Ship details

Ship Details
Fitzhugh Photo Credit: Richmond Archives

Ship Details

Fitzhugh

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 Canada. In 1937-1943 she was owned by Kyuquot Trollers, Victoria BC Canada. In 1944 she was owned by John F. Ellis Jr., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1944-1973 she was owned by the British Columbia Packers Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1973-1981 she was owned by James Howson, Richmond BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Ocean Life Systems Ltd., Nanaimo BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Bruce Bott, Nanaimo BC Canada. In 1982-1993 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC Canada. In 1994-2014 she was owned by Bliss Properties Inc., Alert Bay BC Canada.

Owner(s)

In 1929-1931 as a cargo carrier she was owned by General Steam Ship Navigation Co. of Canada Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1937-1943 she was owned by Kyuquot Trollers, Victoria BC Canada. In 1944 she was owned by John F. Ellis Jr., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1944-1973 she was owned by the British Columbia Packers Ltd., Vancouver BC Canada. In 1973-1981 she was owned by James Howson, Richmond BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Ocean Life Systems Ltd., Nanaimo BC Canada. In 1981 she was owned by Bruce Bott, Nanaimo BC Canada. In 1982-1993 she was owned by Canadian Current Charters Ltd., Victoria BC Canada. In 1994-2014 she was owned by Bliss Properties Inc., Alert Bay BC Canada.

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 vessel had 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.

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 vessel had 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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Ship Details

Fitzhugh