Boat building industry in Ontario

Last updated

Boat building has been a part of the history of Ontario, Canada for thousands of years. From the hand-crafted birch bark canoes of the indigenous people to modern factory-built speedboats, the construction of small boats for fishing, transportation and later water sports has been a widespread commercial activity in the province. [1]

Contents

History

A study of the geography of the province reveals the presence of over 250,000 lakes and a large number of connecting waterways. About 17% of the area inside the province's boundaries is covered by water. [2] Until European settlers began constructing road systems, beginning in the late 1700s, most of what is now Ontario was covered with dense forest. Aside from footpaths through the woods, travel by water was the only practical choice.

Bark Canoes

The vehicle of choice for indigenous travelers was the bark canoe, a light wooden frame covered with bark, usually from the birch tree. [3] The dugout canoe, popular in other areas of Canada, found limited use in this area; it was too heavy to be easily lifted over river rapids, and was also more time-consuming to construct. [4]

The frames of the bark canoes were usually made of cedar, which was soaked in water to make it flexible, and then bent into shape. The frame pieces were tied together with boiled white pine roots. The frame was then covered with sections of birch bark, and the seams sealed with spruce or pine gum. Canoe-making skills were passed from generation to generation, [3] and the boats were made in a variety of sizes and shapes. [5]

When Europeans first came to the area, their large boats were not suitable for the untamed waterways, and the bark canoe was adopted for inland travel. Explorers and traders purchased or traded for canoes from aboriginal builders, and also began building their own in centres along popular trade routes, including at Fort William. [6] Canoes continued to be the main means of inland water transportation until about 1820. [3] One builder was L. A. Christopherson, who built canoes for the Hudson's Bay Company for 40 years. [7] In areas where birch bark was scarce, canvas began to be used instead, both by traders and native boat builders. [7]

Birch bark canoes are still hand made today by individual craftsmen.

Wooden Boats

With the building of sawmills along the many rivers, European boat building methods began to be adopted. Canoes, rowboats, skiffs, and other small boats began to be made with wooden planks, often of cedar, which resists rotting better than most other types of wood. [8]

Canoes made of wooden planks instead of bark, called "board canoes" first began to appear in the 1850s, although it is not known which craftsman was the first to combine the native boat designs with "modern" technology of sawn and planed boards. [9] In 1882, the Gidley Boat Works began manufacturing wooden plank boats on the shores of Georgian Bay.

One early builder of board or "cedar strip" canoes was Tom Gordon of Lakefield, near Peterborough. [10] Over time, a number of boat-building companies grew up in the Peterborough area; [11] one was the Peterborough Canoe Company. A long-time builder of plank-built boats was John William Stone, who set up a business building rowboats at Rat Portage (Kenora) in 1897. By 1906 the Stone Boat Company was also building duck boats, sailing canoes, ice boats, rowing shells, and barges. [12]

Beginning in the early 1900s, with the advent of gasoline engines, and the building of canals and locks to make rivers more navigable, many Ontario companies began producing wooden power boats. These were built from wide planks and shaped for speedy travel. [13] [14] In 1920, the Gidley Boat Works on Georgian Bay was taken over by Arthur Grew, who enlarged the company, renaming it Grew Manufacturing.

The Muskoka region was particularly known for its wooden speedboats. [15] Early builders of these boats were Johnson of Port Carling and Ditchburn Boats; [16] [17] [18] other companies were Minett-Shields, Greavette and Duke. [13] The boats were often used for pleasure trips, fishing, and water sports, as well as transportation on Ontario's many lakes, rivers and canals. Today these boats are restored by hobbyists and valued as collectors' items.


Fibreglass

In the 1950s fibreglass began to be used in boat construction, first as a waterproof covering for wooden boats, and later formed into complete boat hulls. [19] By the 1960s there were a number of companies making fibreglass sailboats near the shores of Lake Ontario, including Oakville's Grampian Marine, and Hinterhoeller Yachts and C & C Yachts in Niagara-on-the-Lake. [20] A company called Peterborough Boats, later bought by Princecraft, built fibreglass boats in Peterborough. Another company, Rossiter Boats, set up in Markdale in 1974, [1] and Grew Manufacturing switched much of its output to fibreglass boats.

Aluminum

In 1974 Temagami Boat Manufacturing of Vermillion Bay bought the rights to build a line of aluminum fishing boats, Naden Boats, which had previously been made in the United States, and set up a factory. [21] In 1986, the Duhamel and Dewar families in Sudbury began to manufacture under the name Legend Boats, choosing aluminum for its durability in the rugged terrain of the area; They later began to manufacture aluminum pontoon boats. [1] In 1988, Connor Industries began manufacture of aluminum boats in Parry Sound under the Stanley brand. [22] [23] The company both imports and assembles parts, and builds special purpose boats for government and industry. [24]

Present day industry

Over time, the construction of modern roads and railways meant that small boats were mainly used for recreation, although in more remote areas they are still needed for transportation. In the late 2000s, a serious economic recession in North America left consumers with little money to spend on recreation. At the same time, the exchange rate between the Canadian and American dollar soared, making it expensive to buy raw materials and imported parts for boats. Many large longstanding companies went out of business, including Grew Manufacturing [25] and Naden Boats, while some smaller companies, including Rossiter, Stanley and Legend, survived. [1] With little sales activity, many companies turned their attention to updating their manufacturing processes and model designs, leading to a flurry of new offerings once the economic recovery began. [26]

In 2018, after the United States imposed stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, Canada retaliated by placing a 10% tariff on the import of watercraft from the United States. This had a negative effect on companies which, like Legend, import American boats and boat parts. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boat</span> Vessel for transport by water

A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canoe</span> Light boat that is paddled

A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District Municipality of Muskoka</span> Regional municipality in Ontario, Canada

The District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka or Muskoka, is a regional municipality in Central Ontario, Canada. It extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border of Algonquin Provincial Park in the east. A two-hour drive north of Toronto, it spans 6,475 km2 (2,500 sq mi). It has some 1,600 lakes, making it a popular cottaging destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boat building</span> Design and construction of floating vessels

Boat building is the design and construction of boats — and their on-board systems. This includes at minimum the construction of a hull, with any necessary propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other service systems as the craft requires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Ontario</span> Secondary region in Ontario, Canada

Central Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario that lies between Georgian Bay and the eastern end of Lake Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Carling</span>

Port Carling is an unincorporated community in the Township of Muskoka Lakes in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has been the municipal seat of the township since 1971. It has several hundred year-round residents and is a service centre for thousands of other seasonal residents in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Canoe Museum</span> Museum in Ontario, Canada

The Canadian Canoe Museum, located in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, is a museum dedicated to canoes. The museum's mission is to preserve and share the culture and history of the canoe's enduring significance to the peoples of Canada through an exceptional collection of canoes, kayaks, and paddled watercraft."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Muskoka</span> Lake in Muskoka District, Ontario, Canada

Lake Muskoka is located between Port Carling and Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada. The lake is surrounded by many cottages. The lake is primarily within the boundary of the Township of Muskoka Lakes, the southeast corner is within the boundary of the Town of Gravenhurst and another small portion around the mouth of the Muskoka River is within the boundary of the Town of Bracebridge. The town of Bala is located on the southwest shores of the lake, where the Moon River starts. Lake Muskoka is connected to Lake Rosseau through the Indian River and lock system at Port Carling. The lake is mainly fed by the Muskoka River, Lake Joseph and Lake Rosseau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaumaris, Ontario</span> Community in Ontario, Canada

Beaumaris is a small settlement in Ontario, Canada, on Lake Muskoka which once served as an important transit point during the steamship era on the lake, and once hosted a summer hotel, called the Beaumaris Hotel. The settlement is located on Tondern Island which, though a true island, is attached to the mainland by a small bridge at Milford Bay. Currently the settlement sports a government pier, The Beaumaris Marina, a general store dubbed Willmotts Store after a prominent Beaumaris family, Saint John's Anglican Church, and a private summer club; the Beaumaris Yacht Club.

Ditchburn Boats is the popular name for a manufacturer of wooden pleasure craft launches and racing boats located in Gravenhurst, Ontario, on Lake Muskoka. At one time the company was the largest boat manufacturer in the lake region. Ditchburn operated from 1871 until approximately the 1930s building wooden rowboats and canoes early in its history, and later gasoline-powered launches. Ditchburn is particularly known for producing high-quality mahogany launches which have become highly prized by collectors in recent years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town Canoe</span> Canoe manufacturer in Maine, United States

Old Town Canoe Company is a historic maker of canoes in Old Town, Maine. The company had its beginnings in 1898, in buildings constructed in 1890 for a shoe business, and was incorporated in 1901. Old Town entered the canoe market as a builder of canvas-covered wooden canoes. In the latter half of the 20th century, the company adopted more modern materials to maintain competitiveness. The company's plant was located along the Penobscot River.

The E.M. White Canoe Company was founded by Edwin White, who produced wood and canvas canoes from 1889 into the 1940s. White is considered one of the pioneers of wood and canvas canoe building and one of several prominent canoe builders in Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peterborough Canoe Company</span> Canadian canoe manufacturing company 1892–1961

The Peterborough Canoe Company, founded in 1892 by William H. Hill and Elihu Edwards, manufactured wooden canoes in a factory located at the corner of King and Water Streets in the city of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where quality wood and wood-canvas canoes and sporting goods were produced until 1961.

Naden Boats is a line of aluminum fishing boats manufactured in Canada by Temagami Boat Manufacturing Inc. Six models are offered, ranging from 11’11" to 16’ in overall length. They are noted for their expanded polystyrene flotation, rigid construction, and semi-V planing hull with five keels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Moores</span>

Ted Moores is a Canadian boat builder, author, and educator. His book Canoecraft has sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.

Grew Manufacturing was a Canadian company that manufactured boats from 1882 to 2011. It started as Gidley Boat Works on the shores of Georgian Bay. In the late 1920s, Arthur Grew, a master boat maker from Penetangushine, took over the business and changed its name. The company grew and modernized its product line, eventually switching from wood construction to fibreglass lamination. Grew Manufacturing built its boats in advanced facilities in Ontario, under the brands Grew, Cutter and Profisher. The company faced financial difficulties due to the 2008 recession and the exchange rate fluctuations. In 2011, the company had about 25 employees, but also had debts of more than $2 million and about 100 creditors. The owner and president, David Cameron, died in a shootout with the police in February 2011, after injuring the sales manager, Don Vanderstadt, with a gun. The family tried to sell the business, but failed. The company went into receivership and ceased its operations.

Ontario Yachts is a Canadian boat builder at one time based in Oakville, Ontario, then Hamilton, Ontario and more recently in Burlington, Ontario. The company specializes in the manufacture and repair of fiberglass sailboats.

George Harding Cuthbertson (1929–2017) was a founding partner of Cuthbertson & Cassian yacht designers, one of four companies that in 1969 formed C&C Yachts, a Canadian yacht builder that dominated North American sailing in the 1970s and early ‘80s.

The Muskoka Boathouse was the first building commissioned of a twenty year long project on Point William located on the southwestern shore of Lake Muskoka in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. The boathouse contains three areas; the interior area below with two boat slips, the living accommodation above totaling 64 m2 and the wooden dock on the lake. The building, which was completed in 1999, is one of the four buildings commissioned on the property. The others include the Cottage, Guest Cottage and the Garage.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Riding the waves: Canadian boat builders are on the rebound". Cottage Life, By Douglas Hunter. June 12, 2017
  2. ↑ "Water Resources", Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
  3. 1 2 3 "Birchbark Canoe", The Canadian Encyclopedia
  4. ↑ Rogers, Edward S. (1965). "The Dugout Canoe in Ontario". American Antiquity. 30 (4): 454–459. doi:10.2307/277945. JSTOR   277945.
  5. ↑ Edwin Tappan Adney; Howard I. Chappelle (27 October 2015). The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America. Smithsonian. ISBN   978-1-58834-522-6.
  6. ↑ Fort William Historical Park: Canoes
  7. 1 2 Roy MacGregor (10 May 2016). Canoe Country: The Making of Canada. Random House Canada. pp. 231–232. ISBN   978-0-307-36142-4.
  8. ↑ Ontario Historical Society (1975). Ontario History. Kraus Reprint Company. p. 101.
  9. ↑ Brown, Ken, The Canadian Canoe Company & the early Peterborough canoe factories, 2011.
  10. ↑ Francis, Daniel, I Remember...An Oral History of the Trent-Severn Waterway. 1984, 0-969-1726-0-5
  11. ↑ Material History Review. Vol. 53–56. National Museum of Science and Technology = Musée national des sciences et de la technologie. 2001. p. 79.
  12. ↑ "Building Stone Boats". Boats, Lake of the Woods Museum, Vol. 91 No. 3 by Lori Nelson
  13. 1 2 A. H. Duke; William Gray (July 2004). The Boatbuilders of Muskoka. Boston Mills Press. ISBN   978-1-55046-074-2.
  14. ↑ Ontario History. Vol. 82. Ontario Historical Society. 1990. p. 92.
  15. ↑ Eric H. Boehm (1999). America, History and Life. Clio Press. p. 48.
  16. ↑ Ray Love (9 May 2018). Muskoka Ontario's Playground: A History of Recreation and Sport in Ontario's Cottage Country 1860-1945. FriesenPress. p. 16. ISBN   978-1-5255-2622-0.
  17. ↑ Harold Shield (2003). Ditchburn Boats: A Muskoka Legacy. Boston Mills Press. ISBN   978-1-55046-412-2.
  18. ↑ James P. Barry. American Powerboats: The Great Lakes' Golden Years 1882-1984. Voyageur Press. p. 121. ISBN   978-1-61060-608-0.
  19. ↑ Material History Review. Vol. 39–44. National Museum of Science and Technology = Musée national des sciences et de la technologie. 1994. p. 13.
  20. ↑ Daniel Spurr (December 1999). Heart of Glass: Fiberglass Boats and the Men who Made Them . International Marine/ McGraw-Hill. p. 2010. ISBN   978-0-07-157983-4.
  21. ↑ "Naden reaches one year mark with top production". The Dryden Observer. 8 May 1975.
  22. 1 2 "Canadian boat makers ride wave of lower loonie". The Globe and Mail, JOSH O'KANE. August 29, 2016
  23. ↑ "Ontario boating industry to feel the sting of retaliatory Canadian tariffs on U.S. watercraft". CBC News · June 25, 2018
  24. ↑ "Success of Parry Sound Connor Industries reaches beyond Canadian shores". Aug 02, 2017 by Andrew Hind. Parry Sound North Star.
  25. ↑ "Grew Manufacturing now in receivership". Boat Industry News
  26. ↑ "Just Launched: A look at the new wave of boat models for 2018". Jan 26, 2018 by Craig Ritchie Parry Sound North Star.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.