RUSSEL BROTHERS Ltd. Steelcraft winch boat and warping tug builders from Owen Sound, Ontario.

Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders

Brompton Caribou / Albert C.

Canadian List of Shipping 1956: Brompton Caribou [C.197997] registered at Port Arthur; built at Owen Sound in 1955. 27� 2 x 7� 5 x 2� 9; 4 g.t.; 3 n.t.; 32 hp. Owned by St. Lawrence Corp., Ltd., Montreal. Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Brompton Caribou [C.197997] registered at Port Arthur; built at Owen Sound in 1955. 27�; 4 g.t. Also carried in Canadian List of Shipping 1994.

RBF Notes: Hull 1058, built by Russel-Hipwell Engines Limited. It was used up on Lake Nipigon for the Brompton Paper Mill, which became the Red Rock Mill (now closed), then it was sold to a company in Fort Frances, Ontario. Owned at Fort Frances, Ontario, by George Armstrong and willed to son Larry. Bought by Robert B. Farrow in May of 2004. Trucked to Thunder Bay, ON on September 30, 2004. Builders plate states length as 28�6 x 7�6. Actual measured length including roller is 29�6 and width is 7�9. Powered by a 36hp 4 cylinder Lister Diesel Engine, model FR4. Winch removed October 11, 2004. Sold fall 2015 to Matthew Carlson of Thunder Bay for restoration. Renamed Albert C.

Moving the Brompton Caribou from Fort Frances to Thunder Bay, ON. Photos by Robert B. Farrow 9/24/04.
boatnerd source: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newsthumbs/newsthumbs_049.htm

JUST DROP IT OVER THERE! Brompton Caribou arrives in TBay, Sept. 29, 2004.

Here's Rob's Brompton Caribou Winch Boat and Model (the bear isn't his).
Delivery at the Thunder bay Yacht Club 600 Sept. 26, 2005 600 1024 600DPI Caribou with Bear, fall 2005. 600 1024 600DPI Painting, May 26, 2006. 600 1024 600DPI

Painting, May 27, 2006. 600 1024 600DPI Painting, May 28, 2006. 600 1024 600DPI Painting, June 3, 2006. 600 1024 600DPI Painting, June 4, 2006. 600 1024 600DPI

Builder's Plate before... 600 Builder's Plate after. 600 Rob's model of his boat 600 1500 600 1500

600 Robert B. Farrow aboard the Brompton Caribou, May 15th, 2006. 1024 600dpi

Bill of sale, for new owner Matthew Carlson. Aug. 3, 2015.

1955 Russel Brother "Alligator Tug" Brompton Caribou 28'-6" long, 7'-6" wide, 2'9" draft, 4 gross tons, Lister model FR4 36HP 4 cylinder diesel engine with a Twin Disc MG-61 3:1 Marine gearbox. Aug. 3, 2015.

Videos - Moving to new owner Matthew Carlson, August 28, 2015

Rob Farrow notes: Published on 8 Jul 2015. This is an old Logging Tug or commonly called a winchboat built in 1955 at Owen Sound Ontario by Russel-Hipwell. It was used up on Lake Nipigon for the Brompton Mill, which became the Red Rock Mill and is now closed!

Matthew Carlson notes: Published on 15 Sep 2015. loading the 1955 Russel-Hipwell logging tug Brompton Caribou to have it hauled to its new location on August 28, 2015. I will be restoring this boat and using it as a pleasure craft for fishing and boating down the river and around Thunder Bay. built in 1955 in Owen Sound, Ontario by Russel-Hipwell engine company (previously Russel Brothers Company), stem-stern she 29'6" long and is 7'6" wide, it is powered by a Lister model FR4 water cooled 4 cylinder 36hp diesel engine. it was used by the Brompton Paper mill, later the red rock mill in Ontario, then it was sold to a company in Fort Frances, Ontario. back in the day these were very popular little tugs for rounding up logs and hauling smaller log booms to be joined with others all across Canada. they are simple, durable boats.

Rob Farrow notes: Published on 7 Oct 2015. I recently sold my old Logging Winch Tugboat and this is the video of it being moved off my property! The guy that bought it is already in the process of restoring it for use around the rivers and inner Harbour in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I can't wait to see it running again, pretty cool little tugboat!

August 28, 2015 - Brompton Caribou arrives on the Thunder Bay waterfront. New owner Matthew Carlson.

Matthew Carlson renamed the boat to honour his late father, Albert Carlson.

Nov. 2016, Thunder Bay, ON. Albert C. back in the water. Photos by Matthew Carlson.

Photos courtesy Rob Farrow.

More Videos - Back in the Water Nov. 2016

Matthew Carlson notes: Published on 7 Feb 2016. I took on this project in August of 2015, doing a restore/rebuild of it. It is a 1955 Russel Brothers/Russel-Hipwell "Winch Boat" or gator tug, it is 29' long, 7'5" wide, draft of about 2' and is powered by a Lister model FR4 4 cylinder water cooled diesel engine with a Twin Disc model MG-61 3:1 ratio gearbox. The boat weighs 4.1 tons. I have made great progress so far and I am hoping to have her in the water this upcoming spring which will be the first time in about 20 years that it will be in the water.

Published on 9 Oct 2016. Part 2 slideshow of my 1955 Russel-Hipwell (Russel Brothers) logging tug/winch boat Brompton Caribou, now renamed Albert C. includes stuff like removing the rudder, straitening the bent rudder shaft, re-installing the engine, and painting.

Rob Farrow notes: Published on 21 Jan 2017 When I owned this Tug, it just sat in my Yard! I sold it to a young man who has been restoring it to operating condition. It's still a work in progress but it's come a long way! He finally got to put it in the water and test it and he invited me along for a ride! Thanks Matt!

Matthew Carlson comments "the original registered owner was St. Lawrence Corp."

Watercolour on Arches 300 lb.

Aug. 13, 2019. Albert C. about to go back in the water! Original Lister FR4 engine all tuned and ready to go. Repainted most of the black and most of the deck. Photos by Matthew Carlson. 11 second video of the engine.

Aug. 24 & 25, 2019. Albert C. back in the water! Matthew Carlson comments: "In the water to play with and get the feel of it for a while until I get around to finish welding the wheelhouse together on level ground. Still have to add weight to the hull obviously to make up for the winch being removed. For now it�s a 28� open boat."