Ship Details

Co-operator II

Vessel image

Photo Credit: Richmond Archives

 
 
Registry #1 156609 (Canada) Registry #2 Registry #3
IMO# MMSI# VRN# 21096
 
Name 1 1929 Corozal (I) Name 6
Name 2 1937 Co-operator II Name 7
Name 3 1945 Fitzhugh Name 8
Name 4 1990c Virginia Hope Name 9
Name 5 Name 10
 
Year Built 1929 Place Vancouver Area BC Country Canada
 
Designer (nk) Measurement (imp) 72.2' x 15.6' x 7.6'
Builder Harbour Boat Builders Ltd. Measurement (metric) 22.01m x 4.75m x 2.32m
Hull Wood Displacement
Gross Tonnage 58.92 Type 1 Freighter
Registered Tonnage 37.56 Type 2 Fishboat, general
Engine 7hp engine (1929) Engine Manufacture Speedway
Repower Repowered with a 300bhp diesel engine (1938c); Repowered in 1951 with a 150bhp engine by Murphy Diesel Co. with a gasoline pup starting motor. Propulsion Screw
Rebuilds She was originally rigged as a British fishing smack, but later re-rigged as a schooner and then as a ketch. Call Sign VYXR
Pendant  # Masters Captain Malcolm K. Savage
 
Owner(s)
In 1929-1931 as a cargo carrier she was owned by General Steam Ship Navigation Co. of Canada Ltd., Vancouver BC. In 1937-1943 she was owned by Kyuquot Trollers, Victoria BC. In 1944 she was owned by John F. Ellis Jr., Vancouver BC. In 1944-1973 she was owned by the British Columbia Packers Ltd., Vancouver BC. In 1973-1981 she was owned by James Howson, Richmond BC. In 1981 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC. In 1981 she was owned by Ocean Life Systems Ltd., Nanaimo BC. In 1981 she was owned by Bruce Bott, Nanaimo BC. In 1982-1993 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC. In 1994-2014 she was owned by Bliss Properties Inc., Alert Bay BC.
 
Fate Registry closed Date 2014-01-17
 
Named Features
Significance of Name
 
Anecdotes
In 1929-1931 this vessel was said to have operated out of Belize, British Honduras as a rum runner. Robert Lawson (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 21/12/2016) states that "I remember several unusual features of the Fitzhugh. This vessel had quite a shallow draft, about 4.5 feet and the hull was entirely copper riveted as was found in yacht construction of the 1920s. While lying as a hulk in Nanaimo harbor the stem and sternpost were out of alignment by at least 10 degrees." and " the Fitzhugh was then [1981] owned by Bruce Bott who had purchased her in Nanaimo as a deckless, stripped out hull and with the help of a number of people and a large loan from the FBDB converted her to a sailing herring packer. At this point this vesselhad a large Caterpillar engine." Bryon Polly (E-mail Bryon Polly-Nauticapedia 01/12/2017) states that "My family and Bruce Bott bought the Fitzhugh out of receivership in Victoria in 1980 or 1981 for $30,000.We re-wired, re-plumbed and got the main engine (a 8800 D Cat) running reliably. The first herring season paid for the boat in full. Then in the summer we packed her full of salmon weekly and sold it in the US. We packed salmon, herring, urchins, beer bottles, parts for the camps and explosives. I have never made so much money! In September (I don’t remember the year) we were returning to Victoria from Vancouver with the Salmon season ending we were five miles from Active Pass. I was checking the main engine - like I did a hundred times. As I crossed over the transmission and coupler the walk way gave way and my right leg got pull into the coupler. I almost lost my leg below the knee. I woke up a week later. I was told that I would walk with a minimum of a cane and likely need a brace. My packing career was over." Bruce Bott reports that this vessel was scuttled in deep water at Malcolm Island.
 
References
Canada List of Shipping; Harbour & Shipping (Progress Publishing Co. Ltd.) Vol. 13 (1930); Miles, Fraser (1992); Email Communication (Bryon Polley - Nauticapedia 01/12/2017); http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t11868/447?r=0&s=5 ; Bruce Bott (personal converstaion 15/09/2021 with John MacFarlane);
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