Blessing Electron's Keel

Almost 6 years ago, I posted about a new project being undertaken by Eamon Doorly at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - the rebuilding of the sloop "Electron".

Progress on the new boat at the time was minimal - only the stem, keel, and transom were erected, and only for display purposes, as other projects required Eamon's attention.

Construction of the boat is once again underway, and the Museum held a keel laying ceremony on December 12th to mark the occasion. 

Frames and gunwhales have been added to the Electron's keel as construction continues. 

A crowd gathered in the boatshed on the wharf in front of the museum in the early evening to hear about the project and see Captain Phil Watson, the current skipper of Bluenose II, perform a blessing of Electron's keel. 

Boatbuilder Eamon Doorly (glasses, facing camera) speaks with Captain Phil Watson (back to camera, also visible between the boat's frames) during the event. Holiday lighting provides the green and red hues to the boat's frame, even more appropriate when one considers the Red and Green colour scheme for Port and Starboard running lights and channel markers.

Construction of Electron will continue throughout 2025 with an expected launch date sometime in 2026 - the project will provide an opportunity for students of the Museum's boatbuilding school to try their hand at a project somewhat larger than the typical small rowboats that they build.

A view of the mast step and the hole in the deck where the mast will pass through. 

Another view of the boat's interior with the party ongoing in the background.

In the meantime, the ongoing construction will also afford visitors to the museum with a better appreciation of Nova Scotia's boatbuilding heritage. 

12M sailboats "Valiant" and "True North I"

With participating yachts now arriving after finishing the Marblehead to Halifax ocean race, the Halifax waterfront has taken some of the overflow. The race attracts all kinds of boats of all different sizes, and groups them into various different classes based on their size and speed.

While walking home this evening, my eyes fell on the two racing boats that appeared since this morning, and in particular the distinctive bow of a 12 Metre class yacht - in this case, that of Valiant (US 24). One doesn't see many 12 Metre yachts in Halifax, so Valiant stands out.

Valiant.

While boats belonging to the 12 Metre class have all been designed to the same formula, the class is not homogeneous and each one is different. Although dating as far back as 1907, the class is probably best known for its involvement in America's Cup racing between 1958 and 1987. 

Valiant herself was built in 1970 of triple-planked mahagony over laminated oak frames, and is apparently the heaviest ever built. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she was eliminated from the 1970 America's Cup Defender Trials.

Valiant.

That distinctive 12M bow.

12M boats weren't really designed with multi-day overnight ocean racing in mind, so I'm not sure I would want to be one of Valiant's crew in such a race. Compare the IRC-2 division Valiant to a more modern ocean racing yacht like the ORR-1 division Siren below.

Siren.

Nova Scotia isn't a complete stranger to 12M yachts, mind you, with True North 1 having been built just outside Bridgewater in the early 1980s by Crockett-McConnell Inc., with the intention of participating in the 1987 America's Cup. As a boy, I remember attending the launch at the Government Wharf in Bridgewater, and somehow I managed to find the photos in time for this post.

True North I arriving at the Government Wharf on a trailer, and being lifted by a crane into the waters of the LaHave River. The tarpaulin is covering the keel - after Australia II's winged keel helped her win in 1983, the keels were a closely guarded secret.

True North I being lowered into the water. The while aluminum speedboat in several photos was also built by Crockett and McConnell Inc.

True North I alongside with the tarpaulin removed. 

Unlike Valiant, True North I and contemporary 12M yachts were built of aluminum.

Alas, True North I never had the chance to participate in the America's Cup. Both the True North and Canada II camps ran into financial troubles, and merged. As I recall, True North I and Canada II raced against each other off California to determine which was the fastest - as True North 1 was optimized for the heavy winds of Fremantle, she lost out to the light-wind optimized Canada II. Canada II subsequently lost out in Fremantle for the America's Cup, in conditions that might have favoured True North I. We'll never know now.

As with Valiant, True North I and Canada II are still sailing - the latter two are even available for charter.

Sailing Yacht "Louise"

The sailing yacht Louise has been on the waterfront in front of the museum for the last week or so, and so here are the inevitable reflection photographs.

For those interested in the actual yacht, I will start with these:

Goodbye to schooner "Sorca"

The Nova Scotia-built wooden schooner Sorca is reported to have sunk today about 287 kilometres southeast of Halifax, while on her way to Bermuda. The CBC is reporting that all four crew members were rescued after the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre received a distress call around 12:30 a.m.

(CBC has an updated story after interviewing the rescued crew.)

Built in Lunenburg in 1978 by Murray Stevens, Sorca was scheduled to participate in the RDV2017 Tall Ships regatta, which will stop in Halifax between July 29 and August 1.

I believe I first managed to photograph Sorca in June 2013.

In the harbour, with the Georges Island (left) and McNab's Island (right) lighthouses in the background.

Alongside at Bishop's Landing.

I'm a sucker for nice reflection.

I think the last time I managed to photograph Sorca was in July 2015, when she was alongside in front of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.

The sky was grey, and conditions for photography weren't quite as nice as in 2013.

These photos will just have to do, because it doesn't look like I will get another opportunity.