By Carl (Rocky) Nagel, Niagara Frontier Chapter Member
Late last summer, I was approached about a “wooden boat” located on an island on Lake Joseph, Muskoka, Ontario. The island had been sold as part of an estate. The boat was in a boathouse and was not included in the sale. The estate was anxious to find the boat a new home. It floated, and the motor ran. A potential donation to the Chapter was proposed if the boat could be moved quickly. Hummm . . . Wooden Boat, Runs and Floats and on an Island in Muskoka. So far, so good.
Lady Cameron II on beautiful Lake Muskoka.
Now, those of you who have entertained donation boats in the past know that all is not always as it is described. A little investigation identified the boat as a 1962, twenty foot Duke Playmate powered by a 95 hp six cylinder Buchanan. Named for the island she called home, Lady Cameron II had spent the last forty years housed in her boathouse on Cameron Island on Lake Joseph. Again, so far so good. A few more conversations and several supporting photographs were all that we needed. This was clearly an opportunity that warranted a road trip to Muskoka!
On an early Friday morning in mid-June, Tom Rusert and I, trailer in tow, headed across the border and north on route 400 for the four hour trip to Foot’s Bay on Lake Joseph. We were to meet the executor of the estate and a son, Terry, of the family who had owned Cameron Island. We were greeted at the dock and headed out for the twenty minute ride to Cameron Island. On the ride over, Terry shared the history of the island and his forty year memories growing up on the Duke. It was a difficult conversation for him. We eased around a point and idled up to the dock near a weathered, rustic boathouse. The main “cottage” was visible up the hill to the right at the end of a trail of raked pine straw. We took the trail fork to the left down the hill toward the boathouse, stopping outside the closed side entrance door. Now for the reveal!
Neither of us were sure of what to expect as Terry swung open the door. What I remember was just silence. Tom and I just looked at each other. It was hard to contain the enthusiasm. Here was the Duke, her hull and decks gleaming as if freshly varnished. Her turquoise interior glowing in like new condition. Terry climbed on board, pulled the choke and turned the key. It started! At this point, we looked at each other and just started to laugh. This was not what we expected.
After a brief tour of the cottage, it was time for a ride. Terry drove, guiding us through a multitude of beautiful islands. Lake Joseph is in the heart of “Cottage Country”. We didn’t see many cottages. What we did see were some of the most beautiful homes and residential compounds either of us had ever seen, many built over one hundred years ago. The Duke was running well, her lapstrake hull cutting smoothly through the chop. Terry throttled up and the Buchanan responded. A few backfires, and the temperature gauge started to rise a bit, probably just needs a tune-up and new water pump impeller. We returned to the island and tied her up for the night. The bilge pump seemed to be working fine – and often.
We spent the night at the cottage and woke early for the return cruise to Foot’s Bay. The boat ran well and looked great! We docked and pulled her onto the trailer. Still good. To this point, we hadn’t seen anything below the water line. We headed out, stopping only at US Customs at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. Amazingly, we had all the necessary paperwork and arrived shortly thereafter back at the Chapter’s boat shop. Now, we could take a closer look. Tom wondered aloud what all that caulk was hanging down from the planks. And why were there strips of plywood covering some of the bottom boards? Was that a “hog” in the keel? Were those rotted, broken stringers really made of pine?
Such was the beginning of our Chapter’s restoration project – THE DUKE. We have a great core group of members hard at work every Saturday morning and Tuesday afternoon. You’ll find us at 90 Arthur Streer in Buffalo, New York.
Pictures tell a better story than words, so take a look! Better yet, stop down at the Shop any Saturday morning or Tuesday afternoon and see for yourself. All are welcome, and encouraged, to participate. No experience is required. Get to know your fellow Chapter members and experience first-hand the on-going restoration on a beautiful mahogany runabout.
Stay tuned! Hope to see you soon.