It's the most easily recognized ship in Canada but until a few days ago there was talk that it would be scrapped. Fortunately, the Bluenose II — built from the same plans as the famous racing schooner Bluenose — has found a new owner: the government of Nova Scotia. Rather than sell the celebrated ship to foreign interests, the Oland family sells the ship to the province for the remarkable price of one Canadian dollar. (Or, more fittingly, ten dimes!)

• The original Bluenose was built in Lunenburg, N.S., and launched on March 26, 1921. It was designed to race for the International Fisherman's Trophy, but was also a working Grand Banks fishing vessel. In an 18-year racing career the Bluenose never lost the trophy, beating numerous Canadian and American ships.
• In 1955 both the Bluenose and its captain, J. Angus Walters, were inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

• During the Second World War, steel fishing trawlers replaced wooden schooners. In 1942 the Bluenose was sold to a Havana, Cuba, company to carry freight in the West Indies. It was wrecked on a reef and sank off the coast of Haiti on Jan. 28, 1946.

• The Bluenose was immortalized on the Canadian 10-cent coin in 1937. But the artist simply referred to the ship as a schooner, and the Royal Canadian Mint did not officially recognize the schooner as the Bluenose until March 15, 2002.
• The Bluenose II was built from the same plans as the Bluenose, in the same shipyard and by some of the same men. The rigging and sail plan are also identical.

• Both the Bluenose and the Bluenose II are actually black in colour. The origin of the name is the subject of much debate. Some say it came from the blue-skinned potatoes its crewmen carried from Nova Scotia to Boston. One story claims the name came from blue dye left on the noses of fishermen wearing homemade woollen mittens.
• The Bluenose II now represents Nova Scotia as a sailing goodwill ambassador. Its home port is Lunenburg, N.S.

Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: July 29, 1971
Host: Lloyd Robertson
Guest(s): A. Garnet Brown, Don Oland
Duration: 1:45