ERN is built of mahogany planks on white oak frames by John Barkhouse in Chester, Nova Scotia, in 1957. She is well known on the B.C. coast, from the pilot books “Charlie’s Charts”, written by her previous owners, Charlie and Margo Wood.
ERN is a custom-built, cutter-rigged sailboat of wood construction throughout, having a raked stern, round bilges to a full-length keel, and transom stern. The decks comprise a foredeck with bowsprit followed by the anchor roller and winch. Next aft is the cabin trunk with foc’sle escape hatch forward, mast installation, and main cabin access hatch. Side decks lead to the open cockpit. The cockpit incorporates the steering tiller and crew seating with storage under. Aft is a small deck with lazarette. Belowdecks there is a chain locker in the forepeak followed by the foc’sle with V-berth forward, heads compartment to port, and hanging locker to starboard. Next aft is the main cabin with port and starboard settees, galley aft. From the main companionway steps lead up to the cockpit via drop boards and a sliding hatch. The Yanmar 3-cylinder engine is installed under the cockpit deck with access behind the companionway steps.
Planking is 1″ x 4″ Cuban mahogany, over 2-1/2″ x 1″ white oak frames on 10″ centers.
Displacement is approx. 18,000 lb. Keel is cast iron.
The current owners have replaced the spruce box section mast, standing and running rigging, re-built the mast partners and cabin top, replaced the rudder, tiller, engine, stove, cabin heater, and rebuilt the heads and the galley. Ern has circumnavigated Vancouver Island three times, has voyaged to Hawaii and Alaska, and cruised the Salish Sea extensively. She is a good sea boat, and her motion is kindly. Her current home is at the Vancouver Maritime Museum Heritage Dock, in English Bay.