Our beginnings were humble, and they started with a passion for wood boats back in the 50s and 60s. In the early days we had a work boat which doubled as a taxi that was built in our shop. Our on staff shipwright did build a number of custom boats over the winter to keep the cash flowing and our limited staff here on Big Rideau Lake working through the off season. Our 22' Burns designed hardtop was created in our shop. It was a soft chine hull cedar planked on steamed oak ribs powered by a 145 horsepower 6 cylinder Universal with a Walters v-drive. Many trips were taken delivering people and their belongings across the Big Rideau in any weather to islands and inaccessable mainland locations in that boat. It was built with lifting eyes bow and stern so that it could be hauled out with hand chain falls on a mono-rail system for service in the shop or winter storage. No hydraulic trailers in those days.
The aft lifting ring double as a tow point for pulling disabled boats off of shoals and back to the marina for repairs. One fall with particularly low water we received a call from a professional captain who was moving his owner's 72' steel boat south for the winter. He had spent the summer in Dow's Lake and in his haste to save time had chosen to take the Mud Cut ,a now abandoned man made channel just south of Poonamalie Lock. This vessel had a draft of 5 feet with huge propeller protectors which got caught on the rocky bottom of the channel. The answer was to add weight to the bow of this huge boat to raise the stern enough to free the running gear. On our little work boat we put ten 45 gallon drums and a fire pump. We took them to the Mud Cut, placed them on the front deck of the huge cruiser and filled them with water from the lake. The extra weight forward raised the stern sufficiently to allow us to tow her into deeper water. bouncing over the rocks till she was free to continue her journey south. The Ottawa newspapers gave us recognition for our ingenuity as the owner was a member of the Senate who shall remain nameless.
These stories are numerous, and they guide us everyday.
