It's the oldest operational tug on the water, and thanks to North Vancouver's Seaspan and some very dedicated volunteers, it may stay that way.
The S.S. Master, a 1922-team tug, was relaunched into Burrard Inlet this week after a week's worth of work at Vancouver Shipyards.
Seaspan donated its time and expertise to do some life-extending work on the tug, including highpressure washing of the hull, hand-prepping the wood and rolling on a fresh coat of paint, according Tony Matergio, vicepresident and general manager of Vancouver Shipyards. In total, it adds up to a $50,000-in kind donation to the Master.
"They offered what we really need right now - to be hauled out for a bottom paint and special inspection so we know how to plan for future repairs," said David Bradford, president of the S.S. Master society, the volunteer group that raises fund and works on the tug. "They just did a wonderful, wonderful job."
Built around a 1916 First World War surplus steam engine, the master stayed in service with a number of logging, milling and barge companies until the 1959 when it was saved by the World Ship Society, which made the first efforts at restoring it.
Bradford said Seaspan's staff in the yard and in the office showed a genuine passion for working on the boat.
"They really took a lot of pride in making the contribution. It was a lot of feeling that went with it as well," he said.
North Vancouver's Allied Shipyards too has contributed to the Master's well-being, Bradford said.
The goal now is to build up the volunteer base to raise enough money to get it in "fine shape" for its centenary in 2022, Bradford said.
"We've got quite a list going,"he said with a laugh. "That may end up costing $500,000 to $600,000 but in the meantime, we want to maintain its shape presently and not have it go downhill."
Volunteers with the society don't just go hatin-hand, seeking donations. They also get to enjoy the antique out on the water.
"It's fun. We enjoy the boat, particularly when the Master gets up steam and gets moving. It's just incredible. Just like it was decades ago. We attract a lot of attention wherever we go," he said.
For the society, keeping the Master afloat is about more than preserving a single boat. It's preserving a symbol of the industry that built modern day British Columbia, Bradford said.
"If we do our job, we can leave this for future generations. I think that's what heritage means. You're preserving something that's going to be interesting and meaningful in many years," he said.
That's very much in keeping with the company's goals, according to Jeff Taylor, Seaspan spokesman.
"We're a long-serving and proud member of the North Vancouver and North Shore community.
We have some core values here at Seaspan that we adhere to and take very seriously," Taylor said. "We care deeply about the maritime community and our maritime partners and any time we have the opportunity to work along side an entity with a history as rich as the S.S. Master Society... it's a no-brainer for us."
