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Hand Tools: Planes
In any boat shop, you will see a variety of power tools. The planer, the bandsaw and so on, but one of the aspects of building a wooden boat that makes it unique from other wood working trades, is...
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Begins in the Sun
For those of us north of the 45th, we have to wait until the ice goes out to launch. But for the residents and visitors of Florida, the annual Sunnyland chapter of the ACBS offers the chance to...
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What a Photograph Will Tell You
Mary Story, the archivist at the Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst, recently sent me a photo of the Queen of the Isles. This “boat” was a steam barge and tug that was used on the lakes about...
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Wear and Tear on a Wooden Boat
Winter is the busiest time for wood working repairs in a boat shop. Who wants to be without their boat in the summer? Only the biggest jobs get carried across several seasons, like the restoration of...
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Uncommon Duke Launch
The Duke Playmate is a common sight throughout Muskoka, as are a variety of other SeaBird, Duke and Greavette utility style boats. Whether they have centre drive, like the earlier Dukes, or forward...
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Brand New Rowboat
At one time, the humble rowboat was as commonly used for around the lake water transportation as bicycles are still today in some parts of the world. I must admit, I have a fascination and never...
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The Band Saw
The band saw is one of the most versatile wood cutting tools in a boat building shop. It usually stands out for its size and strange look. It obviously gets its name because of the continuous band of...
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Spring Cleaning Of The Wooden Boats
Warmer and longer days ahead stir the hand and heart to getting our boats ready for the water. All the efforts in the fall winterizing a wooden boat are rewarded in the spring. The winter’s...
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Stringers for Nika – Made With Fir
Stringers are long sections of wood. They run nearly the entire length of a wooden boat, so they have to be stable and strong. In some cases there will be laminated sections to reduce the effects of...
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What’s in a Name
Whether it be letters, a place or a family name, the name given to a boat, especially a wooden boat, connects it with a story and history. In previous blogs, we learned about the history of the name...
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Who Was A. P. Cockburn?
The origins of Muskoka, of course, date well before the arrival of Europeans, the time before shoreline developments, hotels and steamships. Much has been written about the history of Muskoka and the...
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Boatbuilding Tools: Planes
All planes are designed to scrape off a smooth strip of wood in one way or another, but the problem with all but one kind of plane is that you can plane to a butted edge if necessary. Planes also...
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A Man and His Toys
Does the child in us ever leave? For some, the childhood passions just get bigger. Richard Tatley, the author of the Steamships of the Muskokas, is not only passionate about steamships, but also...
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Dramatic Grain
The Disappearing Propeller Boat is an iconic a craft to Muskoka as are the majestic launches. Those long deck launches are still remembered by a few for their days of service ferrying passengers to...
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Wide at the Beam
The Disappearing Propeller boat looks like a simple craft, pointy at both ends, with a rudder at one end with a flag pole. They look like an oversized rowboat, including a slot for oar locks and...
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Flipping Nika Over
How do you turn a 37’ boat upside down in a boat shop? Of course very carefully. I witnessed this amazing demonstration of co-ordinated team work and understanding of mechanics at the Boat Builder’s...
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Beacons of Light near Rosseau
Navigation on the lakes of Muskoka is generally a predictable experience. Boaters are advised: Don’t get too close to shore and stay on the correct side of markers. The buoys and markers on the lake...
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Peck’s Historic Collection
The construction of wooden boats as a serious business endeavor began just over 100 years ago. The boats we see at shows, having been repaired and restored and repaired and restored again over the...
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Family history linked with boat history
Cameron Peck’s collection included some of the most dramatic and spectacular boats of the day. He purchased some of the boats as they came available; others he ordered directly from Minett; and some...
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Unique 1933 Minett-Shields
The Minett-Shields sport runabouts are the casual water hot rods of the 1930s. The inset riding lights just ahead of either side of the cockpit are a quick identifier as to the manufacturer of the...
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