Cast Your Anchor Celebrates Canada’s Nautical Heritage

Sept. 7, 2008 - PRLog -- Cast Your Anchor, Canada’s only nautical hobby store specializing in ship models has put together ship model hobby kits for the Bluenose II, Peterboro Canoe and H.C.M.S. Snowberry. All of the kits include tools, glues and finishes in one complete package.

The Bluenose is Canada’s most famous schooner. Designed by William Roué and built by Smith and Rhuland as a cod-fishing schooner and a racing ship, in response to the defeat of the Nova Scotian Fishing Schooner Delawana by the Gloucester Fishing Schooner Esperanto in 1920, the Bluenose was launched at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on March 26, 1921. The race was sponsored by the Halifax Herald newspaper. After a season fishing on the Grand Banks, the Bluenose sailboat defeated Elsie (out of Gloucester, Massachusetts), returning the trophy to Nova Scotia. During the next 17 years of racing, no challenger, American or Canadian, could wrest the International Fishermen’s Trophy from her. Fishing schooners became obsolete after World War II, and despite efforts to keep her in Nova Scotia, the undefeated Bluenose was sold to work as a freighter in the West Indies. She foundered on a Haitian reef on January 28, 1946. Her daughter, Bluenose II, was launched at Lunenburg on July 24, 1963, built to the original plans by many of the same workers.

There was a time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when "a PETERBORO" meant almost any wooden canoe in the traditional Canadian style, that is, one basically having the appearance of the woodland bark canoe of the North American Indian.

HMCS Snowberry (K166) was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during World War II.
Snowberry was laid down at George T. Davie & Sons Ltd., Lauzon on 24 February 1940 and launched on 8 August 1940. She was ordered by the Royal Navy (RN) but was transferred to the RCN prior to completion. She was commissioned into the RCN on 26 November 1940
She had her forecastle extended on 14 May 1943 at Charleston.
On 23 August 1943 Snowberry as part of the 5th Support Group, was deployed to relieve the 40th Escort Group which was undertaking a U-boat hunt off Cape Ortegal. The warships of both groups were attacked by 14 Dornier Do 217s and 7 Junkers Ju 87s that were carrying a new weapon the Henschel Hs 293 anti-ship guided missile. Several sailors were injured and killed on HMS Bideford (40th EG) but Snowberry escaped damage. Two days later, the 5th SG was relieved by the 1st Support Group and the warships of both groups were again attacked by 18 Dornier Do 217s also carrying Hs 293 weapons. HMCS Athabaskan (G07) was heavily damaged and HMS Egret was sunk but Snowberry again escaped damage.
On 20 November 1943 Snowberry, along with HMS Nene (K270) and HMCS Calgary (K231), depth charged and sank U-536 northeast of the Azores at 43-50N, 19-39W.
Snowberry was decommissioned from the RCN on 8 June 1945 when she was returned to the Royal Navy, becoming HMS Snowberry (K166). She was scrapped in August 1947 at Middlesbrough.


Cast Your Anchor is also pleased to announce the completion of its website dedicated to the art of model ship building. Please visit our new website at www.castyouranchorhobby.com.



ABOUT CAST YOUR ANCHOR

CAST YOUR ANCHOR is a one-of-a-kind hobby store focused on ship modeling. In addition to carrying the largest inventory of ship model kits, ship modeling tools and ship model fittings in Canada, we have experienced technicians to help answer any questions related to static or radio control model building.

For further information:

Wray Hodgson
Cast Your Anchor Inc.
416-686-8529
990 Kingston Road
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.castyouranchorhobby.com

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Cast Your Anchor Hobby - the only hobby store specializing in ship models, radio control sail and power boats, tools, fittings all under one roof.Ship Model Kits, Ship Model Fittings, Ship Model Tools, Ship Model Plans, Ship Model Books, Radio Control