To the general public the term “antique boating” conjures up images of boat shows with row upon row of piano-finished mahogany launches sporting magnificent chrome-plated deck fittings gleaming in the summer sunlight. Hordes of spectators eagerly crowd around with cameras to capture the fleeting moment in time and to marvel.
But there exists a smaller and less visible group of wooden-boat owners who have learned that these relics of bygone days can bring a degree of enrichment to their lives far beyond anything provided by a boat show. Their boats may be similarly restored to boat show standards but these folks have learned that to get the most enjoyment out of their treasure it should be used and experienced as the original builder intended. Damn the torpedoes, so to speak.
Water-ford model; length, 16.5’ – beam, 4’ 1” – depth, 1’ 7.5” – Speed, 9.5 mph.
And so it is with an intrepid group of owners of Disappearing Propeller Boats. Affectionately known as “Dispros” or “Dippys” (one wag commented that the latter term revealed more about the owner than the boat), these unique Canadian craft are really just overgrown sixteen to eighteen foot double ended rowing skiffs, sporting pretty little one- or two-cylinder “parlour engines.” They originated in 1914 on the Muskoka Lakes, about one hundred miles north of Toronto, utilizing the newly developed, lightweight, two-horsepower Waterman K1 and five horsepower K2 copper jacket engines. In later years other engines from three to six horsepower were used, most notably Coventry Victor.
The kingfisher A-1 engine, 1918.
Dispros have a unique Rube Goldberg contraption amidships called, for want of a better term, “The Device.” This patented self- contained unit with its swinging skeg and universal-jointed shaft which gave the boat its unusual name, allowed the craft to travel safely under power in deep or shallow water and to avoid damage from underwater obstructions. The propeller can be lifted manually by a lever out of harm’s way, or the protecting skeg can do it automatically. It works perfectly every time. Well, almost every time.
Soon after the Disappearing Propeller Boat Company Limited started production in earnest in the spring of 1916, these little boats gained a reputation as a suitable craft for cottagers and fishing enthusiasts on the Muskoka Lakes because of their versatility. They also became known for their ability to successfully navigate uncharted waterways, becoming the boat of choice for adventurers heading into wilderness country. There exist many documented tales of high adventure in Dispros, such as a harrowing fifteen-hundred mile trip taken in 1920 down the Mackenzie River by three prospectors.
Production of these jaunty little craft reached a peak in the early 1920s, gradually tapering off and ending in 1956. They became victims of fiberglass and outboard motors. Today, less than ten percent remain of the thirty-one hundred built, but their present custodians are fiercely proud of the peculiar capabilities of their unique craft.
For the past thirty-five years, a few of the more adventurous Dispro owners have themselves become legendary by braving the often treacherous waters of Georgian Bay, a part of Lake Huron, often referred to as the “Sixth Great Lake.” The north and eastern shore of “The Bay” is still a wild and rugged lee shore, where the colourful granite rocks of the Precambrian Shield gradually slope westward and slip beneath the crystal clear waters.
Once you’re out there in a Dippy, loaded down with a ten-day supply of fuel, food, lifejackets, camping gear, compass and charts (don’t forget the toolbox), you are effectively out of reach of civilization. Cell phone reception is poor or non-existent and in a very short time you learn to fall back onto basic survival skills.
John bull model; length 16.5’, beam 4’ 11”, depth 1’ 8”, Speed 9 mph.
Although the south end of Georgian Bay lies less than one hundred miles north of Toronto, and is densely populated, the towns and shoreline cottages rapidly dwindle as you work your way up the eastern shore into the archipelago where access roads become few or non-existent. The Ontario government stopped further sales of Crown land in the area in 1964 and in 2004 it was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Finding one’s way through this vast archipelago of rocky islands surrounded by innumerable uncharted navigational hazards would strike terror into the hearts of most wooden boat owners. And yet it is precisely this ever-present possibility of disaster that appeals most to these daring Misery Trippers. Years of familiarity with these seemingly fragile little craft and with their cantankerous, but amazingly dependable, tiny engines, have taught them how remarkably seaworthy these boats really are and that they are capable of safely navigating waters that would cause serious problems to larger and more powerful craft.
Because a Dispro’s propeller is located just aft of amidships, it is always submerged, even in heavy seas. There is no danger of cavitation or engine over-revving. The oak keelson, which extends below the keel from stem to sternpost, except where it is cut away to accommodate the Device, affords hull protection when boats run aground, as they frequently do. Even the rudder is so arranged that it may slide upwards several inches on its pintle if it hits a rock, then slide back down again.
The Dispro is the ideally suited boat for such trips. Weighing in at less than five hundred pounds, it is easily stored and moved on a small boat trailer. It’s easily launched, and can carry a remarkable payload. Fuel consumption is minimal: a well-tuned engine is capable of pushing a Dippy up to 23 miles per imperial gallon and a hull speed of 6 to 7 mph is the norm. The Device allows the craft to be safely hidden away in shallow, protected inlets or hauled up on shore if desired. The traditional Viking ship hull design is noted for its seaworthiness and remarkable strength. The engines are quiet and it’s not unusual to see a pair of Dispros cruising side-by-side, their occupants engaged in conversation.
Of course, all vintage wooden boats sporting their original engines are subject to occasional mechanical failure. No matter how carefully a boat engine is maintained, breakdowns can still occur when dealing with 90-year-old vibrator coils, carburetors, timers and so forth. Water pumps may quit, ignition systems may fail and environmental factors may cause engines to misbehave. Yet, if a Dispro never lets you down in a serious situation, the rest of the time it is as though they were infused with an impish personality right from the factory. Like the Model T Ford, the anecdotes are legion, of owners being driven to distraction by the craft’s peculiar idiosyncrasies.
Using vintage boats for adventure has many benefits. Sure, it’s harder to keep them in pristine boat show condition and you wear out the mechanical parts eventually, but these things can always be set to rights again. But boat shows can tend to be divisive by setting up a spirit of competition between owners, whereas outings such as the Georgian Bay Misery Trips foster co-operation and cement life-long memories and friendships.
This story is a condensed version of one written by Paul Dodington, published in the Summer 2013 issue of ACBS Rudder. Photos by David Moffat.