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Click
here for Antique Wooden Boat for Sale
PERLITA TOO in 2011 is in the water again after over 30 years. The first Riva delivered to the United States, and the only remaining V-12 Scripps powered Riva and she is the oldest Riva Tritone built of 267 Our restoration has taken over four years yet the last 12 months have been a mind boggling experience of completing the many systems, re-confirming the previous 21 years of research for “1953 Italian correctness”, testing, and pushing everyone toward completion. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
When: SATURDAY / JANUARY 21 Where: HACKER-CRAFT CANADA BOOTH 124 Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 pm John L. Hacker’s 3rd race boat design for Harold Wilson and riding mechanic and fiancée Lorna Reid gave Canada its first repeat World Champions. After winning the 1932 Canadian title in Little Miss Canada II, Harold & Lorna rode Little Miss Canada III to Canada’s 1st motor sports World Championship during the 1934 CNE, a title they successfully defended in 1935 in Little Miss Canada IV. .Father Ernest A Wilson and his racing team were able to build the Little Miss Canada and Miss Canada series of speedboats into a dynasty of championship vessels. Harold was the first Canadian speed boat driver to make a lasting mark on the international racing scene, claiming three world championship titles and setting numerous speed records over the course of his 20-year competitive career.The Wilson Racing Team is the subject of Muskoka Film Work’s Harold & Lorna, to be released in late 2012.T The Wilson Family Racing Legacy and John L. Hacker Official 1935 World Champion photo of Little Miss Canada IVThis dynamite little 13ft step hull racer (below) is one of the finest boats I have ever seen. The beauty of this boat is enough of a reason to get down to The Toronto International Boat Show at the Exhibition grounds and see some great boats including the ACBS display with 14 wooden boats. Spring is coming! ![]()
Looking for a cool winter boat building project? Why not skeedaddle
down to Annapolis, Maryland this coming Feb 6 to Feb 11th, (2012?) You can
buy a kit for $1199 and receive tuition ($750) from the Chesapeake Light
Craft Company to build this "Skua" model hydroplane Cocktail Class Racer.
(See photo below). Pop a 6 or 8 horsepower motor on the back and
you're in business. A lot of fun for a very reasonable cost! Over the summer, students at the Tennessee Technical Center-Nashville and Nashville State Community College: prepared a 400-horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 from an Infiniti QX56 auto engine for seafaring duty in a 20-foot Chris-Craft. The engine's transformation is nearly complete, but it seems the boat needs a great deal more work. The pleasure craft, which dates from 1962, has already has three other marinized engines from car manufacturers, a Lincoln and two Chrysler Hemi powerplants. The gents at Freeport Boat Outlet in Freeport, Maine are overseeing the wooden hull restoration and have said that 85 percent of the mahogany will need replacing. When it's finally finished, the QX lump with water-cooled manifolds and a closed cooling system will be mated with a ZF/Hurth marine transmission and tested back at Infiniti HQ. Assuming all goes well, the hull will get an SUV's worth of Infiniti luxuries and be married to its engine. In the meantime, the name of the boat is being put to the public. Come summer, keep an eye out for a very slick watercraft plying Tennessee's lakes. The iconic Miss Canada IV, piloted to victory by Harold
and Lorna Wilson, is undergoing a thorough restoration in Tom Adam's
Port Carling Boat Shop. This is a major
restoration, including a newly discovered, rare replacement Rolls Royce
engine. (See photos below)
Paul Brackley, of Brackley Boat in Gravenhurst Ontario,
is undertaking some bright work restoration and possible engine
replacement in this 1930's Chris Craft. (See photo below). The
problem? The "Chris" wouldn't fit into the shop. The solution?
Enlarge the doors, of course! A minor detail!. Stay tuned for more
news of the restoration of this lovely classic cruiser. Now that's what you'd call a tight squeeze!
The owner
of this Shepherd wrote: Shepherd Boats were built in
The engines may have been smaller, but it was just as
exciting to race in the 1940s as it is today. See photo below. The Antique Boat Museum, in Clayton, New York, is
undertaking a major refurbishment of "Pardon Me", the John Hacker designed
"World's Largest Runabout". Visitors are invited to drop by and view the
progress. The museum has also acquired the Atosis, a 1907
raceboat in original condition. (Please see photos below).
For those who love watching wooden hydroplanes in
action, (for a good laugh and a scare) check out this vintage film of
wooden hydroplanes racing at break-neck speed. Obviously, safety
considerations weren't paramount in the "good old days." In November 2011, Port Carling Boats undertook a
whirlwind tour of a few of Muskoka's premier wooden boat
restoration shops, to investigate the current projects of the area's
fine craftsmen (and women). Check out the video below to see
what's going on in Muskoka! Miss America 8, currently undergoing restoration,
will be auctioned off tin the Kissimee, Florida this coming Jan 24-29
(2012), along with Miss Universe. (Please see photos below. ) For a
further look at Miss America 8, check out the link below. Msss America's twin 1929 Miller engines have been
restored to "better than new" condirtions This stunning photo of the Segwun in dry dock comes
from the lens of Ed Boutilier. To view some of Ed's other photos, please
visit
www.cottageblog.ca ACBS Toronto Chapter Cancer Society Event:
a one hundred mile Segwun cruise from Gravenhurst to the tip of
Lake Joseph.
Don’t miss your opportunity to recreate a part of history and
contribute to cancer research. On Saturday, August 18, 2012, the “RMS
Segwun” will depart from the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst, Ontario and
follow the route of the “Sagamo” on Lake Muskoka through the locks at
Port Carling and on to Little Lake Joe. Along the route, the “Segwun”
will be joined by over 100 wooden boats; some will complete the entire
journey, others will join en route.
Apparently there is more than one Miss Universe: both
the unique wooden kind, and the human variety, (a lovely Canadian model).
Mike Windsor, in Gravenhurst Ontario, is replacing the
bottom on this historic 1913 Lawley tender Paul Brackley, of Brackley Boats, (Gravenhurst
Ontario), has freshened up this lovely 17 foot, 1950's Chris-Craft with
three coats of Petit varnish Paul also will be sanding and refinishing the bright
work on this 35 foot, 1936 Chris-Craft cabin cruiser. The first task
involves enlarging the door in his shop to accommodate this massive hull. Sea Flea enthusiasts: be sure to click on the link
below to see some of David Thompson's excellent Sea Flea fest photos.
Boomerang, (below) is a reproduction of a 1941 Gold Cup racer,
designed by the famous builder George Crouch. David Coffin brought it
to Clayton NY race boat regatta where this picture was taken.
Autumn is a beautiful time of year for classic boating, particularly in
the warm sunny weather that enveloped Ontario this past Thanksgiving
weekend. (Please see photo below). This 1930's Dodge Race Boat, appearing at the Toledo, Ohio, Boat Show,
seems to be begging for a restoration, or at least a re-varnish. AT least
it still floats! The Toronto Chapter ACBS Annual Boat Show, held July 9th, 2011, in
Gravenhurst, Ontario, attracted thousands of visitors. This show is one
of the largest in North America. Please click on the video below to
enjoy some highlights:
"As I mentioned to you, I have a
large quantity of Honduran mahogany that I am trying to market. The
mahogany is in the form of slab construction doors, 80" high by 30" -
36" wide and 1 3/4" thick. There is also a large quantity of jamb that
is between 4" - 6" wide and trim that is about 2 1/4" thick. We
imported the wood from Central America about 3 yrs ago and I have over
200 doors and their associated accoutrements stored in my humidity
controlled barn. The wood is all in pristine shape and was custom
dried to our specification of 8%. I think our doors could be reduced
to some dimensional lumber that might have application to boat
building."
f this lumber is of interest to you, please contact Bob at
705-788-1802 or email
boats@portcarlingboats.com
Please click on the You Tube link below to view the construction and
live footage of a gentleman's racer in action. The 38th Annual Winnipesaukee Boat Show, under the auspices of the New
England Classic and Antique Boat Society, included, two very distinctive
water-craft, a wonderful multi-stepped Gold Cup Racer, and "Peter Pan", by
PennYan The Bigwin ferry, used for decades as chief transport to the Bigwin Inn
on Lake of Bays, Muskoka Ontario, was relaunched with great fanfare in the
summer of 2010. The Bigwin should provide continued pleasure to tourists
and cottagers for years to come. She is currently available for viewing in
the hamlet of Dorset, Ontario. Personal watercraft "drops in" on $250 000 wooden runabout. (See photo
below).We hope that no one was hurt in this incident. At least the
point of impact was above the waterline!. The moral of the
story...be careful on the water. Mike Windsor's shop in Gravenhurst, Ontario, has produced this
beautiful outboard engine powered gentleman's racer. The twin Mercs
provide plenty of power.
Miss Canada 1V, an iconic Canadian race boat, has returned to Muskoka
for some restorative hull work. Enjoy the text and photos below of this
record breaking vessel's history: For the many of our wooden boat enthusiasts who also appreciate antique
and classic cars, the photos below were taken at the recent Father's Day
car show in Bracebridge, Ontario (Corvette, Thunderbird, Model T Ford and
Roadster.) Captain Randy Potts, operator of Sunset Cruises in Muskoka, is
expanding his operations. Randy and his wife Debbie have been hard
at work since 2003, transforming the Peerless II, a former 60 ft. long
delivery vessel, into a passenger cruiser. Modifications included
widening the beam from 12 feet. to 16.5 feet (a huge undertaking) and a
complete rebuild of the rare Mack Marine diesel engine. Captain
Randy hopes that Peerless II's "sea trials" will occur this fall in Port
Carling, Ontario. Stay tuned for further details. See photos
below. Are they real? These boats are so beautifully detailed, that it's hard
to believe they're models. Jack Kipfer of Waterloo, Ontario, The Muskoka Sea Flea Association, is a very active organization, with a
comprehensive website, including directions for building your own Sea
Flea. The club is hosting a regatta on June 18th, 2011, at Six Mile Lake
Provincial Park. Over 70 boats will participate. (Please see index page
for details. The crew of Woodwind Yachts in Nestleton, Ontario, recently completed a
total rebuild of the 6 metre yacht Merneito, which was subsequently
shipped back to Finland. Working with modern epoxies and wood
preservatives should provide this sleek sailboat with a greatly enhanced
lifespan. This stunning, rare Chris-Craft Cobra was recently captured at
the 2011 Lake Dora Boat Show. Sadly, a number of brand new Cobras
were scrapped by the manufacturer when sales slowed in the 1950s. Click on this link to view some unique footage and video of Miss
America IX http://www.missamericaix.com/
The Toronto Chapter Antique and Classic Boat Society held its annual
Spring Tour this past April 16, 2011. Enjoy the fabulous boats in the
video of this tour (below) The striking photos below come from the Sunnyland
Antique Boat Festival, in Wooten Park on Lake Dora, (Florida). This year
the show was held from March 24-27 (2011). This beautiful Gentleman's Racer (below) must be itching to get back into the water!
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We can tell tell that summer is almost here with this
classic American flagged runabout
May, 2010: From his workshop in Thunder Bay, Ontario,
comes Jamie Zaroski's beautiful replica fan-tail launch,
modelled from an 1870's steamboat. "C.C. Brown" is constructed from 3/4"
cedar-strip lengths, fibreglasses inside and out with epoxy. Other woods
in the vessel include Douglas fir, western red cedar and ash. C.C. Brown
is powered by a 12 h.p. Yanmar engine. She seats eight comfortably.
Congratulations to Jamie for his craftsmanship in bringing this historic
design back to life. (For further information, please see boat ad #
pb366
on the Muskoka Boats For Sale" page,
or click here The A.C.B.S. International Boat Show, Sept. 20-26, 2009, held in Gravenhurst, Ontario, attracted boat owners from all over North America. As usual, glistening chrome, mirror-like varnishes and the deep throb of muscular engines kept the crowds enthralled. (Photos, left to right: "Vic II", a stunning Paul Brackley Greavette restoration, "In Recognition", a 27' Shepherd, a beautiful 1950 Greavette hard top, and "Rainbow", an incredible, brand new 32' Gentleman's racer from Clark Custom Boats) See "Wooden Boats" page for more photos.
The ACBS Winter Workshop was held in Peterborough this past February
2010. On view was a stunning 33' fantail launch powered by solar/battery
power with a diesel generator and shore power for back up. Steve Killing
worked with Joan Barrett and Ted Moores of the Bear Mountain Boat shop
Inc. to create this magnificent, environmentally friendly vessel. Also on
display were several racing canoes. (See photos below.) The other highlight of the Winter Workshop was the opportunity to visit
the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario It's the only
museum of its kind in the world, and well worth the visit. (See
photos below). Sept 20-26, 2009: The ACBS International Boat Show featured a
stunning array of classic beauties.
The Niagara Frontier Antique and
Classic Boat Show, Sept 12, 2009 Grand Island, (Buffalo area)
The ACBS (Toronto) show in Gravenhurst,
July 11, 2009, featured a wonderful display of classic woodies, with
an emphasis on utility boats. Port Carling Boats was there with a booth
highlighting our customers' vessels for sale and drawing attention to our
website (# 1 on Google for "wooden boats"). Note the brand new
battery powered Dippie, the reproduction Dolly Durkin (Lady Eaton's old
cruiser) and the beautiful barrel-back runabout.
How not to drop in on company...please see photo below.
August 15th, 2009: The Hastings Waterfront Festival had a
60+ display of antique and classic boats hosted by the Trent Severn
ANtique and Classic Boat Association. Crowds of 4,000 turned out
to see the boats at the docks and running on the Trent River. Aug 8, 2009. The Manotick ACBS hosted their show on the Rideau
Canal just north of the town of Manotick. A well shaded show site gave
spectators a comfortable day admiring the 45+ boats on display. Left to
right below: several beautiful Shepherds, Greavettes, Dippies and fan
tail boats, Rich Hughes' award winning Greavette, (that began as
firewood), outboard mahagany boats. Aug 16th, 2009. The Baysville Antique Boat and Car Show
generated great interest from enthusiasts in the Muskoka area. (Left to
right...SKIPJACK, a 19 foot Minett, built in 1909; Grand Old Lady, a
1949 Greavette Streamliner, a 1968 Duke, currently for sale, and a
beautiful dippy with canvas top. July 11, 2009. The Antique and Classic Boat Society, Toronto
Chapter, sponsored their Annual Boat Show in Gravenhurst,
Ontario. As usual, beautiful wooden watercraft of all descriptions
glistened in the water. (See below). Left to right: Peter Breen's newly
minted "Dolly Durkin" tests the waters; Mark Mason's Gold Cup Racer, a
19' Greavette Gentleman's Racer and a unique Clive Brown dippie
designed to take an outboard engine. (Photos courtesy of Neil Honeyman)
Port Sydney area: 705-385-1452 Marc Harwood April 25, 2009. The Antique and Classic Boat Society,
Toronto, hosted a wonderful Spring Tour of Muskoka boat
builders/restorers. The photos below prove that wooden boat building is
alive and well, and that Muskoka craftsmanship is second to none.
The shops represented above are Traditional Boat Finishes, Stan Hunter, Butsons and Harwood Water Craft. The display (far right) highlights efforts made by Port Carling Boats to highlight our clients' watercraft at various wooden boat shows. I hope you will take a moment to view my what interests me today section, let me know what you think I was just looking at Dwight Boyds web site and it is a really clean and interesting site, take a look and let dwight know I sent you by! A couple of videos you might enjoy from 2007 Lake Tahoe Boat Show, The Thunderbird designed by Hacker built by Huskins of Bay City Mich Keels & Wheels 2007 Concur's Show from Texas features some great and unique boats and cars
The Antique and Classic Boat Society Toronto Boat Show, Gravenhurst
Ontario, July 5th, 2008
Information on the 2009 Wooden Boat Show at Mystic Seaport
They have an excellent line up of fantastic Antique outboard speed boats, a exciting water ski show and we will have some great coverage for you
10 floating Inns for those who love to holiday on wooden boats in Great Places like Bar Harbour, St.Augustine, Clayoquot Wilderness Resorts & Spa’s 16-room Floating Resort at Quait Bay to name a few.
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| The Electric Launch Co. | Aquamajestic | Disappearing Propeller Co. | Greavette Boatworks | The Rum Runners |
| Azzura Marin | Garwood | Ditchburn | Chris-Craft | Cherubini Yachts |
| Hacker | Pegiva | Dolvik | Riva | Van Dam Custom Boats |
Osburn Model Kits has some great antique wooden boat models
Our first wooden boat video and Video 2 now June 20th Video 3 June 29th
Barefoot
wooden boats on Gabriola Island, B.C. providing you wooden boat
building, restoration, repair, educational programs, rentals and adventure
charters
Take
six 20 something year olds who all have a connection to Middlebury Vermont
and someone says lets row and sail and open boat from the San Juan Islands
to Alaska. On we need a boat, well we will build one. Here is the story of
the
Hunter Bay Boat Project which is the brainchild of Ben Brouwer and
his parents, Molly Bill and Steven Brouwer. It began with Ben's interest
in sailing and rowing a small open boat from his home in the San Juan
Islands to Alaska with a group of friends. Steven took the idea a step
further and documented the construction and events. Enjoy
Purdy
74ft Commuter Yacht Restoration by Brooklyn boat yard in Maine, a
fascinating look at a antique wooden boat rebuild. Some of the best
photo's I have seen to date of a total restoration with superb
craftsmanship! This boat can achieve speeds over 40mph, APHRODITE'S guest
list over the years reads like a "Who's Who" in the worlds of government,
business and entertainment with such luminaries as Fred Astaire, Sir
Laurence Olivier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Henry Ford II, FDR
advisor Harry Hopkins and Nelson Rockefeller aboard for summer day cruises
down Long Island Sound. APHRODITE also once served as the site for a
birthday party for Shirley Temple.
Spring Tour 2006 recap with photo's. Great collection of antique boats and hat's off to all those involved
Whio
, ( say feeo ) the Blue Duck.is an 29ft fantail Lauch, that can travel
17 knots per hour which will blow your hat off if you are not in the
curved cabin that follows a 1920's styling cue. With a 55 hp diesel engine
and unique slender hull this boat sips fuel and is a joy to drive. This
boat only weighs 2,976 pounds and is trailer able. What a fantastic boat,
click on the link and read more and thanks to Wooden Boat magazine for
sharing this story !
Delivering Mail in antique Wood boat...now that's work
A great video of the Manitock 2005 antique Boat Show ..check this out at work or if you have high speed access
See details on
The Bigwin Steam Boat Restoration Project located in Dorset Ontario is
looking for contributors for there "Adopt a Boat Builder" fundraising
campaign.
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Meet
Casey Maple, attempted to sail from Toronto to Norway on a wood
sailboat which ended in family tradegdy, he then built a birchbark canoe
and paddled from Sudbury to Montreal in it to raise awareness for Organ &
Blood Donations - Blood guts tour- he is now 19!
For efficiently cutting the lawn or removing snow in Muskoka click here for more V8 powered info
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You think you use fuel!
2,000 HP Outboard Inflatable .. |

Bill
Turners family has been building Aristocrat boats since the 1950's, these
sporty sleek boats are still being made today at very affordable prices,
call Bill at 770-475-5455 and see his web site www.aristocraftboats.com
Starrigan
is a Newfoundland expression to describe a thing of beauty or a work of
art Read here about Father and son Wayne & Peter Brown restoration of
a 1955 14ft Peterborough Water Craft Fisherman Utility boat.It was a great
bonding experience for the pair, it taught 13yr old Peter many skills and
the family has a new heirloom "Starrigan"
.
These
Ladies helped out at the Buffalo Boat Show and we thought this photo might
help some of that Buffalo show. Take a look at the
Buffalo Wooden Boat Show - Race Boats As well
Check out more of
Bruce
Amos Photo's
Highlight photo's of the 23rd Wine Country Wooden boat show 2005
two seats, mahogany wood, 454 GM big block, 500hp and goes over 100mph see the new Lauterbach TS-1
Click on T-14 for more pictures of the Mt .Dora boat Show
Click
on this picture to see the 2005 Mt. Dora Chris Craft Cobra gathering

Australian boat builders and there 22ft Hacker Gentleman's Racer
featured in Wooden Boat Magazine.
Check
out the photo's of the New Hampshire Vintage Race Boat Regatta held in
Wolfeboro. Great collection of photo's.
My
boat as a work in Progress.
Golden
Days is a 20ft 502hp boat that is owned and raced regularly by a 84
gentleman who has consented to share his pictures on the site
for
some great reading and pictures of Muskoka Wooden Speedboats from the
early 20's to now
Rapture
is a 24' 6" 350hp boat that you will enjoy
Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway is a shop in Maratha's Vineyard that builds some of the finest traditional wooden sailing yachts in the world.
click
here Check out this site where 2 fellows are building 21ft double
cockpit boats using a cnc computer for cutting out the componets.
Fascinating work by two furniture builders
For Wooden boat building, wooden boats for sale in Muskoka Canada, wooden boat restoration and wooden boat pictures are all here at portcarlingboats.com Click on the links below.
Check
out the Recent Wooden Boat built by a fellow in King City Ontario,
A great collection of photo's from the Michigan Chapter of the ACBS- check out the Century Gentleman's Racer
An excellent article on the building of a replica of Baby Bootleggar, the Gold Cup winner from the early twenties. Great sources, and pictures.
Another site with some excellent photo's of some of the finest gentleman's racers
A little photo section of a Gar Wood Gentleman's Racer
Photo's of unusual wooden boats
Picture Gallery Movie of the Port Carling Boat Show
| Antique Wooden Boat Builders | Clayton Boat Show Pictures 2004 |
| Antique Wooden Muskoka Boat Show Pictures | Huntsville Show |
| Wooden Boats2 | Peterbourgh Show |
Wooden Boat Events Wooden Boating Magazines & Publications
The Philadelphia Chapter of the ACBS has a great site with members boats in a photo gallery
Mt. Dora Show Pictures- one of the best shows in the USA
Check out
Saetta Classic Boats in Florida for some high tech, beautiful wood
classics. Contact Jim Kimball at 407-889-3451
There are a number of great American Shows and one of them is Keels and Wheels show held in the Houston Region at the Lakewood Yacht Club 30 minutes South of Houston. Please check there web site to see some of the great Boats and Cars that are at this show.



Wooden Boating Magazines & Publications
How to Restore your Wooden Runabout by Don Danenberg is an excellent reference book to read before buying that restoration boat as it gives out great tips on what to look for and then how to repair that component. Volume 2 is out this spring.
A great Magazine is Classic Boating try reading this magazine once and you will be a subscriber for years!!!
The Muskoka Wooden boats such as the Muskoka Mahogany Launch, the Minett-Shields, Disappearing Propeller Boats, Ditchburn,Greavette, Peterborough and the Port Carling Seabird, are among some of the finest boats built in the Muskoka area. This site is dedicated to preserving the heritage of Muskoka and these fine wooden boats. As a youngster, I always remember all the old mahogany wooden boats in the Old Boat House at Port Cunnington Lodge on Lake of Bays. I developed a keen appreciation for these shiny, sleek and prestigious Muskoka wooden boats.
The Toronto Antique and Classic Boat Society held there annual Spring Tour at various shops in the Muskoka area in Ontario. It was a great opportunity to meet new and familiar faces, over 450 visitors. Thanks go out to Mike Windsor, Gary Clark, Dukes Boats, Butson Boats, Stan Hunter, Wood Wind Yachts, Brackley Boats and others. To see pictures of the tour
I came across a new site, the Disappearing Propellor Boat that may be of interest to many people.
The Trent Severn Antique boat club is very active and has put together a excellent site and the Peterborough boats at their show will be concour's quality.
The Muskoka Lakes Association Antique Boat Show at the Port Carling Docks will be very successful. Rare boats shown at the show previously included 3 Minett Shields gentleman's racers, the 1934 Greavette gentleman's racer "Flash" with the Mother in-law seat was terrific. The beautiful lines of the Bala built McNeil& Norris boats Pleasant View and Ariel. Murray Walker had his"Miss Utopia" triple cockpit Minett Shields out for the show. An exceptional opportunity to see some of the finest boats in Muskoka which will be held again this August.
Wooden Boat Building Presentation Sites:
Should you be interested in how a wood boat is built, cost, time involved and other points=how many calls for assistance in building the boat then check out this site
This boat called the Zip was built over 9 months and it has extensive pictures as well as 5 movies at the end of the story line. A great guide to building a boat.
One of my favorite outboard racers is the Rascal designed by Ken Basset from North Hero Vermont, and here is a couple of sites that take you through the steps of building just such a boat. The first Rascal is being built by a fellow in the US. Sam's Smile is another Rascal boat built by a fellow in Newmarket Ontario. Your will have to sign into look at this very informative boat building presentation. Here is a link to a site that is selling an inboard version of the Rascal.
I meet a
gentleman who enjoys building wooden boats in his basement which is heated
and has 11 feet of head room. It is also over 30ft long. So when he builds
a boat, he cuts open the front wall, brings in a front end loader and
moves out the topsoil and then pulls the boat out. He has done this 6
times. Congratulations on your perseverance. And these are very nice boats
that he builds. More pictures later this week.
In terms of the environmental impact of PWC on Muskoka Lakes, I invite
you to read an article by
Michael Enright. It really calls on boat owners to ensure that your
boat motor is tuned up properly to ensure that your boat is burning
gasoline as efficiently as possible.
The Toronto Star wrote a excellent article about the Muskoka Fleet, Wenonah 2 which joins the Segwun and the Wanda III for cruising the Muskoka Lakes. An excellent location for a Muskoka Wedding is on board the Wanda III.
You will want to look at Mike Windsors site and check out the construction of a antique boat from start to finish. It is a great guide for those who dream of building a boat. After refinishing a couple of antique canoes, I have an even greater appreciation for the tradition of fine craftsmanship that local residents continue to offer.
On July22 the Port of Newcastle usually holds a Wooden Boat Festival. Contact
Allison Woollacott- 905-987-5251
In Wallaceburg Ontario
near Chatham, in August they have an excellent Antique Wooden Boats, cars,
trucks, fire trucks, motorcycles, and agriculture items show. A great event
for the Family.
I do not know if Huntsville will be holding a Wooden Boat Show in August. Contact the Muskoka Marine Museum if you are interested in finding more about this show.
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.The Muskoka Marine Museum was featured in the June 15 edition of the Muskoka Times. A week prior the Muskoka Times reported that Williams Boatworks had finished a Minnett Shields . The article went on to describe the ongoing discussions that are taking place between Town officials in Huntsville, the Muskoka Marine Museum for the William Boatworks to move its manufacturing facility to the old Ministry of Transportation building in Huntsville. Another source for wooden boats is found in an article written by Charles Long in the June 2001 edition of Cottage Life Magazine. The Antique and Classic Boat Society is a great organization that is dedicated to wooden Boats. A great source of information. The New Hampshire Chapter is also a good source for information.
Please note that this listing is in alphabetical order. Furthermore some of these builders and restorers have different abilities and skill sets. We do not make any representations as to the quality of there work.
Peter Breen, Antique & Classic Boat Co. in Rockwood Ontario is one of the top custom builders and restorers. He is not interested in the web, but he will take your telephone call when he has time, tel: (519) 856-9113
The Bear Mountain Canoe Co. The Bear Mountain Boat Shop is operated by partners Ted Moores and Joan Barrett. For over 25 years the company has been promoting the fine art of wooden canoe and kayak building. The business is located in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where Joan and Ted re-located to assist in the development of The Canadian Canoe Museum.
York River Canoes is based in Havelock, Building, repairing cedar strip canoes, kayaks &boats.
Tel Greg Patterson 705-778-3556
The Bearwood Canoe Co is based in Parry Sound. Run since 89 by Pam Wedd, she teaches courses on building canoes as well as repairing and restoring your canoe.
Birch Bark Canoes are being built in a course taught in Quebec.
BLACK SHADOW YACHTS INC. Their boats are pieces of art you can take 'round the Horn.
BRACKLEY
BOATS build new custom, repair or restore everything from cedar canvas canoes,
to antique and classic wooden runabouts and Muskoka launches.
Breen,Peter, Antique
& Classic Boat Co. RR#2 Rockwood Ont, Tel:519-856-9113. Peter does excellent
work that is on display throughout Muskoka. He has restored some of the Classic
Ditchburn launches that grace Lakes Rosseau and Joseph.
Butson Boats. A company employing highly respected skilled trades persons.
Their shop is located near The Marriott "Red Leaves Resort" on Lake Rosseau.
They build new wooden watercraft, do restorations and market boats for
sale (705-765-2080)
CARRYING PLACE CANOE WORKS
owner is Joe Ziemba in Kleinburg, Tel: 905-893-1350 Email:zieba.canoe@sympatico.ca
. Builder of wood canvas and cedar epoxy canoes.
The Canadian Canoe Museum is an exceptional place to visit to trace the development of the canoe and its construction. As well as providing interesting exhibits they also offer courses and traditional skills training. A must see in Peterborough.

Peter Code operates a wooden Boat school in the Toronto area that offers courses in building Wooden Lapstrake rowing skiffs. Peter runs excellent classes for all ages and abilities for reasonable price. Enjoy learning the boat building basic's from an expert!
canadian canoes is a school that teaches people to build canoes. 7885 Tranmere Drive, Unit 26 Mississauga, Ontario
Toronto School board - Adult Education has a two semester evening course for building canoes. Taught by John and Kim, this course is well taught and very worthwhile. It is very much in demand because it is very reasonably priced.
Carlisle Canoe Company 482 Concession 11 East,Freelton Tel:(905)659-0883. Roger Foster has been doing this work for years and also teaches canoe building courses including one for Mohawk College.
For Cedar Strip Boat Repair information checkout Don's web site from Burlington Ontario.
Robert Spike Burns is an experience race boater/builder 705-762-3059 & bayliss Pridday 705-764-0017
Chestnut Canoe Company has a long history in the Cedar Canvas Canoe area. Many a Muskoka cottage has had a chestnut canoe Check out this history lesson on the Chestnut canoe.
Classic Boat Kits is run by Peter Schultz, 4326 Armitage Ave.R.R. #1 Dunrobin,Tel: (613) 832-0881.Sells cedar strip canoe, kayak and row boat kits.
Clarion Boat Works highly specialized boat building and restoration shop operated by Dwight Boyd in Campbellford Ontario, Canada. The Company has been in business for nearly twenty years. email:clarion@kawartha.com Tel:705-653-3820
Michael
Cook, whose shop is located just north of Burk's Falls, Ontario, has been
restoring woodies for the past seven or eight years. Mike is currently restoring
two Shepherds, among the half dozen boats in his shop.
COWAN CANOES LIMITED R.R.#5, Brussels, Ontario, NOG 1HO, (519) 887-9742 or
(519) 887-9342. Located at N 1/2 lot 19, Concession #4 in Morris Township. Retail
outlet on site. Specializing in custom crafting of canoes, both pleasure and
racing
DUKE MARINE SERVICES LTD. Ed Skinner, 2 Lock St. Port Carling. Phone No: (705)
765-3141. Considered to be another one of the best Muskoka Craftsman. Duke Marine
has been involved in some of the finest boats on the Lake.
Albert's
Wooden Boats Inc., Albert Eatock, R.R. 2, 211 Bonnell Road, Bracebridge,
Tel:(705) 645-7494email:
alsboats@surenet.net Traditional Row Boat Designs in Modern Materials. Also
builds electric cruiser.
Fletcher Boat Co. builders of low maintenance classic mahogany Gentleman's racers and runabouts.
GIESLER & SONS LTD.
Have been building cedar strip runabouts for over 70 years and 3 generations.
A interesting shop to visit, all of their boats are built with western cedar
planks , copper nails, and a pride in quality. We dont just build
them pretty , we build them pretty good.
GORD. SMITH MARINE SALES & SERVICE, 414 Hwy. 8 near Peterson's Corner and
Highway 5, Dundas, Ontario
Telephone: (905) 628-4433. Operating since 1983.
Headwater Wooden Boat Restorations is noted for their restoration work of cedar strip canoes as well as boats. P.O. Box 254, Buckhorn, Ontario, Phone: (705) 657-2601
Hurley,Jack- is based out of Lake of Bays. He works on canoes, from 12 ft to 30+ ft warrior canoes. Drop by and say Hello to Lou his pet beagle. A recent article in the Muskokan newspaper describes Jack.
Inner Bay
Boats- is based in Port Rowan Ontario, specializing in small boats and sailboats.
This shop is presently recreating a brand new, beautiful 22' Greavette
Streamliner model. Contact Jim Hammond-519-875-3338
KEMMERS YACHT CONSTRUCTION
builds epoxy/wood sailboats to any level of finish. Also builds small racing
dingy's. Located near Ottawa in Smithville. Tel (905) 957-7550
Levator Boatworks Ltd
builds rowing sculls that are beautiful. 248 Hamilton Crescent, Dorchester,
Ontario.
Tel: 1 (877) LEVATOR
Lost in the
Woods is located near Port Carling Township,RR 1Nobel, Ontario, Tel (705)342-1465.
They build cedar double paddle canoes and canoes that you can sail. Also repair
antique boats. Check out his shop tour, pretty interesting place.
Mahogany Classic's, is a boat builder out of Scarborough Ontario who builds custom boats in the 18 to 35 ft range. John Hurley Tel: 416-283-0976
MARSHMUCKERS BOAT WORKS a canoe and rowboat builder. Contact: Paul Smithers
R.R.#3 Ashton,Ontario, K0A 1B0 Tel: (613) 253-4699.
MILLAR POTTER BOAT RESTORATION LTD. 5562 Highway 16, Manotick (which is near
Ottawa), (613)692-3455. Rowboat builder.
Muskoka Fine Watercraft & Supply Co. 24 Brock St. W.Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1P3.Tel 416-362-4833
NOAH'S Has been selling canoe building kits for years in Etobicoke and at all the wooden boat shows. They also have been doing boat repairs, hardware supplies. They also carry plans by companies such as Green Valley Boat Works out of Kitchener who are designing Osprey solo tripping canoe is now available as a Stitch & Glue design canoe.
Shepherd Boat Parts offers info on Shepherds
Peel Marine
in Lakefield builds & repairs custom cedar strip boats and canoes.
RUCH
CANOES Will Ruch,Tel (705) 765-5390, located in Haliburton area specializing
in building new canoes.
THE BEAR MOUNTAIN
BOAT SHOP Ted Moores is a very well known canoe builder who also sells kits
and plans.
The Disappearing
Propeller Boat Co. is owned and operated by Paul Dodington, the" Dippy
Doctor", Box 152, Port Carling
Muskoka, Ontario, Canada, P0B 1J0, Phone: (705) 765-5037. He is an artisan with
these boats.
THE DIS-PRO
Mr. Gockel has restored a number of Dippy boats and also won some
awards.
WALKER CUSTOM BOATS
Muskoka Fine Watercraft
which is located in the old Municipal Traffic Building in Huntsville.
Windsor Boat Works:
Mr. Windsor makes some of the Finest Gentleman's Racers in Muskoka. If you need
a boat repaired then go see him at 280 Caroline St, Gravenhurst. Tel:705-687-7887.
email Mike
Wood Wind Yachts
3986 HWY. 7A, Nestleton, TEL (905) 986-9663 brokers and repairs all sorts of
boats. If you need a fine craftsman, who knows sailboats then this is your man.
Zandstra' Handcraft- Rudy has 45 years experience building and refinishing Wooden Sailboats in the Kinmont-Sturgeon Lake area, 705-488-2159. He builds brand new sailboats that are very well made.
Sale of Lumber for Wooden Boat Building
Oliver Lumber in Toronto area
WestWind
Hardwood in the BC area is another good source for mahogany,
The Antique Outboard Motor Club has extensive information on antique boats and engines. A great group of people and a site well worth visiting.
The Guild of Automotive Restorers does custom engine work for older boats. The owner, Mr. David Grainger, has a wood boat and is an enthusiast.
California Classic Boats has extensive listing of parts for Chris Craft, Garwood, Hacker and other companies.
I have also attached a link to an interesting Muskoka Steam boat web site that you might also enjoy.
Sierra Boat Company
located on the north shore of beautiful Lake Tahoe, California, care for
over 300 wooden boats. Ten to fifteen full time carpenters, refinishers, and
mechanics work year round taking care of this large fleet. In addition, a well
staffed and stocked parts department makes sure our production people never
run out of parts for the job. They also ship parts worldwide and have many hard
to find items in stock. A great place to visit to see some of the finest boats
in the USA.
Their is a Ottawa based Antique Boat dealer who has a lot of Greavette, Century and Chris Craft Boats epically from the Clayton NY and Finger Lakes Regions.
The Shepherd Boat is a popular boat in Muskoka and this is a very good site to check out. For Shepherd Boat Parts
The Wooden Boat Foundation is located in Port Townsend, Washington. They are dedicated to the preservation and celebration of traditional maritime skills, culture, and heritage through education.
The Wooden Boat Magazine is an excellent International resource as well as a great web site source.You must take a look.
Fine Wood Boats is an excellent Chris Craft resource point for wooden boat enthusiasts.
Yellow Jacket Boats are unique mahogany plywood outboard/i/o boats that can be very nice.
Woodies
on the Web is a great wooden boat site that has a lot of great pictures
ranging from Rum Runners to Gentleman's Racers. A great historical perspective
on the art of Muskoka Wooden Boat Building.
Woodies Runabouts on the Net
is a web site that has a strong interest in Chris Craft boats & historical
boat pictures&books
Boat Owners World has an extensive world directory of wooden boat builders.
Boating News has an international directory of classic wooden boats for sale.
For Information on costs, or reservation times for then check out Port Carling Locks