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History in the Making
It’s like a dream come true for Michele Stevens, a fourth generation sail maker. Several days ago she learned that her Loft, Michele Stevens Sailloft of Second Peninsula was awarded the contract to construct a new main sail for the Bluenose II. Measuring 4150 square feet, it is acknowledged to be the largest working mainsail in the world today.
Bluenose II, the pride of a Town, a Province and a Nation, is now operated under the auspices of the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society. She travels with a crew of 18 and is a ‘symbol of Nova Scotia representing excellence in ship design, ship building and seamanship.”
Michele’s great Grandfather, Randolph Stevens, a sail maker, crewed as a sail trimmer on the Bluenose during the glory days of wooden ships and iron men. Under the guiding hands of Captain Angus Walters the famous ship earned her undisputed reputation as ‘Queen of the North Atlantic.
It is a great source of pride to Michele that her Grandfather Harold and Father, Robert Stevens, as well as other family members, worked to construct a gaff foresail, main gaff, fore gaff topsail for the Bluenose II in the late 1970’s. In recent years Michele made a number of custom items for the Ship including mast boots, windlass and zodiac covers, as well as a sun awning.
Although this Loft is no stranger to tall ship sails, constructing the main sail for Bluenose II will go down in history as one of the great moments for Michele and Michele Stevens Sailloft Ltd.
Experience the making of a sail by double-clicking the first photo below left, and use the arrows above the full size photos to navigate through the process. Each full size photo contains an explanatory caption below it.
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