Bluenose II consultant Wilson Fitt says steering problems 'normal'

The consultant hired by the province to oversee the fix of the Bluenose II calls the latest problem with the schooner an anomaly and fixable.

On Tuesday, the crew noticed a problem with the steering. When the wheel was turned, the heavy steel rudder was slow to respond. The ship was able to be brought back to harbour without using the backup steering system, a government official says. 

Consultant Wilson Fitt says no one knows exactly what the issue is yet, but that it was an extra precaution to dock the ship.

"In the interest of safety and the little bit of uncertainty this creates, the boat should be taken out of tourist service and have a look at it," he said.

Fitt says since being taken out of service, the captain hasn't be able to replicate the issue dockside and calls it an anomaly.

Manufacturers of the system are expected to be on board Friday to examine the ship and give it what Fitt calls "a work over."

Although there is no official diagnosis, Fitt is confident.

"It's absolutely fixable. This is not particularly complex or unique sort of system. Every significant vessel, every fishing vessel and commercial vessel has a hydraulic system on it," he said.

"All of them have their shake down periods when it's new, this one is going through its shakedown period."

Fitt said he knows it's frustrating for passengers, but all the incidents so far are in "the normal range."

"It'll work, it'll work. It has worked. It worked this morning. There are a few quirks and we'll sort them out. It has worked, it does work and it'll continue to work."

Confidence not shared by all

Lou Boudreau, a schooner captain and consultant, doesn't share that optimism.

"If it isn't such an important issue, how come the ship had to return to port? It is a serious issue, very serious," he said.

Boudreau says the problem goes deeper than a steering problem.

"It's the wrong rudder and they haven't fixed the rudder, all they're doing is applying brute force in the hopes that they can just force it to work. And that's not the way it works," he said.

Boudreau says with every fix, a new bandage is being put on the real problem.

"It's a bad design," he told CBC's Maritime Noon.

He says the good reputation of Lunenburg shipwrights and shipbuilders is taking the hit. But ask any one of them, and Boudreau says they would solve the problem.

"They'll tell you put a good old fashioned Lunenburg rudder on there with a Lunenburg foundry worm gear. Those systems have been sailing schooners to the Grand Banks for generations." 

Boudreau says the heavy steel rudder — and $700,000 hydraulic lift used to move it — should be scrapped.