 Bluenose sailing in 1921 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bluenose |
| Port of registry |  Lunenburg, Nova Scotia |
| Builder | Smith and Rhuland |
| Launched | 26 March 1921 |
| In service | April 1921 |
| Out of service | 1946 |
| Fate | Foundered on reef 28 January 1946 off Île-à-Vache, Haiti |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner |
| Displacement | 258 t (254 long tons) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 8.2 m (26 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 4.85 m (15 ft 11 in) |
| Mainmast, height from deck | 38.4 m (126 ft 0 in) |
| Foremast, height from deck | 31.3 m (102 ft 8 in) |
| Sail area | 930 m2 (10,000 sq ft) |
| Mainsail area | 386 m2 (4,150 sq ft) |
| Crew | 20 |
Bluenose was a fishing and racinggaff rigschooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg,Nova Scotia, Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel,Bluenose under the command ofAngus Walters, became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and an important Canadian symbol in the 1930s, serving as a working vessel until she was wrecked in 1946. Nicknamed the "Queen of the North Atlantic",[1] she was later commemorated by theBluenose one-design sloop (1946) and areplica,Bluenose II (1963). The nameBluenose originated as a nickname for Nova Scotians from as early as the late 18th century.[2]
Bluenose was designed byWilliam James Roué, and intended for both fishing and racing. Built to compete withschooners from the United States for speed, the design that Roué originally drafted in late 1920 had awaterline length of 36.6 metres (120 ft 1 in) which was 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) too long for the competition. Sent back to redesign the schooner, Roué produced a revised outline. The accepted revision placed the inside ballast on top of thekeel to ensure that it was as low as possible, improving the overall speed of the vessel.[3] One further alteration to the revised design took place during construction. Thebow was raised by 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) to allow more room in theforecastle for the crew to eat and sleep. The alteration was approved of by Roué. The change increased thesheer in the vessel's bow, giving the schooner a unique appearance.[4]
The plans, that were accepted and later built, was a combination of the designs from shipbuilders in the United States and Nova Scotia that had been previously constructed for theNorth Atlantic fishing fleet. The vessel was built of Nova Scotianpine,spruce,birch andoak and themasts were created fromDouglas fir.[5]Bluenose had adisplacement of 258tonnes (254long tons) and was 43.6 metres (143 ft 1 in)long overall and 34.1 metres (111 ft 11 in) at the waterline. The vessel had abeam of 8.2 metres (26 ft 11 in) and adraught of 4.85 metres (15 ft 11 in).[6]
The schooner carried 930 square metres (10,000 sq ft) of sail.Bluenose's mainmast reached 38.4 metres (126 ft 0 in) abovedeck and the schooner's foremast reached 31.3 metres (102 ft 8 in). Her mainboom was 24.7 metres (81 ft 0 in) and the schooner's foreboom was 9.9 metres (32 ft 6 in).[6] The vessel had a crew of 20 and her hull was painted black.[1] The vessel cost $35,000 to build.[7][note 1]
Bluenose was constructed bySmith and Rhuland inLunenburg, Nova Scotia. The schooner's keel waslaid in 1920. TheGovernor Generalthe Duke of Devonshire drove a golden spike into the timber during the keel-laying ceremony.[8] She waslaunched on 26 March 1921, and christened by Audrey Smith, daughter of the shipbuilder Richard Smith.[9][10] She was built to be a racing ship and fishing vessel, in response to the defeat of the Nova Scotian fishing schoonerDelawana by theGloucester, Massachusetts, fishing schoonerEsperanto in 1920, in a race sponsored by theHalifax Herald newspaper.[11]
Bluenose was completed in April 1921 and performed hersea trials out of Lunenburg. On 15 April, the schooner departed to fish for the first time.[12]Bluenose, being a Lunenburg schooner, used the dory trawl method. Lunenburg schooners carried eightdories, each manned by two members of the crew, called dorymen. From the dories, lines of strong twine up to 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) long which had 0.91-metre (3 ft) lines with hooks on the end spaced every 3 metres (9.8 ft) were released, supported at either end by buoys which acted as markers. The dorymen would haul in the catch and then return to the ship. This was done up to four times a day.[13] The fishing season stretched from April to September and schooners stayed up to eight weeks at a time or until their holds were full.[14]
Bluenose'scaptain and part owner for most of her fishing and racing career wasAngus Walters. As Walters only had master's papers for home waters,Bluenose in some international races was sometimes under the command of the deep sea Lunenburg captain George Myra until the schooner reached the racing port.[15] The crew ofBluenose during her fishing career were mostly from Lunenburg but also included severalNewfoundlanders.[16] Crew were paid either by the size of the catch when they returned to port or some took a share in the vessel, known as a "sixty-fourth".[17]
After a season fishing on theGrand Banks of Newfoundland under the command of Angus Walters,Bluenose set out to take part in her firstInternational Fisherman's Cup. The International Fisherman's Cup was awarded to the fastest fishing schooner that worked in the North Atlantic deepsea fishing industry. The fastest schooner had to win two out of three races in order to claim the trophy.[18] The Canadian elimination race to determine who would represent Canada in the 1921 International Fishermen's Trophy race offHalifax, Nova Scotia took place in early October. A best two-out-of-three competition,Bluenose won the first two races easily.[19]Bluenose then defeated the American challengerElsie, for the International Fishermen's Trophy, returning it to Nova Scotia in October 1921.[20] The following year,Bluenose defeated the American challengerHenry S. Ford, this time in American waters off Gloucester.[21]Henry S. Ford had been constructed in 1921 based on a design intended to defeatBluenose.[22]
In 1923,Bluenose facedColumbia, another Americanyacht newly designed and constructed to defeat the Canadian schooner. The International Fishermen's Trophy race was held off Halifax in 1923 and new rules were put in place preventing ships from passing markerbuoys to landward. During the first race, the two schooners duelled inshore, the rigging of the vessels coming together. However,Bluenose won the first race. During the second race,Bluenose broke the new rule and was declared to have lost the race. Angus Walters protested the decision and demanded that no vessel be declared winner. The judging committee rejected his protest, which led Walters to removeBluenose from the competition. The committee declared the competition a tie, and the two vessels shared the prize money and the title.[23] The anger over the events led to an eight-year hiatus in the race.[24]
In 1925, a group of Halifax businessmen ordered the construction of a schooner designed to defeatBluenose.Haligonian was launched that year and a race was organized between the two ships. However, while returning to port with her catch,Haligonianran aground in theStrait of Canso. The vessel required repairs and the race withBluenose was cancelled. In 1926, a new race was organized, whichBluenose won easily.[25] A new American schooner was designed and built in 1929–1930 to defeatBluenose,Gertrude L. Thebaud.[26] She was the last schooner of her type constructed for the fishing fleet in Gloucester.[27] In 1930 off Gloucester, Massachusetts,Bluenose was defeated 2–0 in the inauguralSir Thomas Lipton International Fishing Challenge Cup.[28] The second race was controversial, as it was called off due to weather issues both timesBluenose took the lead. The following year,Gertrude L. Thebaud challengedBluenose for the International Fisherman's Trophy.Bluenose won handily, beating the American schooner in both races.[29]
Fishing schooners became obsolete during the 1930s, displaced by motor schooners and trawlers.Salt cod, the main fishing industry in the North Atlantic had been surpassed by the fresh fish industry requiring faster vessels.[27] In 1933,Bluenose was invited to theWorld's Fair inChicago, stopping inToronto on her return voyage. In 1935,Bluenose sailed toPlymouth after being invited as part of theSilver Jubilee of KingGeorge V. During her visit, she took part in a race with schooner-yachts, specifically designed for racing.Bluenose came third.[30] On her return trip to Nova Scotia,Bluenose encountered a strong gale that lasted for three days. Enough damage was done to the schooner thatBluenose was forced to return to Plymouth to effect repairs. She was made seaworthy enough to sail to Lunenburg where further repairs were done.[31] In 1936,Bluenose haddiesel engines installed and topmasts removed to allow the schooner to remain on the fishing grounds year-round.[32]
In 1937,Bluenose was challenged once more by the American schoonerGertrude L. Thebaud in a best-of-five series of races for the International Fisherman's Trophy. However, the financial difficulties of the owners ofBluenose almost prevented the race from going ahead. Furthermore,Bluenose's sailing gear had been placed in storage after the schooner had been refitted with diesel engines. It was only with the intervention of American private interests thatBluenose was made ready for the race. Beginning on 9 October 1938, the first race, offBoston, was won byGertrude L. Thebaud.Bluenose won the second which was sailed off Gloucester, but a protest over the ballast aboardBluenose led to modifications to the schooner. She was found to be too long at the waterline for the competition. The alterations completed,Bluenose won the third race sailed off Gloucester, by an even greater margin than the second race. During the fourth race sailed off Boston, the topmast ofBluenose snapped, which contributed toGertrude L. Thebaud's win. The fifth race, sailed off Gloucester was won byBluenose, retaining the trophy for the Nova Scotians. This was the last race of the fishing schooners of the North Atlantic.[33]
During World War II,Bluenose remained at dock in Lunenburg. No longer profitable, the vessel was sold to theWest Indies Trading Company in 1942. The vessel was once again stripped of masts and rigging and converted into a coastal freighter for work in the Caribbean Sea, carrying various cargoes between the islands. Laden with bananas, she struck a coral reef offÎle à Vache, Haiti, on 28 January 1946. Wrecked beyond repair, with no loss of life, the schooner was abandoned on the reef. The vessel broke apart on the reef.[34]
Various divers and film makers have claimed to have found the wreck ofBluenose, most recently in June 2005 by divers from the Caribbean Marine Institute searching forHenry Morgan's shipHMS Oxford.[citation needed] However, the large number of wrecks on the reef at Île à Vache and the scattered condition of the wreckage has made identification difficult.[35][36]
Bluenose, under full sail, is portrayed on theBluenose postage stamp 50-cent issued by the Canadian government on 6 January 1929.[37]Bluenose has been featured on a 1982 60-cent stamp that commemorated the International Philatelic Youth Exhibition.[38]Bluenose is featured on a 1988 37-cent issue that celebratedBluenose skipper Angus Walters.[39] TheBluenose stamp is theMacGuffin ofTommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller, a 1988 fantasy movie about young stamp collectors.[40]
Bluenose also appears on the current Nova Scotialicense plate.[41] The fishing schooner on theCanadian dime, added in 1937 at the height of fame forBluenose, was actually based on a composite image ofBluenose and two other schooners, but has for years been commonly known asBluenose. In 2002, the government of Canada declared the depiction on the dime to beBluenose.[42]
Bluenose appears on a 2021 commemorativesilver dollar issued by theRoyal Canadian Mint, in honour of its centennial. The obverse of the coin depicts King George V, who was Canada's head of state in 1921.[43]
Bluenose and her captain, Angus Walters, were included into theCanadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, making her the first and only non-human inductee until 1960, when she was joined by Canadianhydroplane championMiss Supertest III. That same year another honour was bestowed upon the sailing ship when a newCanadian National Railways passenger-vehicleferry for the inauguralYarmouth–Bar Harbor service was launched as MVBluenose.[44]
Canadian folk singerStan Rogers wrote a song entitled "Bluenose" celebrating the ship. It appears on his albumsTurnaround andHome in Halifax (live).
In 1963, a replica ofBluenose was built at Lunenburg using the originalBluenose plans and namedBluenose II. The replica was built by Smith and Rhuland, sponsored by the Oland Company.[7] It was used as a marketing tool for the Oland BrewerySchooner Lager beer brand and as a pleasure yacht for the Oland family.Bluenose II was sold to the government of Nova Scotia in 1971 for the sum of $1 or 10 Canadian dimes. The replica schooner is used for tourism promotion as a "sailing ambassador". In honour of her predecessor's racing record,Bluenose II does not officially race. The replica has undergone several refits to extend her life. This vessel was decommissioned and dismantled in 2010, and an entirely newBluenose (also namedBluenose II, since Transport Canada deemed it a "reconstruction") was built as close to the original schooner deemed necessary and launched in Lunenburg in 2013. Various subcomponents for thisBluenose II project were supplied from notable firms including the ships keel at Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring, the ships backbone of laminated ribs at Covey Island Boatworks inRiverport and assembly of the vessel in Lunenburg. Much controversy has surrounded the vessel due to overspending on the "refit". After further repairs ownership of the restoredBluenose II was returned to the province of Nova Scotia and she began a tour of Nova Scotia ports in the summer of 2015.[45]
Bluenose II spends much of the year tied up at the Lunenburg Foundry wharf in its home port of Old Town Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a UNESCO World Heritage site and origin of its predecessor.[46] In the summer, the schooner tours the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, routinely stopping in ports across Nova Scotia, as well as Montreal, Quebec City and many ports of call in the United States, serving as a goodwill ambassador and promoting tourism in Nova Scotia.[47] In the summer months, the schooner also offers onboard tours and harbour cruises.
In mid-2020, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic lockdown,Bluenose II restricted its summer tour to Nova Scotia ports. The schooner's 20-person crew formed a Bluenose quarantine bubble for training, maintenance and sailing, and its visits to ports aside from Lunenburg were restricted to at-anchors or sail-pasts.[48]
In 2007, Joan Roué, the great-granddaughter ofBluenose designer William Roué, started raising funds to build a newBluenose. She cited the need for a new ambassador for Nova Scotia and Canada, listing the particulars at aBluenose IV website.[49] The nameBluenose III is owned by the province of Nova Scotia, and Roué could not reach an agreement for its use on the new schooner; Roué and North Atlantic Enterprises proceeded anyway, under the nameBluenose IV. An agreement was reached with Snyder's Shipyard to build the new replica when fundraising was completed. However, as of 2009, Roué had not succeeded in raising the required funds.[50] The effort came to an end when the Province of Nova Scotia and the Canadian federal government constructed the newBluenose II in 2013.[51]
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