Francoise on the market

There's a report that the Francoise, an off-shore fish dragger, is currently laid up at the wharf in Meteghan, awaiting sale.  A little history on this vessel:  she was originally based in Iceland and made the trip from there to the AF Theriault Shipyard in late 2009 to be repainted, named (she didn't have any name when she arrived here), and to make the electronic and hydraulic systems meet Canadian standards.  The ship was named after the first LeBlanc to set foot on these shores back in the early 1600's.  The Francoise's last trip was off Newfoundland and there was speculation that the whole crew quit afterwards  as the trip was not profitable.

                            During the conversion at AF Theriault's in 2009

In other ship movements, the longliner Ivy Rose is in for maintenance at the AFT shipyard and the NB Dept. of Transportation ferry Woolastock 1 is still in for refit as she has been all winter, no word on when she'll be re-floated.  An Irving tug has arrived in Meteghan (quite possibly the Atlantic Beech), most likely for a refit.  I'll keep all of you posted on the name and where she'll go for refit.