The Nanaimo to Vancouver bathtub race ran from 1967 to 1996
When I moved to Vancouver in the mid 1980s, I lived in an apartment at Third and Cypress in Kitsilano. Over the next 12 years, I moved two more times up Third Avenue, and one of my summer highlights was heading down to the beach every July for the Nanaimo to Vancouver bathtub races.
I was excited when Bruce Stewart told me he had taken photos of the race and the crowds in 1978 – did I want to see them? I did. I think you’ll love them to.
Fun Facts:
- The first race was held in 1967 as a Centennial project for Canada’s 100th birthday. It was supposed to be a one-time event but it ran every year for three decades.
- The route across the Georgia Strait is 55 kilometres (give or take)
- More than 200 tubbers participated that first year with forty-seven completing the course
- Engines had to be a maximum of six hp
- Frank Ney was a huge promoter of the bathtub races. Frank was the mayor of Nanaimo from 1967 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1990. There is a statue of him in Nanaimo wearing a pirate’s outfit.
- In 1978 the winner was Gary Deathbridge, a 23-year-old plumber from my hometown, Melbourne, Australia. His secret? He lay prone in his tub for added speed leaving his legs to hang outside. Deathbridge made the crossing in just under an hour and a half.
- Not to rub it in, but Australians won the bathtub races in 1976, 1977 and 1978.
- In 1978 there was a four month beer strike – from June until September.
- Penny Tremain, 25 of Vancouver was the first woman to finish. She placed third overall, weighing in at 94 pounds (42-kilos)
Related:
- Italian Days 1977
- The Evolution of Devonian Harbour Park
- Aborted Plans: All Seasons Park
- The Dollarton Pleasure Faire of 1972
- Walks with Fred Herzog
- The Stanley Park Easter Be-Ins
© All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all blog content copyright Eve Lazarus.
19 comments on “The Nanaimo to Vancouver Bathtub Race”
Hi Eve, in 1968ish I lived at 2nd/Arbutus for about a year, and I remember the Bathtub Race! One year I was at the finish line where they rang the bell. (at Kits Beach). When I moved back to the East End, (in 1974) Kits Beach was a regular destination for me. I used to run down Broadway with my frisbee, play frisbee all day at Kits Beach, then make my way back home. My room-mate was an Aussie from Brisbane for about a year! I cried when he left for his world trip back to Oz, via USA-Mexico. He stopped in at the Spokane World’s Fair too. Do you remember that Health Food Store on the NW corner of 4th/Burrard st.? Cheers…Nick (=
Hi Nick! I don’t remember the health food store. I laughed when my husband says he clearly remembered the beer strike of 1978 as well though.
That was Lifesteam Natural Foods at 4th & Burrard. An early local leader in organics, it became a bit of a community hub. There was a big bulletin board out front where folks travelling around would leave messages for each other.
BTW, I also remember that beer strike in 1978! I have a pic of me with Bobby Hull and my GF at the Sheraton Hotel. I’m holding a can of Olympia beer! It was our 1st date and we remained together for 4 years! She was from Ontario not far from where Bobby Hull grew up, but I met her at Ambleside Park that summer! I was working at Park Royal South doing renovations, and I went to Ambleside for lunch. Those were happy times for me!
Great photos but I never did get the concept of putting a bath tub IN a boat and then calling it a bath tub race.
Such great photos! When I moved to Vancouver in the mid 70s, in my mind, there were two ‘rites of passage’ I considered essential: the Polar Bear Swim and the Bathtub Race. The former happened with a lot of Dutch courage to assist. As for the latter, I had no idea what was involved and wound up buying a real, very heavy steel tub from a plumbing supply place on Main St. and a used 6 hp outboard from Sewell’s. (The ‘serious’ entries were truly light weight.) It took a lot to get it to stay afloat… As for the race, I think we held the record for one of the longest crossings ever, maybe about seven hours! But there was a silver lining. That year the organizers rearranged the start so that the very large fleet of escort boats left ahead of the competitors. That resulted in a pretty big swell that swamped many entrants—though not our real life tub, a veritable floating Sherman tank equivalent! It was quite the day. Too bad the present day version no longer crosses the strait. Whimps!
I love this! Thanks for adding to the story
I was born and raised in Vancouver and went to watch the bathtub races many times. It was always such a lot of fun! One of the years we went over to Nanaimo to watch. The mayor of Nanaimo was quite the character dressed up in his pirate costume! Too bad the bathtub races no longer exist.
Vancouver used to have a lot of great events through the years to get involved with andhavefun. Does anyone remember Miles for Millions, or the Victoria Drive Parade and all the rides at Jones Park?
I was driving a Broadway Brill trolley bus on a 1970s Bathtub Race day, and was laying over at the eastern terminus at Boundary Road. Two people approached the bus and it was a sight to behold. He was in his forties, dressed up in new coveralls, cowboy hat and boots. His wife looked like Dolly Parton and dressed to match. He asked: “Can Y’all tell us where this rig will take us to?” They were on their way to Kits Beach to see the Bathtub Races. They boarded happily and rode with me. He was a trucker from somewhere in the Southern USA, and was quite interested in the vintage electric bus I was driving.
Angus! I love this story. Happy that you and your rig got them to the beach safely
In the post-race twilight (1973?), a pal and I were putting about off Kits beach in a dory when we were hailed to shore by Captain Hook (Frank Ney) and, I believe, his Chief of Police. They needed a lift out to their anchored booze cruiser. I nearly got brained by the forty-pounder of Rye they tossed back down to us in thanks.
You just couldn’t make this stuff up could you!
I don’t know why Vancouver opted out of the Bathtub Race, but happily it continues to be a popular annual event in Nanaimo. The finish line is now below the Pirate statue of former mayor Frank Ney in Maffeo-Sutton Park.
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Gary Deathridge was the winner in 78 and 79, according to the royal nanaimo bathtub society….https://www.bathtubbing.com/championship-race/past-winners/
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