Bluenose II

Origins and Construction of the Schooner

Bluenose II was conceived as a promotional vessel for the Oland Brewery, commissioned by Sidney Culverwell Oland and built at the Smith and Rhuland shipyard in Lunenburg. Launched on 24 July 1963, the replica was constructed to original plans with consultation from Angus J. Walters, the original captain of the famed Bluenose. The project cost approximately $300,000, equivalent to about 2.5 million Canadian dollars in 2020, and was intended to market the brewery's Schooner Lager brand. The schooner is a significant sailing vessel in its own right, featuring one of the largest mainsails in the world at 386 square metres and a total sail area of 1,036 square metres. In a gesture connecting the ship to Canadian culture, a piece of wood from its deck was donated in 2004 to the Six String Nation project, with parts incorporated into the Voyageur guitar. This donation was facilitated by the Bluenose Preservation Trust, along with Lex McKay and Senator Wilfred Moore, integrating the ship's material into a national cultural artifact.

Provincial Ownership and Management History

In 1971, Sidney Culverwell Oland sold Bluenose II to the government of Nova Scotia for the symbolic sum of one dollar. The trust oversaw a hull restoration in the winter of 1994-95, leading to a recommissioning in May 1995. This period was marred by the federal Sponsorship scandal, where $2.3 million allocated for the schooner through a consulting firm largely failed to reach the vessel. Management transferred to the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic on 31 March 2005. A protracted controversy followed as the head of the trust, Senator Wilfred Moore, refused to release over $600,000 raised in the schooner's name to the new operators. Moore agreed to turn the trust's assets over to the province in July 2012 but did not release the trust's financial records, leaving the matter unresolved for years.

The 2009 Rebuild: Costs, Delays, and Design Controversy

In May 2009, the provincial and federal governments announced support for a major restoration of Bluenose II to be led by the province's Tourism, Culture and Heritage Department. The project was projected to cost $14.4 million. In July 2010, the Nova Scotia government awarded a $12.5 million contract for the restoration to a consortium of three Nova Scotia shipyards. The rebuild aimed to have the schooner look more like the original Bluenose with smaller deckhouses and more deck space, as Bluenose II was originally built with yacht accommodation. This restoration was not without significant controversy. Department sources stated that the restoration was not intended to create an authentic replica of the original Bluenose and that the builders would not be using the original plans. Large portions of the old hull were chipped away and small pieces were given away at the Lunenburg rebuild site. This approach led Joan Roue, a descendant of the first Bluenose's designer William Roue and current rights-holder of the design, to question whether this should even be considered the same ship. Almost all of the rest of the ship was remade, including the keel, which was supplied by Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring.

After more than 25 months of reconstruction, the partially completed hull was relaunched into Lunenburg Harbour on 29 September 2012 from the Lunenburg marine railway. Due to unfinished repairs, the vessel was pulled back onto land for more work almost immediately. It was returned to the water on 6 September 2013 to undergo dock and sea trials. By this time, retrofit costs had risen to $19 million and the vessel still required modifications to its unreliable steering mechanism. In the summer of 2016, renovations were declared complete, two years behind schedule, with the final cost reaching $24 million. A report by the Nova Scotia Auditor General blamed mismanagement and inexperience by the province's Department of Culture and Heritage for the cost overruns and delays.

Sailing Ambassador: Operations and Public Mission

Bluenose II spends much of the year tied up at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic wharf in its home port of Old Town Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the origin of its predecessor. Funds for the operation of the ship are raised through charging for passage on the vessel, public donations, and sales in the Bluenose II Company Store Gift Shop in Lunenburg, run by the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society. The schooner's formal mission is to continuously promote the history and legacy of Bluenose and Bluenose II as well as the rich past and present of Lunenburg and Atlantic Canada. In this capacity, during summer months Bluenose II tours the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, routinely stopping in ports across Nova Scotia, as well as Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto and many ports of call in the United States. Summer activities include onboard tours, harbour cruises and deckhand experiences, as well as outreach for schools and youth groups in Nova Scotia. The schooner has also travelled further afield, such as in 1986 when it participated in the Vancouver World's Fair. In the summer of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Bluenose II restricted its summer tour to Nova Scotia ports and its 20-person crew formed a quarantine bubble for training, maintenance and sailing.

Bluenose II Restaurant: A Halifax Institution

Founded in 1964, the Bluenose II Restaurant is a distinct Halifax landmark located at 1824 Hollis Street in downtown Halifax. Named after the famous schooner, the restaurant has operated for decades, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner year-round seven days a week. Its menu highlights fresh Nova Scotia seafood, including lobster and Digby scallops, alongside charbroiled steaks, vegetarian options, and Greek specialties rooted in home-style family recipes. The establishment caters to a broad clientele, including an older local clientele, tourists, cruise ship passengers, and organized seniors' bus tours. According to business information, the restaurant generates an estimated $5 million in revenue and employs 12 people. It offers free Wi-Fi, hosts private functions, and takes reservations. In 2026, the restaurant received a Quality Business Award, ranking first among Halifax seafood businesses with a quality score over 95 percent. The restaurant has faced operational challenges, including a temporary closure for health code infractions noted in public discussion. It also participates in local culinary events like Dine Around, offering prix-fixe menus.

Cultural Significance and Economic Role

Together, the schooner and the restaurant form a dual pillar of Nova Scotia's cultural identity and tourism economy. The schooner Bluenose II is a floating symbol of provincial pride and maritime skill, physically connecting communities along the eastern seaboard through its port visits. Its presence in Lunenburg anchors the town's status as a living museum and World Heritage site. The vessel's schedule and whereabouts are of public interest, with its latest reported position historically available via maritime tracking services. The restaurant provides a terrestrial counterpart, offering a taste of Maritime cuisine and a nostalgic dining experience in the heart of the provincial capital. Both entities leverage the powerful Bluenose brand, one of Canada's most recognized symbols. Their operations support local employment and suppliers, from the schooner's crew and maintenance contractors at shipyards like Covey Island Boatworks in Riverport to the restaurant's kitchen and service staff. They collectively represent an enduring, though sometimes contested, link to Nova Scotia's seafaring past and its contemporary presentation to the world.

Visitor Information and Public Engagement

For visitors interested in the schooner Bluenose II, the vessel is typically available for public viewing and cruises from its home berth at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg. The sailing schedule is subject to change due to unfavourable sailing conditions or unexpected delays. The operating society encourages the public to follow Bluenose II on social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram under the handle @sailbluenoseii for updates. Harbour cruises are generally offered twice daily, at 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM, and bookings can be made online or by calling a dedicated telephone number. The adjacent gift shop offers souvenirs. For the Bluenose II Restaurant in Halifax, patrons are encouraged to make reservations, particularly during peak tourist seasons and for events like Dine Around. The restaurant's classic diner-style atmosphere and central location make it a convenient stop for those exploring downtown Halifax and the waterfront district. Its role in catering to bus tours and cruise ship passengers underscores its position within the local tourism infrastructure.

Questions about Bluenose II

Where is the Bluenose II Restaurant located and what does it serve?

The Bluenose II Restaurant is located at 1824 Hollis Street in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. It has been a landmark since opening in 1964. The menu features fresh Nova Scotia seafood like lobster and Digby scallops, charbroiled steaks, vegetarian options, and Greek specialties based on home-style family recipes. It operates year-round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, catering to both locals and tourists, and it accepts reservations for its dining room and private functions.

How much did it cost to rebuild Bluenose II in the 2010s and why was it controversial?

The major restoration project that began in 2009 ended up costing approximately $24 million by its completion in 2016, far exceeding the initial $14.4 million projection. The controversy stemmed from mismanagement, delays, and the stated goal of not creating an authentic replica. Officials said builders would not use the original plans, and large parts of the old hull were destroyed. This led design heir Joan Roue to question the vessel's continuity, and the Nova Scotia Auditor General later blamed departmental inexperience for the problems.

Can you take a cruise on the Bluenose II schooner and how do you book it?

Yes, the Bluenose II offers public harbour cruises from its home port in Lunenburg, typically during the summer months. Cruises are usually available twice daily, at 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM, and last about two hours. Schedules are published in advance but are subject to weather and operational changes. Tickets can be booked online through the operator's website or by calling 1-855-640-3177, with proceeds helping to fund the vessel's operations as a tourism ambassador.

Did the Bluenose II Restaurant win any awards and what is its business profile?

In 2026, the Bluenose II Restaurant received a Quality Business Award. It was ranked first among seafood businesses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a quality score over 95 percent. Business information states the restaurant is a hospitality company with an estimated $5 million in annual revenue and 12 employees. This award and its business profile highlight its position as a notable dining establishment in Halifax.

Who owns and operates the Bluenose II schooner today and how is it funded?

The Bluenose II schooner is owned by the government of Nova Scotia. Its daily operation and management are handled by the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society, which runs the vessel from the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg. The society funds operations through ticket sales for harbour cruises, public donations, and sales in the Bluenose II Company Store Gift Shop. This model supports the ship's role as a tourism and goodwill ambassador for the province without direct annual government operational funding.

Is Bluenose II the original Bluenose schooner?

No, Bluenose II is a replica of the original fishing and racing schooner Bluenose. It was commissioned by Sidney Culverwell Oland and built in 1963 as a promotional yacht for Oland Brewery's Schooner Lager beer brand. The original captain of Bluenose, Angus J. Walters, was consulted on the replica's design, and it was built to original plans by some of the same workers at the Smith and Rhuland shipyard in Lunenburg. In 1971, Oland sold the schooner to the government of Nova Scotia for one dollar. Since then, it has operated as a sailing ambassador and promotional device for Nova Scotia tourism, and in honour of its predecessor's record, it does not officially race.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.