Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
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| Brigus Gail
Converted 35' warping tug, built 1946. Flooded in Cornwall late 2018, now sitting on shore. Rick Stout comments (June 2017):
She was one of the first boats into the new Owen Sound Marina, even before the Clog and Thistle restaurant was built which was prior to Bill and Mary's Bowler's ownership. The property was originally sold to Vandastadt & McGruer in 1979 and the first docks were put in about 1980. I think the restaurant was actually built in about 1982 so it was about 80-81 when the Brigus first arrived and she was already named Brigus before she got here. As I said, Don and Gail bought her before that and kept her in Ottawa first before bringing her to Owen Sound. They moved to the Kitchener area I think and ran the boat from Ottawa to Owen Sound so it was closer to home. I'm thinking they bought it in around 1976. They came up every single weekend and loved the boat. Possibly someone in the Ottawa area knew her before Don and Gail bought her but I think they may have put the cabins on her. She looked just like she does now when she arrived in Owen Sound only blue instead of red.
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Brigus owners, image courtesy Chris Kollar. After delivery to the E. B. Eddy Company in 1946, she was run on the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers in log drives. Sold privately in the 1950's to Bill Cake, and renamed BRIGUS in honour of his hometown in Newfoundland. Thence to E. Brown, R. Twin, J. Smeathers and finally to Don and Gail Finlayson c. 1976. The Finlayson's kept the boat in Owen Sound from c. 1980 to
2000's, and installed the cabins. By 2009 it had been taken over by Michael, the Finlayson's nephew, who refurbished it again and added the GAIL to the name to honour his deceased aunt. By 2017 it was for sale by Chris Kollar of Osgoode, who sold it to Drake Cartier of Cornwall. It flooded in late fall of 2018. Drake Cartier comments (Oct. 2020): "Its never sank completely. Just water up to the floor. Pulled it out a week later. Its sitting on shore . The ice breaker went by and push the boat to list on the one side . Filling water over the edge."  |
CLICK TO ENLARGE TO 2448 PIXELS WIDE. Photos courtesy Chris Kollar, June 2017.
Rick Stout comments (June 2017): It's going to be hard for them to part with this boat. Don and Gail (Finlandson?) had this boat for years at the Owen Sound Marina until Gail took sick, great people with their little dog Leroy. While at White Cloud Island one time Warren Lougheed told Don it was a Russel Brothers boat. Don said he didn't think so because he had bought the Brigus in Ottawa. Warren asked to look at the wheel and on the back was stamped "Russel Hipwell Owen Sound" Don was amazed the Brigus had found her way home. Warren said he remembered as a kid the cast wheel freezing his hands in the winter on the Wanda Goldie which Warren's father owned. Good to the the ol Brigus looking so good. I knew she went back to Ottawa but little info on her.
The Brigus Gail is a refurbished steel Russel Brothers Warping Tug with wood cabin, originally built in 1946. The boat has always been a Brigus, but Michael inherited the boat from his aunt Gail and so the current name. His wife Kathleen and son (we didn't catch his name) and chocolate lab Riley gave us the grand tour. He has done an incredible job refurbishing this boat.
source: Blog of Captain Gerry & Linda Etzold July 30, 2009
http://gletzold.blogspot.ca/2009/07/july-25-day-42-hurst-marina-to.html
CLICK TO ENLARGE TO 1600 PIXELS WIDE
Kijiji ad posted May 22, 2017, by Chris Kollar of Osgoode: 1946, 35 foot Russell Brothers Tug Boat, powered by a 6 cylinder Allis Chalmbers Diesel. Comes with 2 axle dolly. Hull in excellent condition. Must see. $7,000.00
source: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/ottawa/35-diesel-powered-tug-boat/1266542309
June, 2017. Photos by Drake Cartier. Click to enlarge to 960 pixels.
July, 2017. Photos by Drake Cartier. Click to enlarge to 960 pixels.
Oct. 21, 2017. Photos by Drake Cartier. Click to enlarge to 960 pixels.
Oct. 2017. Photo by Will Van Dorp, near Cornwall, Ont. Click to enlarge to 4235 pixels.
source: https://tugster.wordpress.com/tag/canadian-barge-builders/
Brigus Gail. Photos from https://www.facebook.com/bargebuilders/
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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