Historic Nova Scotia ship that led to wave of Scottish immigrants relaunched

A restored replica of the square-rigged sailing ship that sparked a wave of Scottish immigration to Nova Scotia more than 250 years ago was relaunched Saturday with a mighty splash into Pictou harbour.

After a restoration and public fundraising effort that began in 2019, the rebuilt hull of the Hector was eased into the water sideways during a colourful ceremony on the town's scenic waterfront.

During the launch, the vessel was guided down seven ramps, known as launchways, after supporting wedges were removed — a process master shipbuilder Vern Shea described as a sight to see.

"It's kind of nerve-racking," Shea said in a recent interview. "I've witnessed quite a few launches in my career, and you always get the hair on the back of your neck rising and the goosebumps every time you see it."

Shea was instrumental in the original build of the Hector replica, which was not fit for sailing, and was installed 25 years ago, next to the interpretive centre and outbuildings of the Hector Heritage Quay.

The wooden vessel was built from the original designs, using traditional methods and materials, Shea said. Over the years, the vessel wasn't properly maintained and fell into disrepair before the Ship Hector Society bought it for a few dollars in 2010 from the Town of Pictou.

The society has spearheaded a $4 million fundraising effort for the latest restoration, which required an extensive rebuild to transform the Hector into a fully working sailing vessel.

"It was the vision to sail it. It's been my hope all this time," said Shea. "It's becoming a reality, which is very fulfilling."

Shea, who also worked on the engineering drawings for the rebuild of Nova Scotia's iconic schooner Bluenose II, said the latest rebuild of the Hector required all of the hull planking above the ship's waterline to be removed and replaced because of rot. The ship was then covered in fibreglass for added protection.

"We replaced all of the rotten planks up to the main deck with Douglas fir planking and then we filled the seams with pine and then used two layers of fibreglass," Shea said.

Inside the hull are two cramped compartments built as they would have been in 1773, when 189 men, women and children made the harrowing 11-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Smallpox claimed 18 lives during the journey.

"It would have been disgusting, there's no two ways about it," said Shea.

On its website, the Ship Hector Society says those who arrived aboard the Hector made "enormous cultural, political, intellectual and industrial contributions that shaped Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada."

Saturday's launch was attended by several dignitaries, such as Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, federal Attorney General Sean Fraser and Chief Tamara Young of the Pictou Landing First Nation.