Bluenose II steering problem to be tackled again during off season

Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan is hopeful the persistent steering problems plaguing the Bluenose II can be successfully tackled during this year's off season.

There are many "differing opinions" about what to do about the Bluenose II's well documented steering issues,MacLellansaid Thursday.

The department is sitting down withengineers and other experts to figure out the issue once and for all.

"At this point, we're going to have to make some decisions. If there's alterations we make in the current system, then that's what we'll do. If it's a larger scale retrofit than that, then we're going to have to look at that," MacLellansaid.

"We want this ship to be operating efficiently and effectively and be the ambassador that it has to be for us, so we're going to make those decisions in the off season and ensure that over and above everything else, that the Bluenose is tip-top and ready to go next year."

Refit plagued with troubles

Nova Scotia's sailing ambassador has been rocked by troubles during a multi-year, multimillion dollar refit.

Despite the problems, MacLellan says the Bluenose II had a great inaugural sailing season.

More than 58,000 people toured the deck of the Bluenose II this year beginning July 19. It's not yet clear how many passengers sailed aboard the vessel during the season which ends Oct. 1.

Several of the tours tours were cancelled due to problems with the vessel's steering system.

"When you look at those numbers to think what the interest has been for the Bluenose, [58,000] people have set foot on this ship and that's a good sign. The other feeling that we've had from the community, certainly in the last couple of weeks, is that regardless of what happened externally with the politics of the project, itself," he said.

"People in Lunenburg are proud of where we're at now and they feel that there is that stability that we do finally have a ship that's going to serve as our sailing ambassador for many years to come."

In 2009, when the project was announced, the project's budget was set at $14.4 million. It has since grown to over $20 million.