▁four - cy l inder ▁comp ound ▁engines , ▁each ▁having ▁two ▁high - press ure ▁and ▁two ▁low - press ure ▁cyl ind ers . ▁ ▁Service ▁history ▁Ernest ▁Lap o inte ▁was ▁ordered ▁from ▁Dav ie ▁Sh ip building ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and ▁constructed ▁at ▁their ▁yard ▁in ▁Lau zon , ▁Quebec ▁with ▁the ▁yard ▁number ▁ 5 1 4 . ▁The ▁vessel ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁though ▁construction ▁was ▁delayed ▁due ▁to ▁priority ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁cor v ettes ▁being ▁built ▁at ▁the ▁yard . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁The ▁vessel ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁a ▁former ▁Minister ▁of ▁Marine ▁and ▁Fish eries , ▁Ernest ▁Lap o inte . ▁Enter ing ▁service ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁Ernest ▁Lap o inte ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁res upp ly ▁the ▁base ▁at ▁Go ose ▁Bay , ▁New found land . ▁The ▁ice bre aker ▁also ▁a ided ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Saint ▁Lawrence ▁River . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁war , ▁Ernest ▁Lap o inte ▁was ▁used ▁primarily ▁in ▁the ▁Saint ▁Lawrence ▁River ▁as ▁an ▁ice bre aker ▁and ▁survey ▁vessel . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁cer emon ial ▁occasions . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Ernest ▁Lap o inte ▁carried ▁a ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁God tha ab , ▁Green land , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁re -