White Wings

By Lee Wangtad

Wanting to capture the essence of the era when White Wings first went into service, hosts Lee and Penny Anderson requested the 150 invited guests to dress in early 1900’s formal attire. Playing their parts superbly, the dress and pomp of the gathering suited the affair to a tee.

The whole occasion wouldn’t have happened at all if not for a chance sighting through the trees on an annual fishing trip to the northernmost border of Minnesota. Lee Anderson was sure that he had seen a large launch behind a shed on the way to Rainy Lake. Without the time necessary to investigate and with the rest of the fishing party anxious to move on, he made a mental note to check into it on the way back. After a weekend with a fabulous catch, the entire group of tired fishermen had one thing on their minds: a quick ride home.
 

The next year on the same trip Lee made sure that he was going slowly enough to get a better glimpse. It was still there, resting peacefully, unfettered by the passage of time. It was indeed a launch; from all outward appearances built before World War I. It had seen better days, of course, but still had held its shape. There was an inner voice that told Lee that this was a boat that had to be preserved. It was solidly built and the lines were just so perfect.
 

After arranging for the purchase of the boat, a total restoration was planned. Along with the restoration came the research necessary to correctly piece the boat back together. While the overall condition was good, time and a myriad of owners had taken its toll.
 

It was a far cry from the leisurely life intended for the new boat as it emerged from the Dan Kidney works in 1904. Commissioned for Dr. and Mrs. Ingrahm of Ripon, Wisconsin, White Wings was used for afternoon picnics, moonlight cruises, and was present at all of the important social gatherings in the Green Lake area of Wisconsin for an 18 year period lasting until 1922.
 

Originally powered by a Strauble twin cylinder 12hp gasoline engine, the boat had been re-powered many times over the years in keeping up with the rapid (at that time) technological advances being made during the early development of the gasoline engine. With a 20-person passenger capacity, the urge for more power was easily quenched, as engines became lighter and more powerful.
 

With the death of Dr. Ingrahm in 1922, White Wings was sold to Norton Brothers, Inc. Comprised of brothers Jim, Joe, and John Norton, they plied the waters of Green Lake as hard working fishing guides. White Wings made the transition from the genteel life of a purely pleasure vessel to the hard life that ensued as a workboat. While White Wings was called upon to handle large fishing parties on excursions out to where the big ones hide, she also had the occasion to entertain leisurely rides around and about the lake with visiting guests.
 

Whenever an engine would give it up, the search went out for a suitable replacement. More often than not, this “new” engine was used, inexpensive, but was still – and most importantly – reliable. These engines ranged from the original Strauble all the way to a whopping eight-cylinder powerhouse.
 

By the mid-fifties Norton’s Landing was still going strong, now under the tutelage of Clifford Norton, the son of Joe Norton Sr., one of the original Norton Brothers. The mid-sixties saw White Wings still going strong, not so much as a guide boat, but rather as an occasional cruise boat for the Norton family, as she was originally intended.
 

In 1967 Gordon Hatch of Milwaukee bought White Wings from Clifford Norton’s widow, Mildred, with all intentions of a restoration in Sturgeon Bay and placing the boat in a museum. After ten years of ownership, he sold White Wings to Douglas Rhode who moved the boat to Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Less than a year later the boat was sold to Willem Polack of Washington, D.C. for use as a chartered excursion boat on the Potomac River.
 

Mr. Polack had the boat inspected and certified by the U.S. Coast Guard and the boat was licensed to carry ten passengers along with two crewmembers. By 1982 White Wings had taken up residence in Ranier, Minnesota, under the ownership of John and Peggy Lynch. White Wings was blocked up behind their shed when Lee Anderson chanced to spot the 35 ft. launch. He would take a course of action that would guarantee that the magnificent boat would not only survive, but also become a symbol of an era for a new generation of boat lovers.
 

After he purchased White Wings, Lee brought the boat back to his home in Nisswa, Minnesota, for a thorough survey and subsequent restoration by Nisswa Classic Boats. Although basically sound, White Wings needed the repairs that a deferred maintenance program often will present.
 

Going beyond just getting it shiny and back in the water, White Wings was brought back to all of its former glory just in time for the 1985 boating season. The ensuing years have provided White Wings with a lifestyle as was intended for this boat at the time of its launch. Getting attention each year as it is pulled from the water in the fall ensures that it is well maintained with preservation in mind.
 

In the fall of 1997 when White Wings was pulled for winter storage, the keel was found to be weak. A search squad was sent out to locate a 30-ft. oak timber that was needed to replace the broken member. After much searching the appropriate size piece was located and before the following spring the keel was as good as new.
 

An easy life in a tranquil setting is the scene that is before White Wings today. The gala event that marked its century celebration was a reflection of those simpler times that have returned. That everyone rose to the spirit that encompassed the occasion was just a small part of the history of a boating legacy that will endure forever.