronto in 1968. In 1984, he founded his own consulting company, which applied the science of stability, control, and simulation to helping pulp and paper mills achieve higher productivity. He has published many technical papers, and contributed to several books. He was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 1994, awarded the Control Engineer of the Year Award (in LA, 1997) and named a ‘pioneer’ of the US Pulp & Paper Industry in 2000. At 50, he took up flying as a hobby, flew aerobatics, and owned a seaplane, all to compensate for not flying in the navy. He has logged over 1000 hours, including 400 flying float planes. He is also a sailor. He is a member for the Naval Association of Canada, supports the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the Shearwater Aviation Museum, and Vintage Wings of Canada. Bill is married, has three grown children, four grandchildren. It is true: Flying is 99% routine and 1% terrifying, especially at night! Rob Mazza returned to the Shellback Club to describe inductions into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, induction criteria, and potential future inductions. Inducted 2018 David Howard Don Green Ian Bruce Derek Hatfield 1932 Olympic 8-Metre crew; Ernest (Jack) Cribb, Peter Gordon, George Gyles, Harold A. Jones, Ronald Maitland, and Hubert Wallace 1932 Olympic 6-Metre crew; Gardner Boultbee, Kenneth Glass, Philip Rogers, and Gerald Wilson Inducted 2014 George Cuthbertson Bruce Kirby Inducted 2005 Paul Henderson Apologies: recorded as time lapse video. https://www.sailing.ca/2018-canadian-sailing-hall-of-fame-inductions-announced-p199940 About Robert Mazza
Rob Mazza is a Mechanical Engineer and Naval Architect with over forty years in the marine industry. He began as a yacht designer with C&C Yachts and Mark Ellis Design in Canada, and Hunter Marine in the US. He moved to sales and marketing of structural cores and bonding compounds with ATC Chemicals in Ontario, and Baltek, Inc. in New Jersey. Returning to Canada in 2011, Mazza is currently semi-retired, acting as a contributing editor to Good Old Boat magazine, and writing articles for Professional Boatbuilder, and Wooden Boat magazines. His articles often focus on the history and development of yacht design, especially in Canada. Mazza sits on the Board of Directors of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, is a past Vice Commodore of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, and is currently chair of the RHYC Heritage Committee. He continues to follow his interest in the history of yachting . . . and today he will share the stories of recent inductions into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame. Richard returned to Shellbacks bringing all his many years of experience sailing the globe to this presentation. Condensing his most valuable lessons learned on extensive cruising, often in the most challenging conditions, Richard's top-level view of the primary considerations when starting cruising were insightful and valuable. Richard Hudson's web site on his travels aboard "Issuma", his 15m (50') steel staysail schooner: https://www.issuma.com/ About Richard Hudson
• Richard has about 80,000 miles of sailing experience, including a circumnavigation of the Americas. • Richard is originally from Toronto, and began sailing at the age of 13 in lug-rigged, converted lifeboats. He followed this venture by going through the Toronto Brigantine program (he was a Watch Officer on Pathfinder). • He lived for five years in Yukon & NWT, fifteen years in New York City. • Richard has a lot of experience with both sailing and maintenance: ◦ He refitted and sailed a 35' steel gaff-rigged schooner, Orbit II, along eastern US, Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland, Iceland. ◦ He restored a classic, gaff-rigged schooner, Rosemary Ruth, and sailed along eastern US. ◦ He flew to France, bought a 50' steel staysail schooner, Issuma, refitted and sailed her over 55,000 miles from France to Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, to USA, Canada, Greenland, through the Northwest Passage then south to British Columbia, Mexico, Easter Island, Chile, Antarctica, South Africa, Namibia, St Helena, USA and Newfoundland. ◦ In 2013, Richard was awarded The Rambler Medal by the Ocean Cruising Club. The award is given for the most challenging voyage made by a member of the Club. He received it for his shorthanded voyage through the Northwest Passage. ◦ He made a short YouTube video last year about the chilly fun of sailing a Grampian 26 from Pickering on New Years Day. Richard Hudson has previously shared with Shellbacks stories of his voyages to Brazil, Antarctica, Easter Island, Patagonia and the Northwest Passage. |
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