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| The Muskoka district is renowned for their fine antique Mahogany Launches. Minett-Shields, Disappearing Propeller Boats, Ditchburn, 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 boats. As a youngster, I always remember all the old mahogany 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 looking crafts. After refininishing a couple of antique canoes, I have an even greater appreciation for the tradition of fine craftsmanship that local residents continue to offer. |
I have found that the Port Carling Seabird is one of my favorite Sunday Cruisers.
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Recent articles on the Wooden boat scene in Muskoka include the July 27 addition of the National Post .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 officals in Huntsville, the Muskoka Marine Museum for the Williams 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 of Toronto is a great organization that is dedicated to wooden Boats. A great source of 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.
This is a temporary listing of Ontario wooden boats dealers, Service Persons ect. I will be updating this area shortly.
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.
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.
Black Beaver Canoe Co Ron Pellenin, 335 River Rd, Sault Ste Marie Tel: (705) 759-1868
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:519-856-91113.
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 LTD.
Are highly respected skilled tradespersons in Port Carling. Very pleasant to
deal with.
C CARRYING PLACE CANOE WORKS owner is Joe Ziemba in Kleinburg, Tel: 905-893-1350
Email:[email protected]
. 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.
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.
Chase One Boats builds a new 14 ft Maghony Plywood gentleman's racer powered by an outboard motor. Received 1st place for best boat under 18 ft. at the Georgian Bay Wooden Boat Squadron Show in 1999.
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:[email protected] Tel:705-653-3820
CLIFF RICHARDSON
BOATS LTD.-Alan Richardson , 103 Bayfield, MEAFORD Tel: 519-538-1940 sales
of Fine Antique boats.
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. Hats off to Ed.
Douglas Canoes is run by Doug Farr, out of 200 Front Street West,Bobcaygeon Tel: (705) 738-5648 . His interest is in Peterborough and Chestnut canoe restorations. He will also buy your canoe or boat. e-mail:[email protected]
Evergreen Canoe Co. builds primarily hand-laid fiberglass canoes or kevlar. They also build a prospector 16 ft canoe.
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.
Grassmere Paddles located in Bracebridge. Noted in the Muskoka Newspaper
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
Hunter,
Stan -Scarcliffe Bay, Milford Bay, Ontario P0B 1E0. (705) 764-0192 Stan
is a corner stone in the Port Carling boat building industry. A great source
of information and a member of the Antique
and Classic Boat Society.
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.
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
Kettlewell Paddles is owned by Ray Kettlewell at RR #1,Kinmount,Tel:705 488-3116. Paddle maker
Kingfisher Canoe Muskoka RR#2 Utterson, Muskoka, en route to Algonquin Park, (705) 385-1148 builds and repairs custom cedar canvas canoes. Also works on war canoes.
Langford Canoes Located in a neat building in the village of Dwight which is not far from Algonquin Park, they have a large variety of cedar canoes finished with fiberglass. They also sell Muskoka furniture and outdoor equipment.
Levator Boatworks Ltd
builds rowing sculls that are beautiful. 767 Industrial Road London, Ontario
Tel:(519) 659-2317
Lost in the Woods is
located near Port Carling Township,RR 1Nobel, Ontario, Tel (705)342-1465. They
have the Port Carling Seabird shown above for sale. They build cedar double
paddle canoes and canoes that you can sail. Also repair antique boats.
MARSHMUCKERS BOAT WORKS
a canoe and rowboat builder. Contact: Paul Smithers R.R.#3 Ashton,Ontario, K0A
1B0
1-(613) 253-4699.
MILLAR POTTER BOAT RESTORATION LTD. 5562 Highway 16, Manotick (which is near
Ottawa), (613)692-3455. Rowboat builder.
MUSKOKA CANOE and Rowing
Shop (Heritage Boats)- Erik Campbell Smith is an advisory on the ACBS, has
been featured in a Number of magazines concerning wooden boat building and repair.
Based in Port Sandfield, RR #2 Port Carling, Phone: 705-765-6282. Gives great
service even on Long Weekends when his extended family is in town. Great.
Muskoka Fine Watercraft & Supply Co. 24 Brock St. W.Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1P3.Tel 416-362-4833
Nashwaak Paddles are custom made paddles made in Toronto.
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.
PEEL MARINE LIMITED
Rossiter Boats George
Rossiter is an advisory on the ACBS, and is well known in the wooden boating
community.
RUCH CANOES Will Ruch,Tel
(705) 765-5390, located in Minett , Muskoka. Is specializing in building new
canoes.
SOUND BOAT WORKS LIMITED
ST. LAWRENCE COLLEGE
STURGEON RIVER CANOE CO.
T & J BOAT REPAIR
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. LTD. The Dippy
THE TENDER CRAFT
BOAT SHOP INC. wood canvas canoe supplies and those hard to find chandlery
products such as oars and oarlocks, then The Tender Craft Boat Shop is the place
to stop and shop. They are North American distributors of Davey & Company
Classic Boat Equipment. Sell upgraded cedar strip epoxy finished boats. Contact
: Bill Steiss
Tudor Rose Canoes- Tom Treadaway,RR#1 Arden Ontario, (613) 336-8966
Turtle Paddle Works builds ash, cherry, walnut and red cedar paddles, yokes, thwarts, and offers a paddling school. RR#1 George Rd. 1025 Tough Lane,Bracebridge, Tel: 1-705-646-1463. Noted in the Muskoka Paper.
Redtail Paddle Makers makes canoe paddles, bent paddles, kayak, thwarts, yokes from ash, cherry, walnut, and maple.
WALKER CUSTOM BOATS
Westport
Canoes Jack Lapointe CP 91, 26 Spring Street,Westport Ontario,Canada K0G
1X0
Williams, Tom
is an well known boat builder and restorer.
Windy Ridge
Studios, Butz.Michael and Susan have been a in the canoe building business
for many years and are considered sort of pioneers in the field. They sell plans,
kits, repairs, custom built canoes; cedar strip, cedar canvas, cedar fiberglass.
Courses are also taught, Box 645, Haliburton, 705-457-1596
Windsor Boat Works: Mr. Windsor makes some of the Finest Gentlemans Racers
in Muskoka. If you need a boat repaired then go see him at 280 Caroline St,
Gravenhurst. Tel:705-687-7887. email: [email protected]
Wood Wind Yachts
3986 HWY. 7A, Nestleton, TEL (905) 986-9663 brokers and repairs all sorts of
boats. I have seen some of their work on a cedar strip restoration and it was
quite good.
For Motors and Motor Work you should check out
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.
For Information on costs, prior reservation times for the Port
Carling Locks