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Bluenose

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For other uses, seeBluenose (disambiguation).

Bluenosesailing in 1921
History
NameBluenose
Port of registryCanadaLunenburg, Nova Scotia
BuilderSmith and Rhuland
Launched26 March 1921
In serviceApril 1921
Out of service1946
FateFoundered on reef 28 January 1946 off Île-à-Vache, Haiti
General characteristics
TypeSchooner
Displacement258 t (254 long tons)
Length
  • 43.6 m (143 ft 1 in)o/a
  • 34.1 m (111 ft 11 in)lwl
Beam8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
Height38.4 m (126 ft 0 in)
Draught4.85 m (15 ft 11 in)
PropulsionSails
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)
Crew20

Bluenosewas a fishing and racinggaff rigschoonerbuilt in 1921 in Lunenburg,Nova Scotia,Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel,Bluenoseunder 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 nameBluenoseoriginated as a nickname for Nova Scotians from as early as the late 18th century.[2]

Design and description

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Bluenosewas designed byWilliam James Roué,and intended for both fishing and racing. Built to compete with Americanschoonersfor speed, the design that Roué originally drafted in late 1920 had awaterline lengthof 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 revisal placed the inside ballast on top of thekeelto 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. Thebowwas raised by 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) to allow more room in theforecastlefor the crew to eat and sleep. The alteration was approved of by Roué. The change increased thesheerin the vessel's bow, giving the schooner a unique appearance.[4]

The design, that was accepted and later built was a combination of the designs of both Nova Scotian and American shipbuilders had been constructing for theNorth Atlanticfishing fleet. The vessel was constructed of Nova Scotianpine,spruce,birchandoakand the masts were created fromDouglas fir.[5]Bluenosehad adisplacementof 258 tonnes (284 short tons) and was 43.6 metres (143 ft 1 in)long overalland 34.1 metres (111 ft 11 in) at the waterline. The vessel had abeamof 8.2 metres (26 ft 11 in) and adraughtof 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) abovedeckand 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]

Career

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Part ofa serieson the
History of Nova Scotia
Bluenose
Events
Port Royal established1605
Conquest of Acadia1710
Halifax established1749
Bay of Fundy Campaign1755
Fall of Louisbourg1758
Representative Government established1758
Halifax Treaties1760–61
First significant Scottish immigration1773
Battle of Fort Cumberland1776
Birchtown established1783
Capture of USSChesapeake1813
Freedom of the Press1835
First Acadian MLA elected1837
Responsible Government established1848
‪Chesapeake Affair1861
Co-op Movement begins1861
‪Anti-Confederation Partyelected1867
Saxby Gale1869
Launch ofWilliam D. Lawrence1873
First airplane in the British Commonwealth1909
Halifax Explosion1917
Nova Scotia [Women's] Franchise Act1918
Launch ofBluenose1922
Coal Miners' Memorial Day1925
Pugwash Conferencesestablished1957
Springhill mining disaster1958
NS Human Rights Commission established1967
Acadian Federation of Nova Scotiaestablished1968
Westray Mine explosion1992
First Black MLA elected1993
Mi'kmaq-Nova Scotia-Canada Tripartite Forum1997
Viola Desmond Apology2010
Other

Bluenosewas constructed bySmith and RhulandinLunenburg,Nova Scotia. The schooner's keel waslaidin 1920. TheGovernor Generalthe Duke of Devonshiredrove a golden spike into the timber during the keel-laying ceremony.[8]She waslaunchedon 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 schoonerDelawanaby theGloucester, Massachusetts,fishing schoonerEsperantoin 1920, in a race sponsored by theHalifax Heraldnewspaper.[11]

Bluenosewas completed in April 1921 and performed hersea trialsout 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'scaptainand part owner for most of her fishing and racing career wasAngus Walters.As Walters only had master's papers for home waters,Bluenosein 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 ofBluenoseduring 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]

Racing

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Bluenosevs.Gertrude L. Thebaud,International Fishermen's Cup, 1938, final race

After a season fishing on theGrand Banks of Newfoundlandunder the command of Angus Walters,Bluenoseset 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 Scotiatook place in early October. A best two-out-of-three competition,Bluenosewon the first two races easily.[19]Bluenosethen defeated the American challengerElsie,for the International Fishermen's Trophy, returning it to Nova Scotia in October 1921.[20]The following year,Bluenosedefeated the American challengerHenry S. Ford,this time in American waters off Gloucester.[21]Henry S. Fordhad been constructed in 1921 based on a design intended to defeatBluenose.[22]

In 1923,BluenosefacedColumbia,another Americanyachtnewly 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 markerbuoysto landward. During the first race, the two schooners duelled inshore, the rigging of the vessels coming together. However,Bluenosewon the first race. During the second race,Bluenosebroke 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 removeBluenosefrom 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.Haligonianwas launched that year and a race was organized between the two ships. However, while returning to port with her catch,Haligonianran agroundin theStrait of Canso.The vessel required repairs and the race withBluenosewas cancelled. In 1926, a new race was organized, whichBluenosewon 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,Bluenosewas 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 timesBluenosetook the lead. The following year,Gertrude L. ThebaudchallengedBluenosefor the International Fisherman's Trophy.Bluenosewon 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,Bluenosewas invited to theWorld's FairinChicago,stopping inTorontoon her return voyage. In 1935,Bluenosesailed toPlymouthafter being invited as part of theSilver Jubileeof KingGeorge V.During her visit, she took part in a race with schooner-yachts, specifically designed for racing.Bluenosecame third.[30]On her return trip to Nova Scotia,Bluenoseencountered a strong gale that lasted for three days. Enough damage was done to the schooner thatBluenosewas 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,Bluenosehaddiesel enginesinstalled and topmasts removed to allow the schooner to remain on the fishing grounds year-round.[32]

In 1937,Bluenosewas challenged once more by the American schoonerGertrude L. Thebaudin a best-of-five series of races for the International Fisherman's Trophy. However, the financial difficulties of the owners ofBluenosealmost 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 thatBluenosewas made ready for the race. Beginning on 9 October 1938, the first race, offBoston,was won byGertrude L. Thebaud.Bluenosewon the second which was sailed off Gloucester, but a protest over the ballast aboardBluenoseled to modifications to the schooner. She was found to be too long at the waterline for the competition. The alterations completed,Bluenosewon the third race sailed off Gloucester, by an even greater margin than the second race. During the fourth race sailed off Boston, the topmast ofBluenosesnapped, 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]

Coastal trade and fate

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During World War II,Bluenoseremained at dock in Lunenburg. No longer profitable, the vessel was sold to theWest Indies Trading Companyin 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 shipHMSOxford.[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]

Fame and commemoration

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Bluenosepostage stamp of 1929

Bluenose,under full sail, is portrayed on theBluenose postage stamp50-cent issued by the Canadian government on 6 January 1929.[37]Bluenosehas been featured on a 1982 60-cent stamp that commemorated the International Philatelic Youth Exhibition.[38]Bluenoseis featured on a 1988 37-cent issue that celebratedBluenoseskipper Angus Walters.[39]TheBluenosestamp is theMacGuffinofTommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller,a 1988 fantasy movie about young stamp collectors.[40]

Bluenosealso 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 ofBluenoseand 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]

Bluenoseappears on a 2021 commemorativesilver dollarissued 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]

Bluenoseand her captain, Angus Walters, were included into theCanadian Sports Hall of Famein 1955, making her the first and only non-human inductee until 1960, when she was joined by CanadianhydroplanechampionMiss Supertest III.That same year another honour was bestowed upon the sailing ship when a newCanadian National Railwayspassenger-vehicleferryfor the inauguralYarmouth–Bar Harborservice was launched as MVBluenose.[44]

Canadian folk singerStan Rogerswrote a song entitled "Bluenose" celebrating the ship. It appears on his albumsTurnaroundandHome in Halifax(live).

Legacy

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Bluenose one-design sloop

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Bluenose sloopracing,Armdale Yacht Club,Nova Scotia,2022

Roué produced a design, at the request of a group from theArmdale Yacht Clubin Halifax, for a small one-design sloop that would be both fast and elegant and could be sailed easily by two or three people. The schoonerBluenosewas still afloat, but had been sold to the West Indian Trading Company for use as a freighter. The new class was given the name Bluenose to help perpetuate the memory of the great champion. The first Bluenose-class sloops were launched in the spring of 1946, just months afterBluenosewas lost on a Haitian reef.[45]

The first twelve boats were constructed at the same time together by their first owners under the direction of master boatbuilder John H. Barkhouse, ofBarkhouse BoatyardinChester, Nova Scotia.Many of these original twelve boats are still actively sailed or even raced. B1 was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair, but has since been restored and is on display at theMaritime Museum of the Atlantic.[46]

Bluenose II

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Main article:Bluenose II

In 1963, a replica ofBluenosewas built at Lunenburg using the originalBluenoseplans 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 Lagerbeer brand and as a pleasure yacht for the Oland family.Bluenose IIwas 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 IIdoes 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 IIproject 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 inRiverportand 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 IIwas returned to the province of Nova Scotia and she began a tour of Nova Scotia ports in the summer of 2015.[47]

Bluenose IIspends 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.[48]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.[49]In the summer months, the schooner also offers onboard tours and harbour cruises.

In mid-2020, due to theCOVID-19 pandemiclockdown,Bluenose IIrestricted 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.[50]

Bluenose IV

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In 2007, Joan Roué, the great-granddaughter ofBluenosedesigner 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 IVwebsite.[51]The nameBluenose IIIis 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.[52]The effort came to an end when the Province of Nova Scotia and the Canadian federal government constructed the newBluenose IIin 2013.[53]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^Adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars, $549,850.

Citations

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  1. ^abRobinson, pp. 4–5
  2. ^Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management (27 July 2004)."How the Bluenose Got Its Name".Province of Nova Scotia. Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2015.
  3. ^Robinson, p. 25
  4. ^Robinson, p. 28
  5. ^Robinson, pp. 25–26
  6. ^abRobinson, p. 31
  7. ^abRobinson, p. 72
  8. ^Robinson, p. 26
  9. ^Robinson, p. 29
  10. ^McLaren, p. 70
  11. ^Robinson, pp. 22, 25
  12. ^Robinson, p. 32
  13. ^Robinson, pp. 13–16
  14. ^Robinson, p. 11
  15. ^"Christina O: From Snowy Nova Scotia to the Sunny Mediterranean, how a Canadian Frigate Became the World's Most Famous Super Yacht".The Marine Curator.Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. 5 July 2013.
  16. ^"Website Update – Nova Scotia Archives".Archived fromthe originalon 12 April 2013.
  17. ^Robinson, p. 16
  18. ^Robinson, pp. 19–20
  19. ^Robinson, pp. 33–35
  20. ^Robinson, p. 40
  21. ^Robinson, p. 45
  22. ^Robinson, p. 41
  23. ^Robinson, pp. 46–50
  24. ^Robinson, p. 50
  25. ^Robinson, pp. 51–53
  26. ^Robinson, p. 54
  27. ^abRobinson, p. 58
  28. ^Robbins, James (19 October 1930). "Thebaud wins cup by second victory".The New York Times.
  29. ^Robinson, pp. 56–57
  30. ^Robinson, pp. 60–61
  31. ^Robinson, p. 62
  32. ^Robinson, pp. 62–63, 69
  33. ^Robinson, pp. 64–68
  34. ^Robinson, pp. 70–71
  35. ^"Sir Henry Morgan".Blue World Expeditions.Retrieved29 March2019.
  36. ^Cox, Kevin (3 July 2000)."Ontario sailor resumes hunt for schooner".The Globe and Mail.Retrieved29 March2019.
  37. ^Robinson, pp. 4, 59
  38. ^"Bluenose, 1929 - Canada Postage Stamp | International Philatelic Youth Exhibition".postagestampguide.Retrieved4 March2020.
  39. ^Robinson, p. 4
  40. ^Osipova, Taisia (8 October 2021)."Stamps in the Movies - Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller".American Philatelic Society.Archivedfrom the original on 8 October 2021.Retrieved2 December2023.
  41. ^"Province Redesigns Vehicle Licence Plates"(Press release). Nova Scotia. 28 October 2011.Retrieved3 October2021.
  42. ^Auld, Alison (16 March 2002)."Boat on dime is Bluenose".The Globe and Mail.Canadian Press.Retrieved3 November2021.
  43. ^"Proof Silver Dollar – 100th Anniversary of Bluenose (2021)".Royal Canadian Mint.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2021.Retrieved14 August2021.
  44. ^"Last voyage of The Bluenose".CNN.2 November 1997.Retrieved14 August2021.
  45. ^Flinn, Scott (2018)."Bluenose Class Sloop - Flinn Files".wjroue.ca.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2022.Retrieved29 May2018.
  46. ^Flinn, Scott (2004)."Bluenose Class Sloop - Flinn Files - The Fleet".wjroue.ca.Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2022.Retrieved29 May2018.
  47. ^"Schedule".bluenose.novascotia.ca.Retrieved6 October2016.
  48. ^"Home Port".bluenose.novascotia.ca.Retrieved2 September2020.
  49. ^"Bluenose II: Goodwill Ambassador (1971- )".novascotia.ca.Retrieved2 September2020.
  50. ^"Schedule".bluenose.novascotia.ca.Retrieved2 September2020.
  51. ^"schoonerbluenose.ca".Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2008.
  52. ^Hirtle, Robert (14 July 2009)."Roué Looks for 7 Million for Bluenose IV".southshorenow.ca.Archived fromthe originalon 6 July 2011.Retrieved5 March2020.
  53. ^Blakely, Stephen (2013). Opt cit.

Sources

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Further reading

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