About the Crystal S
Built in 1963 at M. Sakamoto Boat Works in Steveston as a combination gillnetter and troller fishing vessel. It was constructed by shipwright Mamoru Sakamoto, who owned and maintained the vessel until his passing in 2003. The Crystal S has fished on the Fraser River, Johnstone Straits, Rivers Inlet, and up the coast to Camano Sound. Mamoru retired from commercial fishing in 1986, when his oldest son took over the fishing operations.
The description of the vessel is as follows:
Wood hull (red cedar planks, yellow cedar bulkheads and beams, gumwood trim and oak ribs)
Length 37 feet / Width 10feet 6 inches / Draft 3 feet 6 inches
The M. Sakamoto Boat Works was established in 1950 at the south foot of No. 2 Road in Steveston, upon Mamoru’s return to the west coast after forced internment in the Okanagan during the Second World War. Over twenty-six years, sixteen boats were built and launched from the boat works, ranging in size from 32 to 40-footers, known for their high quality and craftsmanship.
Sakamoto, Bud. Historical Documentation (2003)
Restoration Project
Updates on restoration progress, programs and workshops to come.
Questions? Please contact britannia@richmond.ca