Guided excursions exploring the coast under oar & sail with traditional boats

Our 2026 sailing season is complete. Thank you to everyone that sailed and rowed with us! Bookings for 2027 will open in the new year!

Rates & Dates

We offer 2-hour, guided, hands-on sailing & rowing excursions from April through September. Our fleet operates from Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

availability calendar for Lux & Quinque

Trusted & secure bookings

Pricing is in Canadian currency

7-day local forecast

Our Location

Our fleet is located at Maple Bay Marina on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

The Salish sea stretches from the Discovery Islands north of the Strait of Georgia to the south end of Puget Sound. We are strategically positioned in the heart of its range at Maple Bay in Cowichan, Vancouver Island – 10km from the city of Duncan.

Give them an experience on the water that they’ll remember!

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 5 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   dockhopper 
 
 
 
 Verified Idyllic morning on this beautiful boat
This is the most beautiful small boat I've ever seen. The traditional Shetland sixern design is incredibly seaworthy and easy to row. Barb and Stephen are great company and highly experienced mariners who kept me laughing. The Maple Bay location is a short flight from Vancouver and a very loveable, small marina and bay. 10/10, would recommend!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Simon T 
 
 
 
 Verified Out of the ordinary.
What a lovely way to explore the art of rowing and sailing a traditional wooden boat. Stephen and Barb are wise, gentle, skilled, and experienced in all that they offer as you join them on the water. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, you've found it. Rumour has it that they carry a stash of Werther's candy aboard and are willing to share.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Brandy F 
 
 
 
 Verified A wonderful sail
Had a wonderful afternoon sail & when the wind died down, a chance to use the oars to row back across Maple Bay to the dock. Stephen is an expert on the water and his boat has been lovingly restored. I would recommend this experience to anyone wanting a little adventure and some wind in their hair.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Jonathan W 
 
 
 
 Verified Perfect afternoon on the water
Stephen is a great host and we felt comfortable and safe on the water. His boat is beautiful and it was so enjoyable to be out sailing on a traditional wooden boat, slipping through the peaceful waters of Maple Bay. Highly recommend! 😎⛵️
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Rob G 
 
 
 
 Verified Love the wood boats
The day was perfect, great day on the water. Look forward to going back and doing it again. Thank you for the great afternoon Stephen.

“If you’re looking for a peaceful experience on the water, sign up for a guided rowing and sailing excursion with Traditional Oar & Sail. You can enjoy the calm waters and breathtaking coastal scenery while feeling the gentle breeze. These excursions are suitable for both beginners and experienced sailors of all ages and offer a fantastic chance to connect with nature and experience the tranquility of the ocean on a beautiful wooden boat.”
– The Vancouver Sun

“Peak contentment comes as we join skippers Stephen and Barbra of Traditional Oar and Sail in “Lux”, a vintage 2lft sixern, on Maple Bay under faultless blue skies. I take the tiller, and life has seldom felt finer.”
– UK Travel writer David Williams of The Telegraph

We acknowledge and recognize the traditional, unceded and ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples.