SCHOONER BLUENOSE SAILBOAT SHIP BOAT MODEL NIB

Captain Walters and the skilled Bluenose crew again won the cup in 1922, beating the American challenger, the Henry Ford but after closely winning the first race in 1923 against Captain Ben Pine's Columbia, the Racing Committee awarded the second race, protested because the winning Bluenose passed a buoy on the wrong side, to the Columbia. Captain Walters refused to accept the Sailing Committee's decision and left for Lunenburg in a counter protest with the 1923 race series tied at one win each. This disagreement caused a seven year lapse in the International Fishermen's competition. During this period, the Lunenburg fleet was severely battered by rough seas, including the Bluenose. However, repairs were made and in 1930, the Bluenose accepted a race challenge in Gloucester, USA, to compete against a new American schooner, the Gertrude L. Thebaud, captained by Walters' old rival, master sailor Ben Pine. This time, the Bluenose lost two out of three races, resulting in absolute jubilation amongst the New Englanders, who called for a resumption of the International Fishermen's Race series. This indeed occurred in the fall of 1931 when the Bluenose met the Thebaud in Halifax waters. The Bluenose prevailed, surging ahead in two straight races and was once again named the queen of the North Atlantic fishing fleet!

Finally in 1938, when fishing under sail had all but ended, the last International Fishermen's Cup was held off Gloucester as a test of the best of five races. The first race was won by Captain Walters' long time rival, the Thebaud, crossing the finish line two minutes, fifty six seconds ahead of the Bluenose. However, the Bluenose honour was redeemed in the second race four days later on October 13, 1938 by a handy twelve minute margin. Light winds delayed the next official race by some ten days when the Bluenose again won, this time by just over six minutes. Not to be outdone, in boisterous seas the next day, the Thebaud beat the Bluenose by some five minutes over a thirty five nautical mile course. The final race was held on October 26, 1938. In light winds, the Bluenose prevailed by a margin of just under three minutes and for the final time, took the International Fisherman's Trophy back home to Canada! 

Various challenges were then made for further races but sadly, that was not to be. A sailing schooner could no longer earn a living against more economic diesel powered fishing vessels and Captain Walters lost control of the Bluenose. She was eventually sold for coastal trading in Caribbean waters and on a dark January night in 1946, the grand champion Bluenose struck a reef in waters just off Haiti. She was wrecked beyond repair although all hands were saved and so ended a glorious era of sailing history.