Bluenose vs. Gertrude L. Thebaud, Wallace R. MacAskill, 26 October, 1938

About

ACC#87-0082, Footage of the Bluenose racing the Gertrude L. Thebaud (Thibault in original video title).

In autumn of 1938, the Bluenose and the Gertrude L. Thebaud, perhaps the two most famous Grand Banks fishing schooners and old rivals, came together in a series of races off Gloucester and Boston, Massachusetts.

This was likely to be the last International Fishermen's Trophy as the age of sail was coming to an abrupt end. The two schooners were to race best 3 out of 5 for what was to be the last race of its kind.

Bluenose, built and operated out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada, had a reputation for her speed. Since 1921, she had won every international series she entered, earning her place as the undefeated Queen of the North Atlantic. In 1937 her image had been immortalized on the Canadian 10-cent piece. By 1938 she was aging, now 17 years old, going up against one of her oldest competitors. Arguments broke out upon arrival in Gloucester as to how much ballast it required or was allowed to carry.

Race 1 - 9 October - Bluenose lost its foretopmast and Thebaud won by nearly three minutes.

Race 2 - Bluenose staysail was blown in half, but still crossed the finish nearly twelve minutes in the lead.

Race 3 (declared void) - Both vessels exceeded the set time limit due to lack of wind, however Thebaud lead considerably.

Race 3 (make-up race) - 23 October - Bluenose lead at finish by six minutes thirty-nine seconds.

Race 4 - Thebaud takes race by five minutes, tying the event at 2-2.

Race 5 (final) - 26 October - In light winds and despite breaking the topsail halyard close to the finish line, Bluenose takes the race by less than three minutes, maintaining her title and long history, a testament to shipbuilders of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Her story ended in 1946, working as a freighter in the West Indies, she sank on a reef off of Haiti.

Wallace MacAskill (1887-1956) captured this final race in silent colour film.

Human-made No record of this work says a model made it. What this means.

Archive

Wikimedia Commons, in Wikimedia Commons

Licence or status

Public domain, as the Wikimedia Commons states it.

Rights statement

Public domain

Credit

Wallace R. MacAskill

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