How a famous American schooner found its way to Lunenburg and why locals are concerned

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeAtlantic CanadaNewsNova ScotiaHalifax How a famous American schooner found its way to Lunenburg and why locals are concerned 'It was kind of hard to refuse a Grand Banks schooner,' says former owner who brought boat to Nova Scotia Author of the article: By Josh Healey Published Sep 23, 2026 Last updated 30 minutes ago 3 minute read The Roseway, a Grand Bank schooner built in 1928, is seen in Lunenburg Harbour on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. PHOTO BY TIM KROCHAK /The Chronicle Herald Article content Although Lunenburg is well-known for its sailing past, a recent Facebook Marketplace ad for a floating American icon still catches the eye.  Article content For sale: Roseway, a 136-foot Grand Banks schooner.  Article content Article content “Looking for a new owner. Engine and generator run. Fresh off a 500 nautical mile voyage,” reads part of the advertisement. “She needs work. Free to the right person.”  Article content Article content The Roseway is no mere boat. Her lines raise not only her sails but the curtains of American maritime history, ranging from her time fishing the North Atlantic to working as a U.S. Coast Guard vessel during the Second World War.   Article content After the war, states the website of World Ocean School, which owned the schooner until recently, the Roseway worked as a harbour pilot in Boston. She eventually was retired as the last pilot schooner in 1973 and received National Historic Landmark status in 1997.  Article content But the vessel has been anchoring in Lunenburg Harbour for weeks, with people on both sides of the border concerned about her future.  Article content So, why is an American sailing icon in Lunenburg?  Article content Wooden vessels are expensive to maintain and the Roseway is no different.  Article content After more than two decades serving as a teaching tool for World Ocean School, the schooner was brought to Mystic Seaport, Conn., in need of major repairs costing millions of dollars.  Article content And that’s where Bruce Bott found her.  Article content Article content The Bluenose II passes Roseway, a Grand Bank schooner, built in 1928, in Lunenburg Harbour on Tuesday. Article content “It was kind of hard to refuse a Grand Banks schooner that’s 136 feet long, and I have a background in restoring vessels,” Bott, who splits his time between Vancouver, B.C., and Australia,…