July 9, 2019
John Wallace Shipman passed away at the West Parry Sound Health Centre on June 30, 2019. He is survived by his children Ellen, Anne (Jo Bossart), Mona (Steve Joudry), Gerry (Mary McDowall), and Peter (Kelly Snodden). He was Grandpa to 14 and Great Grandpa to 15. He was Uncle John to many nieces, nephews and children of family friends. John was predeceased by his wife Ruth of 64 years in 2017 and his parents Olive & Gerald.
John was an active member of the Boating Ontario Association for many years since taking ownership of Sound Boat Works in 1973.
Born in Kingston in 1929, John grew up at the Glen House near Ivy Lea on the St. Lawrence River. His fascination with the physical world took him to Queen's University to become a Civil Engineer. Upon graduation (1951), he embarked on a 21-year career as a civil engineer with Spruce Falls Power & Paper Company in Kapuskasing. The blackflies were brutal, but he met the love of his life, Ruth Anderson. Together they built a family and left a legacy.
It was John’s love of the water that drew him to Parry Sound to become owner of Sound Boat Works in 1973. He was an active member and leader in community organizations and attained the rank of Major in the Algonquin Regiment in Kapuskasing. Once his five children were out making their way in the world, John coaxed Ruth onto a sailboat just as she had coaxed him onto the dance floor many years before. They enjoyed decades of winter vacations sailing with friends in the Caribbean. On summer afternoons they would head out onto Georgian Bay in their Folkboat knowing that their business was in the capable hands of their son Gerry.
John was a lifelong learner with the soul of a teacher. He had boundless patience whether teaching his children how to tie up a boat, use a slide rule, find the North Star in the night sky or the merits of not running away to Yorkville. For his grandchildren, he was the North Star.
Memorial Visitation for John will take place at the Logan Funeral Home, 81 James Street, Parry Sound (705-746-5855), on Saturday, July 13th, from 2:00 – 4:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation to Sail Parry Sound or West Parry Sound Health Centre would be appreciated.
Marine Industry Career Path: Brett Ramsey
Wendy and Brett Ramsey
Boating Industry Canada is kicking off its Marine Industry Career Path series once again. For the first installments this year, we have two subjects to highlight. Introducing Wendy and Brett Ramsey!
The Ramsey’s have been working in the marine industry for many years but have both had unique paths in getting to where they are now. They’ve also been working on an impactful pilot project for a long time, which will now be launching this spring. The focus of this initiative is to bring more young people into the marine industry.
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Building on its award-winning M Series, Bayliner unveiled the all-new M19 at the Miami International Boat Show. The M19 joins the M Series lineup of the M15 and M17 delivering the stability and versatility the series is known for with a focus on expanding boater participation through its intuitive design, ease of maintenance and inclusive price point.
With an overall length of 19 feet and starting at $30,995 USD, the M19 is built on an improved M-hull foundation offering increased stability and automotive style handling for familiarity to appeal to the next generation of boaters. The M19 features an upgraded nine-person capacity and is watersports capable for a full day of adventure on the water.
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Televisions on a boat are increasingly commonplace. With the simple-to-install Glomex Avior VT300 Omnidirectional TV/FM antenna from GA Communications, it's never been easier to bring analog and digital broadcasts onboard—at a price that's hard to ignore.
The most noticeable feature of the Avior VT300 antenna is its compact white, anti-yellowing radome. At only 4" dia. x 8" H and 8.8 oz., it's specifically made for smaller boats that can't accommodate large TV antenna domes and only need short range reception, depending on height and conditions. The amplifier allows the antenna to have an increase in gain with a 24.5 dB average to receive vertical and horizontal polarized TV signals simultaneously from 360°.
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