Brian Damage
07-31-2008, 04:15 PM
Ever wanted to take a three-hour tour aboard the S.S. Minnow with the professor or Mary Ann?
Fans of the old Gilligan's Island TV show may get that chance, thanks to Ken Schley.
The boat made famous for running aground on the shore of an uncharted desert isle in the classic 1960s comedy is now owned by Schley, one of the owners of the Quality Foods grocery chain.
The S.S. Minnow was in Departure Bay on Sunday, monitoring competitors in the Great International Bathtub Race as they hit the beach.
Schley recently bought the boat, which was tied up in Schooner Cove next to his mooring dock, from Parksville's Scotty Taylor. The vessel is now undergoing repairs and renovations to bring it back to its original 1960s shape.
Dianna Rivard, Schley's assistant, said he intends to use the boat for promotions for Quality Foods and plans are underway to bring Gilligan's Island legends Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) and the professor (Russell Johnson) to Vancouver Island as part of a promotional tour.
The S.S. Minnow has been in local waters for the last 12 years.
While Taylor was travelling to Hardwick Island in 1996, he noticed that a crew was pulling a capsized boat out of the water.
A storm had swept through the area and the American that owned the boat piloted the vessel into a reef. It was underwater for three days before it was towed out of the depths.
The American sold the boat to Taylor, who didn't know at the time of its famous history, for $3,500.
After Taylor bought the boat (then called the Bluejacket) he checked the vessel's identification numbers and found it was purchased in 1964 for the second season of Gilligan's Island.
It took Taylor two years and nearly $150,000 to restore it and he changed its name back to the S.S. Minnow. Schley's purchase price was not revealed.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=92d8e405-5ce7-4b41-8061-646fb99c9a9e
Fans of the old Gilligan's Island TV show may get that chance, thanks to Ken Schley.
The boat made famous for running aground on the shore of an uncharted desert isle in the classic 1960s comedy is now owned by Schley, one of the owners of the Quality Foods grocery chain.
The S.S. Minnow was in Departure Bay on Sunday, monitoring competitors in the Great International Bathtub Race as they hit the beach.
Schley recently bought the boat, which was tied up in Schooner Cove next to his mooring dock, from Parksville's Scotty Taylor. The vessel is now undergoing repairs and renovations to bring it back to its original 1960s shape.
Dianna Rivard, Schley's assistant, said he intends to use the boat for promotions for Quality Foods and plans are underway to bring Gilligan's Island legends Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) and the professor (Russell Johnson) to Vancouver Island as part of a promotional tour.
The S.S. Minnow has been in local waters for the last 12 years.
While Taylor was travelling to Hardwick Island in 1996, he noticed that a crew was pulling a capsized boat out of the water.
A storm had swept through the area and the American that owned the boat piloted the vessel into a reef. It was underwater for three days before it was towed out of the depths.
The American sold the boat to Taylor, who didn't know at the time of its famous history, for $3,500.
After Taylor bought the boat (then called the Bluejacket) he checked the vessel's identification numbers and found it was purchased in 1964 for the second season of Gilligan's Island.
It took Taylor two years and nearly $150,000 to restore it and he changed its name back to the S.S. Minnow. Schley's purchase price was not revealed.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=92d8e405-5ce7-4b41-8061-646fb99c9a9e