Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
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Ville Marie / Heavenbound
Still Watch
Steel diesel Canadian Coast Guard survey vessel [C.313109] built by Russel Brothers, Owen Sound and launched as Ville Marie 1960 - 1984; registered at Ottawa; 127'; 390 g.t.; sold to a religious organization and renamed b] Heavenbound 1984 - 1995. Laid up for the winter 1994 - 1995 in the Turning Basin at Toronto and was renamed in April 1995 as c] Still Watch. GAO Notes: Hull 1162.
Still Watch: Ex- Heavenbound, Ex- Ville Marie. GAO Notes: Renamed in April 1995 as Still Watch. Canadian List of Ships 1997: Owned since 1995 by Tom Marshall, Toronto, Ontario. Transport Canada List 2002: Built by Russel-Hipwell Engine Co., Owen Sound, Ont. Transport Canada List 2003: Owned by Tom Marshall, Pickering, Ontario. GAO Notes: Sporting the unofficial name Vast Explorer in 2002 for a TV shoot in Toronto. SB notes: the ship was used in 22 episodes of a fictional TV series called Adventures Inc., a Fireworks
production which starred Michael Biehn. The series was shot mostly in Toronto harbour, and was discontinued with the death of one of the principle actors after the first season. The upper aft deck was removed in the spring of 2002 for the TV show. Tom Marshall notes: The upper aft deck was removed for the TV series Adventure Inc. by Fireworks Productions. After she was returned to us, we only put 8' of the deck back on. The upper aft deck was not original it was added (but never completed) by Heavonbound Ministries during their 9 years of ownership. This photo does not show the lighted signs that were on Heavenbound and Villa Marie ( they were located on the top deck behind fly bridge), we removed them shortly after purchasing her.
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c. 1960. In Collingwood for work on the propeller shaft. Photo courtesy Don Moon. |
Ville Marie starboard side. Photo courtesy David Low.
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Ville Marie port side. Photo courtesy David Low.
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Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes Vessels Online Index
Photo source http://ul.bgsu.edu/cgi-bin/xvsl2.cgi Item 007344 |
Ville Marie Wardroom. Photo courtesy David Low.
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Ville Marie Galley. Photo courtesy David Low.
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Rene Beauchamp comments (May 13, 2020): "VILLE MARIE arriving in Montreal
on her delivery trip in 1960. Photo taken by a friend, Harry Stott."
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 Image souce: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/usque-ad-mare/details_e.asp?Name=Ville+Marie |
Note the horizontal expansion of the flying bridge compared to the photo above.  Image souce: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/usque-ad-mare/details_e.asp?Name=Ville+Marie |
Ville Marie near the dock in Vercheres Qc., in October 1973. Photo by Rene Beauchamp.
Ville Marie on the St. Lawrence River, 1976. Photo by George Lee.
Canadian Coast Guard survey and rescue vessel "Ville Marie". Photo was taken around 1980 at the Rimouski, Qc wharf, by Jacques Trempe.
Sept. 13, 1984: Ville Marie in the shadows of the mobile grain legs in Quebec City was built in 1960 by Russel-Hipwell Engine Co, Owen Sound, ON. It was built as a survey vessel, but transferred to SAR duties in 1980. The smallest diesel electric ship in the fleet, it was retired in 1986 and sold to a mission society.. Renamed Heavenbound, its conversion stalled for funds, then acquired by a Toronto area owner in 1995. He renamed it Still Watch and it achieved some fame in a TV series where it was given the unofficial name of Vast Explorer. https://shipfax.blogspot.com/2014/11/canadian-coast-guard-new-book-and-look.html
1984. Ville Marie entering Gasp� for the last time in Coast Guard guise
before yielding the duty to Simon Fraser. Michel Tremblay Collection.
Heavenbound at Oshawa in 1991. Ex CCG Ville Marie.
Still Watch - Ex Ville Marie Coast Guard Vessel. Temporarily named Vast Explorer for Robert Ballard Movie (Toronto, ON July 29, 2002)
Still Watch - Ex Ville Marie Coast Guard Vessel. Temporarily named Vast Explorer for Robert Ballard Movie (Toronto, ON July 29, 2002)
Owen Sound Sun-Times, Aug. 22nd, 1959
| "The new Canadian Government ship Ville Marie will be launched at the Russel-Hipwell launching site on Wednesday of next week. It will be the largest ship to be launched in Owen Sound since the Canadian Pacific Passenger ship Manitoba slid into the water at the old Polson shipyard which operated on approximately the same site as Russel-Hipwell Engines Ltd., builder of the new government ship. The Ville Marie, depicted here in an artist's drawing, will be completed for delivery next spring. She will join the Department of Transport fleet servicing the St. Lawrence Seaway." |
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Photos by Paul Beesley, March 17, 2004. Click for 600 pixels wide.
Still Watch upbound in the Welland Canal. Photos by Eira Voth 2006-06-05.
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Photos by Joe Fossey, Tugfest Parry Sound, Sept. 2006.
Photos from July 24, 2007, courtesy Tom Marshall.
Click photo below to view photos from July 28, 2007 at
Owen Sound - Russel Brothers Tugfest. |
July 29, 2007. |
Photos from Shipspotting.com (downloaded May 2017)
http://www.shipspotting.com/ships/ship.php?imo=8994178
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Mar. 3, 2004. Retired Canadian Coast Guard laid up in Toronto, Ontario. Alongside Wendy B. Photo by Matt Ruscher. |
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June 5, 2006. Stern shot of STILL WATCH as she`s about to enter lock 1. She`s heading upbound in the Welland Canal. Their destination is Penetanquishene, Ontario. Photo by Michel Gosselin. |
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June 5, 2006. Stern shot of STILL WATCH as she`s about to enter lock 1. She`s heading upbound in the Welland Canal. Their destination is Penetanquishene, Ontario. Photo by Michel Gosselin. |
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Still Watch in Parry Sound, ON. Taken on September 15, 2012 by Reinhard Zinabold. |
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August 28, 2015. Parry Sound, ON. Photo by Big Swede. |
Still Watch leaving Parry Sound May 22, 2016. Photos by Gerry Shipman.
Still Watch and Prescotont at the Penetang town dock. Photo by Sharon Light, December 19, 2016.
Now named STILL WATCH, the former CCGS VILLE MARIE snapped yesterday (May 21, 2017) in Port McNicoll tied off in front of the KEEWATIN. Photo by Carl Burkett.
Duchmans Cove Marina Penetanguishene, Dec. 2017.
Aug 3, 2018. Steve Briggs comments: "Was surprised to see a familiar vessel tied up alongside the Keewatin in Port McNichol, ON, this afternoon...Still Watch. The tour guide said it was catching some of the 50 coats of paint applied to the Kee over the decades, as they renovate the top deck for public access."
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Photos from https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/1960/Custom%20Line-Russel-Hipwell%20Steel%20Converted%20CCG%20Vessel-3146181/ (captured Oct. 10, 2018).
Still Watch beside S.S. Keewatin, Mar. 12, 2019. Photos by Sarita MacIntyre.
Still Watch in Penetang Harbor June 26, 2019. Photos by Richard Ferguson.
Aug. 2019: Still Watch for sale, $249,900.
https://www.boatdealers.ca/boats-for-sale/256203/russel-brothers-ex-ccg-research-boatliveaboard-yacht-port-dover-ontario
Still Watch in Northwest Basin near Magazine island, Penetanguishene, ON. August 16, 2019. Photo by Doug Scott.
Still Watch beside S.S. Keewatin, Nov. 20, 2019. Port NcNichol, ON. Great weather brought the boys out to scrape and primer KEEWATIN's starboard side. We are using an old Coast Guard ship, STILL WATCH, as a platform. There are a lot of manoeuvrings but it is working. We just need another 5 or 6 days of weather like this! So far we have removed 3800 pounds of paint!
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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