Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
| Unidentified Russel Boats
If you have any further information on any of these vessels, please let me know.
steve@stevebriggs.com. |
CAN:
NWT
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland
USA:
Minnesota
New York State
Wisconsin
Russel Bros. Factory Photos
Northwest Territories
| Yellowknife - Hull 1027, found online in an expired ad from YKTrader.com. "1953 Russel-Hipwell Steelcraft - Yellowknife Powerboats, Motorboats". Builder's plate seems to read hull 1027, length 35' beam 9'6' build year 1953. | |
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Manitoba
| Powerview, MB - Hull 383, approx. build year 1941. RBF notes: Boat on left. Known to be built by Russel Bros., in 1941, not known which one. (Powerview, MB July 30, 2003). Lac Du Bonnett on right. | |
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Ontario
| Beardmore, ON. A previous owner said his dad bought the boat many years ago when it was used on Lake Nipigon. He took the 4-53 Detroit Diesel engine out of it and installed it in their 40' charter boat, then gave the hull to Nolan Cox of Beardmore. I guess Nolan planted it in his old gas station property and it was used as a sign to advertise the guys that have the charter boats. | |
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| Cornwall, ON. April 2016, unidentified workboat at Cornwall, likely Russel built. Photo credit Brenda Benoit. | |
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| Ear Falls Museum, ON. Photos by Dan Mckay. c. early 2000's. | |
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| Fort Frances, ON
CANADA LUMBERMAN AND WOODWORKER January 1, 1915 The OPERATING EXPENSE of a Shaw Motor - Headworks or Gasoline Warping Tug IS LESS THAN $10.00 PER DAY. This Includes Full Crew (less log men) Fuel, Oil, Upkeep and Depreciation. | |
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| Fort Frances, ON. Hull 333 - approx. build year 1939. RBF notes: Thought to be either Gort or Chug (Fort Frances, ON May 19, 2004) | |
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| Fort Frances, ON. Hull 534 - Rob Farrow comments (July 4, 2018): "Photo taken Sept 29, 2009. Apparently it is not there anymore." The number 534 would suggest it was built in either 1945 or 1946. There are only two winch boats built in those years that our vessel listing says were actively used in Fort Frances, the JEAN MAY and O.M. 235. | |
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| Grimsby, ON - Tim Lipsitt comments (Jan. 14, 2019): "Had this thing for years. Can�t find a tag on it though. It�s in Grimsby at our marina on Lake Ontario. It was named the Senator. Dad named it. | |
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| Hudson, ON. - RBF notes: Russel Winch Tug, beside Tomiko, bow buried by Mill employees.
(On beach in front of McKenzie Forest Products mill in Hudson, ON May 19, 2004). | |
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| Kars, ON. - This warping tug (possibly SKIMMER) was photographed in 2012 at Long Island Marina (1424 Commodore Dr. Kars, ON). | |
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| Mamainse Harbour, ON. - Sluicer THE LAST TYME II. | |
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Midland, ON - Wayne Jones Construction winch boats, 526-4461 (probably out of business for years now). These are Joe Fossey shots from c. 15 years ago. The one has this number: 25E1 855. | |
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Midland, ON - Robert Cox comments (Oct. 28, 2018): "This boat comes from Kapuskasing. I think it is hull 888, Wayne Jones of Midland. Now his son owns it." 888 would put the build year as 1949-1951. This boat might be Orville (built in 1950). | |
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| Longlac, ON - Kimberly-Clark tug boat. From "50 Years of Committment Equals Success"...Nov. 12, 1998 commemorating fifty years of pulp production. Dave Rutherford Collection. | |
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| Monetville ON - Winch boat owned by R. Fryer Forest Products. | |
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| Northern ON - Scruton listing T2397 - 38' x 10' Russel Brothers Project Boat Sept. 2018. | |
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| Portland ON - Marty Phillion comments (September 24, 2019): "This old girl is resting in Portland Ont. I believe it does belong to Robb McManus. Big time Marine contractor here on the Big Rideau. Been there for ages." | |
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| Port Dover, ON. Hull 735 - RBF notes: - No information known, for sale (Port Dover, ON April 4, 2004) | |
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| Red Lake, ON. - Photo by Kevin Aron, near Red Lake, ON, Jan. 2008. | |
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| Rossport, ON. - RBF notes: Has Russel Wheel, former Fish Tug. No other info.
(Rossport, ON Oct 21, 2005). | |
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| Sault Ste. Marie, ON. - RBF notes: Avery Pit (Soo, ON Aug 21, 2004) | |
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| Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Hull 399 - Hull 399, build year 1941. RBF notes: Known to be built by Russel Bros., in 1941. Not known which one. (Soo, ON July 3, 2004) | |
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| Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Hull 613 - Hull 613, approx. build year 1946. RBF notes: Known to be built by Russel Bros., in 1946. Not known which one. (Soo, ON July 3, 2004). | |
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| South Baymouth, ON. Hull 989 - RBF notes: Believed to be BJ & CJ. (South Baymouth, ON Aug 27, 2005) | |
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| Wawa, ON. Hull 712 - RBF notes: Known to be built by Russel Bros., in 1947. Not known which one. (Wawa, ON Aug 28, 2005). Cabin removed. Note the two sets of horse drawn sleigh runners for transporting logs out of the forest sitting on the deck in the photo. | |
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Quebec
| Club Nautique de l'Anse-Saint-Jean. Photos courtesy Roger Read. | |
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| Chutes du Coulonge QC. Hull 958 - Chutes du Coulonge QC, 2005) No other information known at this time. | |
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| Gatineau QC. - Unknown Russel winch boat at the mouth of the Gatineau and Desert rivers in the early 1970's. Photos courtesy Douglas Gagnon. | |
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| Gatineau QC. - Warping tug on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River East of the mouth of the Gatineau. Photo by John Pomeroy. It's still used in the Spring and Fall to install/store docks. | |
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| Gatineau - A James MacLaren Co. boat? Russel winch boat in Centre Nautique de la Lièvre. Parc du Landing, 255, avenue de Buckingham, Gatineau. Could possibly be the W. D. Sutherland. | |
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| Lac St-Jean, QC - Metabetchuan Pier. | | |
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| Maniwaki, QC. Hull 1130 - Photographed by Doug Gagnon Jan. 27th, 2006, Maniwaki, QC. | |
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| Montreal - Russel winch boat, had been a pleasure craft in Louiseville, Qc. Sold for $7500 in Montreal July 2019. | |
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| Montreal - 25 feet Russel project tug boat for sale, higher wood cabin was build using original windows, had an Ace Chrysler marine 6 cyl with twin disc transmission that I removed from the boat and I still have it. It has the small keel and square back not the round one. | |
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| Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette - A James MacLaren Co. boat? Russel winch boat in a Roadside park off Route 309, identified on Google Maps as "Halte routiere avec WIFI" across from a Pizza Shack. Beside the Parc Commemoratif de l'Eboulis de 1908. Likely installed in 2008. | |
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| Notre-Dame-du-Laus - A James MacLaren Co. boat? Russel winch boat. This boat sits in a roadside boatlauch/park on the bank of the Riviere du Lievre, in the village, on the side of highway 309. It was put there sometime after June 2009. | |
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| Sorel - Russel warping tug, had been sitting beside the 02 hull below. Been for sale for at least 12 years. | |
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| Sorel - 1950 40 x 12. Steel flat bottom hull (wheelhouse not included). No power. Price $10,500. CDN. Scruton File No. T2070. Been for sale for at least 12 years. | |
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| Saint Bruno, Lac-St-Jean Est - Posted by Frederic Duchesne, July 28, 2019 in Marché aux puces virtuel Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean facebook group: "Bateau $18,000 St-Bruno. Bateau qui a servi pour la drave, très fonctionnelle, moteur diesel refait à neuf, à voir." Boat that served for the log drive, very functional, diesel engine redone, to see. Has 6909 painted on cabin back and front. Possibly a water cannon/fire monitor mounted on the stern deck. | |
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| Sainte-Monique - The tug boat is now on permanent display on Route du Quai, in the vicinity of Sainte-Monique. As the practice of floating logs ceased quite a few years ago, the tug was no longer required and ended up being displayed as a tourist attraction and, more importantly, to remind people of the key role it played in support of the local economy. | |
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| St-Francois-de-Sales - A winch boat with a highly modified cabin. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1427733420748082/
Bateau en metal ancien bateau de drave modifier diesel 2 cylindre pour connaisseur. Metal old log drive boat modify diesel 2 cylinder for connoisseur. | |
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| Trois Rivi�res, QC. Hull 721 - Owned by Pierre Arsenault from Trois Rivi�res. Pierre planned to restore Hull 721 in the 80's, but the boat was scrapped. Pierre kept the wheel, the prop and the plate! | |
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| Trois Rivi�res, QC. Hull 891 - Official Number 193.606 Registered Tonnage 2.48. 21 D 5085. Pierre Arseneault from Trois Rivi�res got Hull 891 from Consol in 1994 and extensively
modified and restored it. He uses it in the summer. | |
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| Windigo, QC. - Boat #6914. Winch boat parked at the pier of the Windigo camp on the river of the same name, during a log drive. 1977. Photo by Denis Leclerc. | |
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New Brunswick
| Edmunston, NB - Five shots all from the Fraser Mill, showing a winch boat with a very distinctive cabin. One shot shows "LAURENCE" on the port cabin wall. | |
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Nova Scotia
| Annapolis County, NS - Likely was owned the by Bowater Mersey Paper Company Limited. Located just within the new Medway Lakes Wilderness Area in Annapolis County just west of the logging road at the SE tip (outlet?) of Medway Lake. You can possibly see the boat from the logging road, which is in great shape and open to the public. | |
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Newfoundland
| West Lake, NF - Russel Brothers �Steelcraft� winch boat. These boats were used to tow booms of pulpwood during the log drive (Photo courtesy of Glen Fewer). | |
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Russel Brothers Factory Photos
Unidentified boats found in original factory photos. I doubt they will ever be identified, but here they are...
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1920's Wooden Alligator - One of these was found in 2007 and is being restored for public display in Connaught, ON. | |
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22 Foot Boom Pointer - 22' x 6'6" Boom Pointer. Powered with a Russel 10 hp Heavy Duty engine. | |
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35 Foot Tug - 35' x 9' 6" tug. Cummins Diesel Marine engine. | |
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40 Foot Standard Barge - These were shipped three to a flatcar. | |
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Forest Patrol Launch - Design #293. Hull #667. 28' x 8'. Power: 100 hp Cummins diesel marine engine. Department of Lands and Forests, Lowbush, ON. | |
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General Tug - Design #300. Hull #606. 35' x 9'6" General Tug with Pusher Frame. Power: 150 hp Cummins. C. A. Pitts Contractors, St. Catherines. | |
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Glen Class - One of the 11 80' Russel Brothers Glen class Navy tugs on sea trials. | |
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Pile Driver Scow - c. 1940 Design #205. Hull #350. 25' x 13'.
Built for Mrs. Girardin of Leamington, ON. Shaun Vary comments (Aug. 2017):"Likely built for the Girardin pound net fishery at Point Pelee. | |
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Pointer Boat - c. 1940 Design #216. Hull #364. 30' x 7' Std. or Shallow Draft.
10hp Russel engine. For a Std. draft example see vessel Wm Clauson. | |
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River Tug - 45' x 12'6". Made for the French Government of Indo China.
Power: 120 hp Vivian and Buda Diesels. Example: Trent | |
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Small Tug - Unusual square backed design. | |
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Standard Fish Boat - 1947. Note the Russel "yard tug" (small locomotive) on right, and a newly minted River Tug on the left. | |
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Standard Sweeper - 1948. Hull #760. Power: Russel 10hp gasoline engine. | |
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Utility Boat - Design #256. 30' x 8' 6" Utility Boat. Hull #652 (Open) or Hull #616 (Cabin). | |
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Utility Launch - Design #222. Hull #418 (c. 1941). 30' x 8'. Power: 75 hp Russel Express gasoline engine. | |
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Utility Launch - Design #329. Hull #745. 30' x 9'. Grey 93 hp V-drive engine. Built for Canadian International Paper, Angliers, QC. | |
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Utility Runabout - Design #330. Hull #697. Chrysler Royal gasoline marine engine. Built for Ontario - Minnesota Pulp & Paper, Fort Frances, ON. | |
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Ville Class - One of the 38 40' Russel Brothers Ville class Navy tugs on sea trials. | |
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Yard Utility vessel 114 - Very similar to three other Russel boats built for the Navy in 1955. | |
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Minnesota
| Marine on the St Croix - Antique engine.
Builder: Russel Brothers in Fort Frances, Ontario. $3500 USD. For sale on craigslist in Oct. 2018. | |
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New York State
| New York State - 1927 68 x 15.5 x 4.5' cold riveted steel Russel Bros. Shallow Draft Tugboat
Builder: Russel Brothers in Fort Frances, Ontario. Scruton File No. T2269. $25,000 USD. | |
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Wisconsin
| Consolidated Water Power and Paper pulp hoist facility Consolidated Water Power and Paper was an oufit out of Wisconsin Rapids which owned Newaygo Timber LTD of Port Arthur and owned the ROCKET and some Russel boats. Consolidated rafted pulp from Minnesota for about fifty years. | |
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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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