Astelle’s keel was laid in Vancouver, BC in 1938, though her launch was delayed until 1942 due to WWII. Originally named Double J, she was commissioned by J.J. Astell, and designed by George Band. She is constructed of Yellow cedar planking on oak frames with a mahogany house.  Astelle’s original Chrysler Crown-6 was replaced with a 65 HP Perkins diesel in 2003. She cruises at 6 knots with a maximum speed of 9.4 knots. Her portholes date from 1919, being salvaged from a scrapped destroyer, HMCS Vancouver.  Astelle’s sister ship, Faranda, is still active in British Columbia as well. Both boats were built in a shed behind a small apartment complex on Pacific street in Vancouver BC. The Double J was launched in 1949 at the Arrow Boat works on Granville Island (in Vancouver's False Creek).