Bluenose II steering system ready for sea tests after delays

The new hydraulic steering system for the troubled Bluenose II rebuild was put on display Tuesday — and it seems to finally work.

The province invited journalists out to the vessel in Lunenburg and showed off the wheel repairs, which were needed to control the vessel's heavy steel rudder and make it seaworthy.

In April, CBC News learned that the steering wheel could barely be moved because the three-tonne rudder was too heavy.

Tuesday's demonstration appears to show that particular issue has been resolved. 

"The loads in the new rudder system were just too great to allow anybody other than Hercules and his first cousin to make this steering gear work," said Wilson Fitt, a consultant who was hired by the province to oversee the fix.

Fitt demonstrated the ship's custom, power-assisted steering 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.

"We were confident it would work but when you actually stood here and spun the wheel and realized how easy it was, it was a real thrill," he told reporters.

"It works exactly as it is intended to work."

The estimated cost of repairs to the steering system is $350,000. The province has not provided the actual cost for the new hydraulics, which have been tested at the dock but not at sea. 

Sea trials are expected to begin in the spring — three years behind its original schedule.

The schooner was supposed to return to regular sailing three summers ago after an extensive two-year rebuild at a cost of $14.4 million, with $7.2 million coming from the federal government.

At last count, the cost of rebuilding the Bluenose II sat at nearly $19 million, but that doesn't include another $5 million worth of work that is being disputed by the province.

'This boat is more stable'

The rebuilt vessel is almost entirely a different ship than the old Bluenose II, with only the mast and posts remaining from the previous schooner.

Built to accommodate a crew of 20, a naval architect said the steel rudder makes the new version a safer ship than its predecessor.

"It can tolerate damage much more than the old one could. Flooding down below — this one can tolerate much more," said Iain Tulloch.

"The real test will be when we take it out and do turning circles. We do zigzag trials and we check the response, we check that the captain is happy, that the router and the steering gear is responding the way that he expects it to."

Tulloch said if the ship's electrical system fails, the 300-tonne vessel can still be steered because a manual hydraulic pump has been installed to handle the load. He said he has no concerns that the ship is carrying any extra weight.

"None whatsoever. This boat is more stable. I've seen the numbers. It's more stable than the original Bluenose II that this replaces," Tulloch said.