Muskoka Sunset

copyright Gabriele Wills

Sunset in Gravenhurst Bay. For more info about these majestic ships, see my previous posting, "Ladies of the Lakes".

Vintage Boat Show

Kittyhawk - copyright Gabriele Wills

There’s something seductive about vintage wooden boats. Perhaps it’s the rich lustre of lacquered mahogany, the gleaming brass fittings, the sumptuous leather upholstery, and the way the long, elegant displacement hulls glide effortlessly through the water. Admirers of these Rolls Royces of watercraft are in for a treat on July 11 in Gravenhurst, Ontario, for the 35^th annual Antique and Classic Boat Society Show. Well over 120 of these lovingly maintained or restored boats will be lining the docks of Muskoka Wharf.

The photo above, taken at the Boat Show in 2011, is of the Kittyhawk, once owned by aviation pioneer, Orville Wright, who spent over 25 years summering on his beloved Georgian Bay island.

 This year celebrates the 100^th anniversary of the Disappearing Propeller Boat – more affectionately known as a Dispro or Dippy – which was first designed and manufactured in nearby Port Carling. The clever craft was basically a skiff with a small engine. The propeller could be raised into a housing and would do so automatically if it hit an obstacle or the boat was beached. Touted as “the greatest little motor boat afloat”, some still putter around the lakes. And yes, that’s a Dippy on the cover of The Summer Before the Storm. For more info, see this previous post.

My characters own all manner of watercraft, from Dippies to steam yachts and “gentleman’s racers”. In Under the Moon, a couple of them become boat builders, inspired by the legendary Muskoka craftsmen like Ditchburn, Minett-Shields, Greavette, and Duke.

Showcasing these magnificent craft year-round is the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre in Gravenhurst, which features North America’s only in-water display of working antique boats. Admission to the museum is free for those attending the Boat Show or taking a cruise aboard one of the steamships.

Many would agree with Ratty, who says to Mole in The Wind in the Willows, “there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

Ladies of the Lakes

Muskoka Steamships docked in Gravenhurst - copyright Gabriele Wills

These majestic ships are once again sailing the lakes. Now 128 years old, the R.M.S. Segwun, on the left, is the oldest operating steamship in North America. The Wenonah II is a modern replica that exudes the essence of Edwardian Muskoka.

A century ago, the steamships met trains from Toronto at Gravenhurst, and provided the only way for people and their paraphernalia to travel to resorts and summer homes. For more historical info about the Muskoka steamships, see this Age of Elegance post.

There’s no better way to experience Muskoka than aboard one of these ships – perhaps on a romantic sunset dinner cruise. Check out the Muskoka Steamships website for details.