LUNENBURG, N.S. – The delayed and over-budget Bluenose II restoration project reached a crucial milestone Tuesday when a project manager showed off a new hydraulic steering system that has been the source of many woes.
Consultant Wilson Fitt was called in to fix the steering in June after it was revealed that the schooner’s new, steel rudder was too heavy to turn manually.
Fitt demonstrated the ship’s new power-assisted steering Tuesday as the Bluenose II was moored at the waterfront in Lunenburg, not far from where the ship underwent a major rebuild that started in 2009.
Fitt says the hydraulic system has been completed – except for some cosmetic woodwork – and he says the province’s sailing ambassador will be ready for sea trials in May.
He declined to comment on how much it cost to build the new system or what the final cost for the restoration will be.
Earlier this year, government officials confirmed the project is more than two years behind schedule and $5 million over budget, with total costs expected to top $19 million.
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