John Voss (sailor)

John Claus Voss (1858 – 1922) was a German-Canadian sailor, adventurer, and writer, best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a modified Coast Salish dugout canoe named Tilikum.

Voss was born in Prussia and emigrated to Canada, working in various trades including logging and fishing. He gained notoriety for his daring voyages and self-reliance.

Voyage of the Tilikum

In 1901, Voss acquired a 38-foot dugout canoe from the Coast Salish people of Vancouver Island. He had the canoe reinforced with a false keel, decked over, and fitted with three masts and sails. He named it Tilikum, meaning "friend" in Chinook Jargon. With Norman Luxton as his initial companion (who left after a few months in Australia), and later with other crew members, Voss sailed Tilikum from Victoria, British Columbia, on May 20, 1901.

The voyage took over three years and covered approximately 40,000 miles. The Tilikum crossed the Pacific Ocean, navigated the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and finally arrived back in London in 1904. The voyage demonstrated the seaworthiness of indigenous boat designs and Voss's skill as a sailor. It also popularized the idea of small boat voyages and inspired other adventurers.

Later Life and Writings

Following the Tilikum voyage, Voss wrote a book about his adventures, The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss, published in 1913. He later attempted other voyages, including an ill-fated trip to the South Pacific in a motor vessel named Sea Queen. Voss died in 1922 in Tracy, California.

Legacy

John Voss is remembered as a pioneering small-boat sailor and a testament to human endurance and resourcefulness. His voyage in the Tilikum remains a remarkable feat of maritime history. The Tilikum is now displayed at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia in Victoria.