Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
| Sinkings & Raisings
Boats occasionally sink, and Russel's are no exception.
Here's a list of nineteen we know of that did. |
| Aletha B. - Aletha B. sank in a violent storm Sunday, March 24, 1974, while trawling off of Port Dover, Ontario. Owner Allan D. Perry and his brother, Wayne C. Perry both died. Eventually raised and returned to service, she sank again Oct. 26, 2007, this time killing Donald Orange of Port Hope. | |
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| Ancaster – In 1979 it sank at the foot of Chaudiere Falls in Ottawa. In 1982 Ontario Hydro raised and restored the tug (at a cost of $1700) to include it in the 150th anniversary of the Rideau Canal Floating Parade. | |
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| Auburnville - 31 May 1962, sank off 30 Mile Point, Lake Ontario, west of Rochester , NY, position 43 degrees, 32 min N x 78 degrees 33.8 min W.
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| Debbie-Cin - Debbie Cin was a Ville class tug which sank off Hope Isld while towing a barge. Was recovered and renamed, her hull was completely redone making her longer and wider. | |
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| Duchess V - Sank March 5, 1992 at Cherry Street dock in Toronto, due to a frozen seacock. No fatalities. Raised and returned to service. | |
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| Eileen G. - May 9, 1955. Two Men Drown When Tug Sinks. Blind River - (CP) - Ted Thompson and Alex McKinnon, both of Blind River, were drowned today when their tug sank at Tunnel Lake near the Hydro Commission's Rayner dam north of Thessalon. Only survivor was Johnny Anderson, also of Blind River.
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| Glendyne -
GLENDYNE was sunk in 1957. The tug's cook was trapped inside and drowned. A seaman later died in hospital. Refloated a few days later and returned to serve until the 1979 when she was sunk as a diver training site in Halifax Harbour. Her wheelhouse was installed on the wharf of the Maritime Museum as a ticket booth for BLUENOSE II.
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| Glenevis - Glenevis
sank on January 1, 1991 at Pugwash, Nova Scotia. She was wintering there. Raised on January 9. Someone had forgotten to lay up the sanitary pump seawater line. The line froze, split, sunk the boat. Glenevis was floated by divers getting lifting straps around it, lifting it as far as was practical with a crane large enough for the job.
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| Glenshiel - Sank June 6, 2007, no fatalities, in Nakwakto Rapids off B.C.'s central coast (the fastest navigable tidal currents in the world). | |
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| L.O. 2 – L.O. 2 was apparently sunk in the Ottawa River near the Rideau Canal entrance. In 1979 a group of divers called "The Santa Maria Society" lead by Frank Martin, recovered her and moved her to Morrison’s Quarry near Wakefield, QC to be used as a dive site. A week later after the recovery, she was painted, unofficially renamed “Santa Maria” and sunk to her final resting site in 60’ of water where she remains as of 2006. Includes Video. | |
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| Manistique – The tugs Le Taureau and the Manistique were on deck during the tow of the McNally Olympic which was lost in heavy seas near the northeast tip of Labrador, Oct. 22, 2007.
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| McNally Olympic – The tugs Le Taureau and the Manistique were on deck during the tow of the McNally Olympic which was lost in heavy seas near the northeast tip of Labrador, Oct. 22, 2007. | |
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| Queensville - Queensville sank dockside overnight May 29, 1952 at Port Arthur. No casulaties. Read several clippings collected by Robert B. Farrow.
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| Quinte Dec. 23, 1996 partially sunk after crane accident for routine maintenance at Midland Ont. | |
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| R. C. L. Tug 12 - In the Aug. 1961 CNE tugboat race she was rammed by another tug, shortly before her skipper died at the wheel of a heart attack. Foundered off Toronto on Oc. 22, 1961. The three man crew was rescued from a leaking lifeboat. Loss set at $100,000. Never raised.
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| Translake No. 3 - During transit from Owen Sound to Lake Erie for delivery, this oil drilling rig capsized 3 1/2 miles from Surprise Shoal, near Cape Croker, ON, taking the life of crew member Peter Horn who delayed leaving the rig in heavy seas for the Russel built tender boat Carol Lynn and tug E.D.M. Purvis. Read Feature article by Gerry Ouderkirk.
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| True North II - Glass Bottom boat True North II capsized near Tobermory, ON killing two grade seven children. 18 people survived the ordeal. Page includes the TSB report on the tragic fatal sinking.
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| Ubique III - Sank in Lake Ontario in 1982 in about 130’ of water off Oakville, ON, while pushing a barge. She is upside down under a crane boom. Wreck discovered in 2005 in 150 feet of water between Bronte and Hamilton. Photo of tug upside down on the bottom, partially underneath the barge it was pushing.
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| Wendy B. – Sank Three times! In 1951 when down-bound across Lac St. Louis, she was rammed and sank. A decade later, she was raised from her bed of mud. In 1961, the tug once again went to the bottom. due to open sea cocks. In 1964, while being lifted out of the water, a line snapped. She fell thirteen feet back into the water and sank. For the next 25 years, the tug sat on a mud bank in Pierreville before being raised by John Gordon Bennett.
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| White Bear - Sank killing four May 4, 1953 in Rabbit Lake near Temagami. Raised and returned to service.
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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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