This rare 97-year-old 麻豆传媒映画tugboat needs help to stay afloat (PHOTOS)

The SS Master Society president, Barry Martens, and society member Verena Schultz, say the non-profit needs help keeping the historic vessel alive. Photo by Alan Campbell/Richmond News

鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely the only one of her kind left in North America and very likely the world.鈥�

As the fall sunshine bounces off the still waters at Britannia Heritage Shipyards, lighting up the 97-year-old steam-powered tugboat, Barry Martens鈥� love affair with the isn鈥檛 difficult to spy.

Showing off the 85-foot vessel鈥檚 hulking, Scottish-built, triple expansion, double-acting steam engine, it鈥檚 clear Martens has invested equal measures of time and devotion into keeping the Master seaworthy.

Built with B.C. timber in 1922 in False Creek Shipyard, the steam-powered tugboat and its seven-strong crew worked from Alaska, all the way down the west coast to B.C., mostly hauling barges of limestone and gravel and towing log booms.

鈥淎part from a bit of exotic timber, such as the Australian gumwood on the rails - which you won鈥檛 find anywhere around here now - there was nothing fancy about her,鈥� said Martens, president of the non-profit SS Master Society, which has owned the rare workhorse since 1976.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing special about this boat. But she鈥檚 the only one left of her kind and she represents an important part of B.C.鈥檚 steam engine history.

鈥淎bout 300 were made, but there鈥檚 a few that got re-fitted with a diesel engine.鈥�

Photo by Alan Campbell/Richmond News

The SS Master worked up and down the west coast from 1922 to 1959 and then sat derelict for two years, before being bought by the World Ships Society, who maintained her until the SS Master Society took over in 1976.

Lovingly restored, the Master regularly sailed to maritime festivals in the region and was the flagship for Expo 鈥�86.

However, she hasn鈥檛 sailed under her own steam since 2014 and a handful of the 30-strong society membership, including Martens, spend every Saturday morning maintaining the historic vessel.

鈥淭he boiler can鈥檛 raise steam right now, so she鈥檚 not going anywhere,鈥� explained Martens, adding that they cycle the engine manually with a torque wrench to keep it going.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to rectify that in the next few months, though. If successful, we can take her to Granville Island, Victoria, anywhere close by where there are boat or marine festivals.鈥�

Like many things with historical significance, there鈥檚 a price to pay in reliving the past and the SS Master is no exception.

鈥�(Funds) are always an issue,鈥� admitted Martens. 鈥淲hat we need desperately is professional help, in terms of fundraising.

鈥淚 can put together the documentation, but we need someone who knows who to speak to.

鈥淭he boat needs more and more maintenance. The last major re-fit was 1985 and 鈥�86, when she was the flagship for Expo.

鈥淲e can probably keep her afloat for another 10 years or so, but that鈥檚 without doing anything. We do need hull maintenance; if it degrades any more, she won鈥檛 be seaworthy.鈥�

Photo by Alan Campbell/Richmond News