A proposed conversion to a floating restaurant fell through and she was sold in 1990 to an American and renamed Mon Ami.

The ship was an Empire F type coaster built in 1944 by Henry Scarr Ltd, Hessle, United Kingdom.

Laid down as CHANT 49 then renamed Fabric 49 whilst under construction, she was launched as Empire Fathom in December 1944 and completed in January 1945.

[2] In 1946, Empire Fathom was sold to B W Steamship, Tug & Lighter Company, Craggs & Jenkins Ltd, Hull,[1] and renamed Fosdyke Trader.

[5] Fosdyke Trader was sold in 1961 to Jean-Paul Desgagnes, Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Quebec, Canada and was renamed Fort Carillon.

[4] In 1991, Fermont was sold to James R Peck of Etowah, Tennessee, United States and was renamed non officially Mon Ami.

Despite the arrest, the vessel was re-registered this time as a pleasure craft and Mon Ami sailed from Sorel, Quebec on 1 August allegedly under the Panamanian Flag.

Her owner pulled a knife on an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who had landed on the ship but he was overpowered.

He was later sentenced to three months' imprisonment, claiming in his defence that he thought the ship was under attack by pirates.

She put into Halifax, Nova Scotia on 7 November, now flying the American Flag, departing the next day.