Pinky

No matter what Hollywood says about the computer, a sailing vessel still comes closer to being alive than any other inanimate object. Such craft inflame our passions despite the well-known rigours of seafaring life. Thus the hardships as well as the beauty and elegance associated with sailing are a precious part Canadian tradition. The "pinky", with its distinctive narrow stern, evolved from the "pink", a vessel active for centuries in the Mediterranean coastal trade and prominent in the eighteenth century on the North Sea and the Baltic. Emerging around 1815 as a fishing schooner, the pinky quickly achieved popularity because of its superior carrying capacity, comfort and seaworthiness. Two such boats were among the few smacks to withstand Chaleur Bay's ferocious "American Gale" of October 1851. The craft was particularly adept at mackerel fishing, since it could pursue schools of these creatures as they swam windward. Eventually, fore runners of the Bluenose replaced the pinky. Tom Bjarnason's design for this sailing vessel stamp continue the pattern established in our two previous ships issues. By focusing on the ships alone, his colour wash and line drawing has captured the essential grace and elegance of this hard-working vessel and present a visually interesting interplay of sail patterns and rigging detail. The people on the vessel give it a sense of proportion and aliveness. These ships show us that their builders' attention to function and utility has not ruled out beauty and elegance of design.