Wawaloon (Wild black bird)
Rig: Gaff Schooner
LOA: 42'
LOD: 34'
LWL: 25'
Beam: 9'
Draft: 5'
Built: Big Cove - Big Tancook Island, Nova Scotia - Launched 1946
Designer / Builder: David Mason
Homeport: Mahone Bay Civic Marina, Mahone Bay
WAWALOON was built in 1946 by David Mason at Big Cove, Tancook Island, Nova Scotia. The original configuration was a Tancook fishing schooner, an open cockpit des
ign (no decking) with a small fore cuddy. A 34’ gaff rig schooner with tan sails, she was equipped with a double 6 12 hp engine. Called RUBY B., she was owned by Vernon Boutilier of Spry Bay, Eastern Shore, N.S and fished for 6 years, mainly for herring. She was purchased in 1953 by Mort Pelham (Later, Secretary of the Nova Scotia Schooner Association). was converted to a pleasure sailing schooner complete with deck and cabin, and renamed WAWALOON. She set out on her new task, providing Mort with 15 years of enjoyable sailing around the South Shore of Nova Scotia. When the Nova Scotia Schooner Association (NSSA) was formed in 1961, WAWALOON was there, winning the Association’s first race on corrected time. WAWALOON was purchased by Bill Forbrigger of Port Hawkesbury, N.S. in 1968. She found her way back to Halifax-Dartmouth in 1981, and was purchased by Francis Forbrigger. In 1985, Gerry Hayman purchased her. Sailing from Armdale Yacht Club, Gerry made every effort to keep her true to her 1953 conversion. Gerry was very active in the NSSA, WAWALOON made over ten trips to various South Shore ports for Association events, and rewarded Gerry with the constant pleasure of sailing and maintaining a traditional Nova Scotian schooner. Current owner, Harley Schofield, purchased her from Gerry Haymen in 2013. Harley has carried on Gerry’s effort to keep her true to her 1953 conversion, and hopes to have the WAWALOON racing in the various ports of the South Shore again by summer 2015. WAWALOON’S history is still being made.
