Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
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The Shaun Vary Collection
Notes by Shaun Vary..."My family were commercial fishermen on Lake Erie, and we owned the "Steelcraft" at Port Stanley for a few years. I put in a few days aboard her in my youth. I am a buff of the Canadian Great Lakes commercial fishing fleet, and am currently an engineer on a freighter."
Alice Jean 1946
Alice Jean aka Wayne Dean and Virginia. This is her as a fish tug at Kingsville, January 3, 1952. Somebody gave me several b&w photos many years ago of the Kingsville fishing fleet. I have no idea who the original photographer was.1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 2400 pixels wide | |
B.J. & C.J. 1952
This is the B.J. and C.J. at Killarney in 2001. She was fished by the Lowe family there for many years.1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 600 DPI SCAN | |
Bluefin 1938
I took this photo at Leamington about 1995. I have never seen a name on her, although she is a registered pleasurecraft. I have since seen her in the Port Dover area. (n.b. the registration no. on the bow identifies this boat as Bluefin).1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 600 DPI SCAN | |
Colinette 1938
This is Collinette as a tug, alongside Duchess V, in Toronto harbour. It is a Bill Moran photo.
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Colinette 1938
Colinette at Nadrofsky's in Port Dover. She was being reconditioned as a tug, but plans changed......see next!
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Colinette 1938
Docked at Nadro's, Feb. 23, 2006. She will reportedly be used for cruising, possibly in warmer climates during the winter months.
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Curtiss Clipper 1938
The photo of "Curtiss Clipper" was actually taken behind the Kingsville Legion, in 1999. They have the caboose and a bunch of military junk (one man's treasure.....) on their property. 1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 600 DPI SCAN | |
D & C 1938
Here is D & C at Howdenvale, On. after her fire. As far as I know, she was reconditioned and put back into service.
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Duchess V 1938
Here is a Bill Moran photo of Duchess V, taken from the Cherry Street bridge in Toronto. This photo was taken in 1992, the same day as the similar Colinette shot. Duchess V is the ex Anglo Duchess, now King Fish I.
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Glenbrook 1938
This is Glenbrook in McKeil Marine colors, on a windy fall day in the Welland Canal. Photo was taken prior to 2000. She was towing former railway tugs Margaret Yorke and Phyllis Yorke down the canal.
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Glenmont 1938
A rather forlorn looking Glenmont winters in Toronto prior to her conversion to "Carolina Borealis".
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Hull 735 1938
Hull #735, still at Matthews Marine in Port Dover, Feb. 23, 2006.
The for sale sign has been removed, but no apparent work has
been done to the vessel. No machinery exists in the hull.
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Mitoi 1939
I call this a "fringe" shot since nobody has positively identified Mi Toi as a Russel boat. After seeing the photo of her out of the water, I would bet that she is. The photo was taken at Grand Bend in 2004. One can clearly see the hydraulic spud that goes through her hull, just behind the wheelhouse.
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Nancy A. Lee 1939
Ex Fralue. This is a Bill Moran photo of Nancy A. Lee, taken April 15, 1995 at Port Lambton, On. It is the best image of her in my collection.1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 600 DPI SCAN | |
Nancy A. Lee (Model) ????
Ex Fralue. This is a George Lee photo of his Nancy A. Lee model, which I built for him several years ago. It is of bristol board construction. The photo was actually taken aboard the real tug!1024 pixels wide SV COLLECTION 600 DPI SCAN | |
Nedelec 1938
This photo was taken in the summer of 2004 in Port Dover. The vessel is moored beside Hamilton Trader at Harry Gamble Shipyards. It is quite obvious that she is a Russel "ville" class tug.
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Progress 1938
This is Progress at the Nadro dock in Port Dover. She is the former P.J. Murer/Thomas Payette. She is now under the McKeil banner.
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Russel Warper Models ----
Russel Brothers warping tug model I made for Bill Moran's and my (my son's!!) 'O' scale railroads. My son and I are planning to incorporate a logging/lumber mill operation into our train layout. What better way to start than with a model boat!
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Russel Warper Models ----
Here is a photo of the Russel warpers under construction. They are made of wood, with brass for the railings. They are loosely based on "The Piles", but are otherwise generic.
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Slo - Moe 1949
Sloe-Moe in 1988 at Bayfield on Lake Huron. Originally a Kingsville fish tug, she was used as a tug/workboat by this time. She was fished by the Moody family, and later, Ed Siddall on Lake Huron. Ed Siddall then converted her to a workboat, and sometime in the '90's, to her present configuration as a tug.
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Steelcraft 1945
Here are two pictures of the Steelcraft. The b&w is at Kingsville in the 1960's, probably when owned by Elmer Simpson. The second photo shows her at Harry Gamble Shipyards in Port Dover. This is during her 1988 rebuild for the MNR.
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Steelcraft 1945
Here are two pictures of the Steelcraft. The b&w is at Kingsville in the 1960's, probably when owned by Elmer Simpson. The second photo shows her at Harry Gamble Shipyards in Port Dover. This is during her 1988 rebuild for the MNR.
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Steelcraft (Model) ????
Here is a model of the Steelcraft that I built several years ago. It is in my own collection. The model is waterline, and mostly constructed of bristol board. I started out at a very young age building model fish tugs out of cigarette packages. I later switched to bristol board, which was much easier. I can no longer purchase the proper grade of bristol board to build these type of models. I have switched to wood, plastic, and other materials as my main medium.
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Wonda Goldie ????
An evening shot of Wonda Goldie taken in 1988. She is in Owen Sound, with Black-Clawson- Kennedy visible in the background. It's not the greatest image of the boat, but it's a sad reminder that B-C-K is gone!
(note Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum at far right).
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For more Russel exhibits visit Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum 1165 1st Ave West, Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8
(519) 371-3333  http://marinerail.com |
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