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The Laurier

by John M. MacFarlane 2015

Laurier

Laurier II laying at anchor at Deep Bay on the east central coast of Vancouver Island 2015. She shows traces of the grey paint she carried as a Fisheries Protection Vessel. (Photo from John MacFarlane collection.)

RCMP Laurier; then HMCS Laurier; then FPV Laurier; then 83–2; then Laurier II: built 1936 by Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co. Ltd. at Quebec QC. She was launched 20/08/1936 by Madame Lapointe, the wife of the Federal Minister of Justice.

Laurier

The classic and beautiful cruiser–style stern of the Laurier II. (Photo from John MacFarlane collection.)

In 1936 she was owned by the RCMP as the R.C.M.P. Laurier (the Minister of Fisheries), Ottawa ON as CGS Laurier. In 1939 she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as H.M.C.S. Laurier. In 1946 she sailed to the west coast. In 1949–1983 she was owned by The Minister of Fisheries, Ottawa ON. In 1984–1987 she was owned by Orval Lee Miller, Victoria BC. In 1988–1989 she was owned by Daylee Ventures Ltd., Victoria BC. In 1990 she was owned by Unicorn Charter Corp., North Vancouver BC. In 1991–2014 she was owned by 379713 B.C. Ltd., Victoria BC.

Laurier

Laurier II (Photo from John MacFarlane collection.)

In 1936 she was on drug and alcohol patrol. As a Fisheries Patrol Vessel she was armed and her gun crews trained by the RCN. She carried 1–12pdr; and 1–.303 machine gun.

Laurier

Laurier II (Photo from John MacFarlane collection.)

In mid October 2015 she was noted as starting to list and the Canadian Coast Guard responded. An open forward hatch had allowed an ingress of rainwater and made the vessel unstable and in danger of capsizing. The water was pumped to reduce the potential for sinking. In spite of her unkempt appearance she is not technically considered as a ‘derelict’ because she has an owner and caretaker. There are other vessels in close vicinity that give the definite appearance of being derelict.

Laurier

Someone has been removing fittings and equipment from the Laurier II, and it gives the appearance of a derelict. (Photo from John MacFarlane collection.)


To quote from this article please cite:

MacFarlane, John M. (2015) The Laurier. Nauticapedia.ca 2015. http://nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Laurier.php

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