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Tarka of Orwell
Tarka of Orwell
Tarka of Orwell
Our training vessel for sailing courses in Squamish and Howe Sound.
Tarka of Orwell is a 1989 Vancouver 32 — a capable offshore cruising yacht, carefully maintained and well suited to hands-on sail training.
She is steady, practical, strongly built, well equipped, and large enough inside to make weekend and 5-day liveaboard courses realistic, while still being small enough for students to get an active experience sailing.
Her long keel gives her a steady, sea kindly motion and helps her track well under sail. Her deck layout allows students to take part in sail handling, helming, navigation, anchoring, and onboard routines in a practical, hands-on way.
The boat
The boat
Tarka of Orwell is a Vancouver 32, built in England in 1989.
The Vancouver 32 is a traditional long-keeled cruising design by Robert Harris, developed for long-distance passagemaking. For a 32-foot boat, she has a notably practical and spacious interior layout, with good sea berths, a proper chart table, galley, heads, and useful storage.
Tarka is a sloop that can be cutter rigged with a removable inner forestay for a storm jib. She carries a good sail wardrobe and is set up for a range of coastal and offshore conditions.
She is well equipped with full suite of safety equipment including a liferaft and is fully compliant with Transport Canada recreational boating school regulations.
Onboard learning environment
Onboard learning environment
Tarka is a good size for high-attention training.
She is big enough to feel like a real cruising yacht, but not so large that students become passengers. Onboard, you can practise the core skills that matter: steering, sail trim, reefing, anchoring, navigation, pilotage, crew communication, safety routines, and decision-making.
Her long-keel design also makes her useful for developing feel — how a yacht carries way, turns, stops, and behaves in wind and current.
Liveaboard comfort
Liveaboard comfort
For her size, Tarka has a surprisingly practical interior.
She can sleep up to six people, with five being a more comfortable number for training. Weekend Courses and 5-Day Intensives are run in small groups so there is enough space to live, learn, and function as a crew.
Life onboard is still compact. It is closer to comfortable expedition-style living - simple, practical, and part of the experience. Sometimes sailing is described as glorified camping on the water - and it's not far off.
Equipment
Equipment
Tarka is well equipped for coastal training and liveaboard courses.
Equipment includes modern navigation electronics, GPS chartplotter, radar, autopilot, depth/speed/wind instruments, VHF/DSC radio, active AIS, solar charging, hot water, and a cabin heater.
She also of course carries the complete required safety equipment for training operations, including lifejackets, harnesses, liferaft, flares, and man-overboard recovery equipment.
A familiar boat in Squamish
A familiar boat in Squamish
Some Sea to Sky sailors may already know Tarka.
She was previously owned and operated by Ben Biswell of Squamish Sailing Ventures, and has already introduced many local sailors to Howe Sound.
I’m grateful to continue teaching on a boat with that local history, and to use her for the next chapter of small-group sailing training in Squamish.
Train onboard Tarka
Train onboard Tarka
Tarka is used for Day Sails, Weekend Courses, 5-Day Intensives, and selected private training from Squamish.
See upcoming courses or send a booking enquiry if you would like to train onboard.
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