Harbour Tour replacements coming up

The various media outlets are reporting that Ambassatours, owners of seven harbour tour boats and numerous amphibians will be replacing two veterans of the fleet.

Haligonian III will be replaced for the upcoming tourist season.

Passing the old Point Pleasant breakwater inbound in 1973, Haligonian III was originally painted all white.

Built by Hike Metal Products in Wheatley, ON in 1972 for Halifax Water Tours Ltd it has worked in the harbour since new. When Murphy's took over the harbour tours, this was the boat that built the business.

 Although upgraded over the years, the boat is showing signs of age.

With a passenger capacity of 195, it will be replaced in May with a newer vessel (as yet unspecified, but I can guess) with a capacity of 200.

The sailing vessel Mar will be replaced for the 2017 season by another "tall ship" that is currently flying the US flag. 

Mar was built in 1957 in Denmark and  has a capacity of 45 passengers. It was renamed Mar II when acquired by Murphy's Sailing Tours Ltd.

 After going adrift  September 28-29, 2003 in Hurricane Juan (with crew aboard) Mar II was cast up on the McAsphalt jetty (then called Dook's Dock) in Eastern Passage. It was repaired and returned to service, and was renamed Mar again.

Both of the current boats are listed for sale with non-compete clauses, so they will be leaving Halifax if they remain as tour boats.

Most of the Ambassatours fleet is shown in a previous post: http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2015/12/holiday-catch-up.html
Missing from that photo was Theodore Too, which is spending the winter in Dayspring, NS at Snyder's Shipyard, and Peggys Cove Express a 44 foot fast Cape Island type boat.

There may also be additions to the Harbour Hopper fleet of amphibious tour boat./ buses, with Ambassatours' acquisition of more hulls for rebuild.

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