Bill
There is actually a weatlth of information available online about the Bluenose sloop. Check out http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/flinn/bluenose/sloop/sloop.html
This boat was originally created in Nova Scotia as a one-design class for the Armdale Yacht Club in Halifax. As the story goes a group of members approached William Roue who designed the Grand Banks fishing schooner Bluenose (the one on the Canadian dime that won every race)to design a boat for racing at AYC.
You will note on the web site mentioned above that the boats were originally built of wood and then McVAy Yachts of Mahone Bay, NS made a number out of fibreglass. The wooden boats are reputed to be faster.
There have recently been at least 2 wooden Bluenoses built (one was on display in Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax for a year) but the cost of a new wooden version is astounding (I think it was selling on Yachtworld for $53000 Cdn).
Herring Cove Marine outside of Halifax is currently manufacturing fibreglass versions but has modified the keel weight distribution (not shape) over the original McVay ones. It is reputed to be faster but is still in the neighbourhood of $28,000 Cdn new. He is not making large numbers. Herring Cove Marine also refurbishes older Bluenoses.
These boats still race in Halifax and Mahone Bay areas. A McVay version just sold from our club on the North Shore of Nova Scotia and the rumour is the new owner is planing on spending tens of thousands fixing it up to race.
Armdale Yacht Club is located on the Northwest Arm off Halifax Harbour. The area is very protected (except in Hurricane Juan last year) and the waters are flat but the winds very shifty. This boat is ideal for these conditions. Our club (BHYC in Tatamagouche Bay (Amet Sound) NS) is sometimes flat and sometimes wavy with choppy waves due to the shallow warm water (< 3 feet). In close together 2 - 3 foot swells the Bluenose is VERY WET and not for a lazy sailor. It does not race well in these conditions but does well in flat water as Jeff suggested.
A smaller sister to the Bluenose was the Minuette made also by McVay in Mahone Bay. Where the Bluenose was 23'' LOA the Minuette was 19'' LOA. Although it looks very similar to the Bluenose Sloop the Minuette was much slower. However it did sail quite similarly. In the late 70''s - early 80''s my familay owned a Minuette which I aptly named Full Tilt. It came with a working
jib and a genoa as well as a
spinnaker and main. Our boat was also kept on the Northwest Arm in Halifax less than one mile from the Armdale Yacht Club. The boat was easily sailed by two and a LOT of Fun! Our favourite trick was to sheet everything in tight (using Genoa) and put the boat beam to the wind. The boat would heel so far that the water was unbroken until it hit the cockpit floor. The leeward rail, seat and all was beneath the surface. The boat would hold in this position as the hull deflected the wind over the sails. As I said .. A LOT OF FUN! I am assuming that in the wrong conditions this could easily lead to the sinking of the boat. Note that the Victoria 18 is believed to be made from a Minuette mold.
The Minuette and the Bluenose sloops are wet and open boats. They are a far different experience than the larger keelboats with cabins and in my opinion more fun in many many ways. I would send my kids sailing in one unattended in a heartbeat as they are well built and good for harbour/Bay sailing.
Regards Mike
on Full Tilt 2
Niagara 26
Halifax, Nova Scotia
(OK .. so I am not actually on the boat today)