BLACK DAVE is a delightful 28ft wooden cruiser based on classic troller fishing boats. Just a baby in true “classic” terms, Black Dave was built in 1996 out of Sydney on Vancouver Island, by Laurie Armstrong, under the watchful eye of Bill Garden to ensure his classic POLYWOG design was realized in every detail. Black Dave was owned for many years by naval architect Greg Marshall, also very familiar with Garden’s watchful eye, having been tutored by the master boat designer from the tender age of 15, until he was 21. A condition of sale was that Black Dave’s name must never be changed. Black Dave was Bill Garden’s trusty mechanic, and so the story goes, not only was he always covered in oil, he also had a dark side and a penchant for ladies and liquor.