Bluenose II restoration complete, summer tour schedule posted

The newly restored Bluenose II will start its summertour schedule on July 19, now that the ship's captainsays his crew is ready to sail.

A public cruise schedule for this yearhas been posted online, marking the completion of the restoration work on the vessel, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal said Monday.

• Bluenose II rebuild problems plagued by 'baffling' decisions

"We can now say with confidence that the Bluenose II will be back as Nova Scotia's sailing ambassador this summer," Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan said in a statement.

The AmericanBureau of Shippinghas given the vessel interim classification, which allowsthe shipto sail with its crew and provide LunenburgHarbour cruises.

Transport Canadamust then issue a certificate of registry, so theBluenose II cansail from port to port in Nova Scotia.

Finally, the ship will receiveafull-class certification from the AmericanBureauof Shippingbefore the tour schedule can get underway.

The Bluenose II restoration project has beenplagued by a series of setbacks over the several years. In 2009, when the project was announced, the project's budget was set at $14.4 million. It has since ballooned to over $20 million.

By April 2015, a checklist of engineering feats still needed to be completed before a date for sailing could be set.

The Bluenose II has beenseen sailing around LunenburgHarbour and the South Shoreover the last month.

According to the ship's website, the Bluenose II will be sailing July 19 to July31, Aug.20 to Aug.30 and Sept. 13 to Sept.30.

A community event to give the public achance to see the Bluenose II will be held in the next few days, but no dates havebeen set.