Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
| Goki
Canadian List of Shipping 1956: Goki [C.172206] registered at Port Arthur; built at Owen Sound in 1940. 49'3 x 12'8 x 6'2; 24 g.t.; 16 n.t.; 250 hp. Owned by Abitibi Power & Paper Co. Ltd., Iroquois Falls, Ontario. Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Goki [C.172206] registered at Port Arthur. Built at Owen Sound in 1940. 49'; 24 g.t. Transport Canada List 2003: Owned by Purvis Marine Ltd., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. See also Kam clipping file for pic. RBF Notes: Hull 358.
This small tug was built in 1940 by Russel Brothers Limited of Owen Sound as Goki for the Abitibi Power and Paper Company. In 1973 she was sold to Captain Leith Davis. A.B. McLean & Sons acquired the Goki in 1975. In 1994, she was purchased by Purvis Marine of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. |
Goki in Owen Sound. Factory photo.
This stamp and information was on the back of the Goki photo above, in the Fort Frances Museum Collection.
Photo from Company Brochure Circular 46A, Steelcraft Warping Tugs
Goki engine room and winch. Factory photo.
Goki in Nipigon Straits. Summer 1948.
Courtesy Nipigon Museum blog, Wed. Jan. 2 2013.
source: http://nipigonmuseumtheblog.blogspot.ca/2013/01/?m=1
1971. L to R: Goki, Kingfisher, Annis Lee at Nipigon. Photo courtesy Harold Dampier Jr.
GAO notes: George Renton Photo.
Left: Tug Abitibi with Goki along side pulling a raft of logs through Nipigon straights.
Last Raft on the Nipigon
Buzz Lein Forestry Articles: August 27, 1973
https://nipigonmuseumtheblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/buzz-lein-last-raft-on-nipigon.html
The last raft to be moved into the Red Rock Mill holding ground was a 5,000 cord effort that was safely delivered after an uneventful tow time of three hours during a rare spell of Domtar weather (ideal for rafting).
This is the raft that had to be left in the Sturgeon River in 1972 when the rains didn�t come and even the muskrats had to portage when they went upstream or down. Neil Arthur battled some of wood into the river. Ernie Kivi had the overall responsibility. John Ahl was an interested observer as he was required as a rafting consultant. Art Steinke made a couple of trips up and down the river to see how it was done. Jiggs McInnis and Ed Conway were along to guess how much wood was left in the river.
Then in 1973, Ernie went back and finished cleaning the wood out of the river and at the end of June saw the Abitibi tug, Orient Bay, depart for the last time from the mouth of the Sturgeon River.
Abitibi, with foremen George Flett and Henry Hill, took this wood down to Lake Helen where Bob Matchett picked it up and delivered it to the mouth of the Nipigon River. Here it was picked up by Stubby Lanktree in the mill boat, Dorothy, and by Howard Leitch in the Abitibi, Goki.
Goki in Nipigon, early 50's, my uncle Russel Spooner standing in front of wheelhouse. Photos courtesy Maurice Spooner.
April 5th, 2018, Ginny Flett comments: "I remember Russell Spooner. My dad was a logman on the Goki with him in the early 60's. My father died in 1977. My older brothers George and Don both worked on the Goki." Maurice Spooner adds "Graham Hurley was also Captain on the Goki in the early 60's. Also, John Hodgson was with Graham up there for awhile as raftsman."
GAO notes: 1978 at the Soo. Photo from Capt. Buck Longhurst Collection.
RBF notes: Sitting in Purvis scrapyard, for sale. (Soo, ON April 2, 2004)
Purvis scrapyard. Photos from Scruton Marine.
Purvis scrapyard. Photo from Purvis Marine. Goki
250HP Work Boat
Length: 27'
Beam: 7'6"
Draft: 6'2"
Gross Tonnage: 24
Net Tonnage: 16.35
Engine
2 Cummins diesels @ 125 HP each, No. 17571 Model HMR
Twin Screw
Welded Steel Hull http://www.purvismarine.com/goki.html
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 |
