Merva’s history includes a remarkable journey by sledge, drawn by a team of horses, from Mr. Morriss’s yard to the water’s edge for launching. The Stinson’s were neighbours. Jerry Stinson (a child at the time) had an uncle named Alex MacKenzie who owned Merva for a few years.
She cruised the waters around Victoria for many years during the 1930‘s and 40‘s with the Morriss Family, making frequent stops at Sydney Spit and Musgrave Landing.
After finally being sold for reasons I am not aware of, she remained in BC waters for some time, until after another sale, she made another remarkable journey, this time across the continent by truck to the Great Lakes (Oakville, Ontario), where she cruised for many years. She was transported by truck once again (same owner), this time to Florida (West Palm) where she stayed for just a couple of months. The owner had changed his mind and had it sailed from Florida back to Oakville. A woman named Judy MacKay did the trip back for the owner via the inter-coastal water way.
Later still, sold again, Merva was put on the back of a truck once more and transported back across Canada to British Columbia and, finally, her home waters.
That she survived the indignity and danger to a wooden vessel of these multiple overland journeys in her remarkable condition is a testament to Mr. Morriss’s abilities as a shipwright, and her careful Masters.
Donell Mc Donell purchased Merva late in 2008 after she had spent some months at the SALTS facility in Esquimalt, BC.
She had been donated to SALTS after her most recent owner could no longer care for her himself, and attempts to sell her had failed.
Donell hired Abernethy & Gauden to do majour upgrades on Merva at their Brentwood Bay shop. This included a new engine and new canvas on the cabin roof among many other things. Donell was very kind to Merva over the 10 years he owned the boat but his priorities changed.
Nash, Harvey and Associates purchased Merva in the spring of 2017. They promptly moved Merva from its Granville Island berth (where it was kept under canvas cover) to a new home. Merva is now berthed in a boat house in the Tillicum Bay Marina.