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Kimcee

Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel yacht Kimcee [C.178939] registered at Owen Sound. Built at Owen Sound in 1948. 29'; 8 g.t.. Rebuilt at Owen Sound in 1951. Don Loponen notes (March 2017): "The Kimcee was owned by Kimberly Clark in Longlac, Ontario in the 50's. I rode in it several times with my father who was the log drive foreman for KC (in Longlac)". Last owned by Barbara and Robert E. Porter of Owen Sound for 3-4 years in the late 70's. They bought it from Harold Oatt of Leith. Harold owned Owen Sound Die and Engineering, the City Works Dept may be there now on 1300 block, 2nd Ave East. Harold died unexpectedly, possibly a heart attack. The Kimcee's cabin was plywood, the hull was steel. Has been scrapped.

Owners: Kimberly Clark Ltd. 1948-1951(?)
Orv Moore: 1951(?)-1959
Jim Hicks: 1959-1974
Harold Oatt: 1974-1975
Bob Porter: 1975-1978.

 

Kimcee (background) and bathing beauties in Longlac. Don Loponen collection.

 

Kimcee photo from the book "A Photographer's View of Owen Sound
- Photographs by Gerry McDonald 1955 to 1974" available via gingerpress.com

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Big Bay dock. Rick Stout comments (Mar. 2018): "Left side: Jim Hicks, Kimcee --- Inside "L" Sid Turner MS5 III --- End of the dock Harris Lemon --- Barney V --- Right Side Possibly Orv Moore's Thunderbird --- Islander II (Grifith Island Boat). Photo courtesy James Harrison.

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Rick Stout comments (Mar. 12, 2017): I spent many childhood years aboard the Kimcee. Bob Porter bought it from Harold Oatt's estate in about 1975 (Harold owned Owen Sound Die and Engineering in around the 1400 block on 2nd ave east). The Kimcee went to its death in about 1978 under Porter's ownership in Bradford at Albert's Marina. Oatt bought the boat from Jim Hicks in 1974.

Jim was my father's life long best friend from childhood as well as neighbour on the east hill. We boated everywhere together with the Kimcee and my father's Rayn Bow II built by Jim Dowkes in Owen Sound. The Christian Island story about the name was actually Jim Hick's story as we went every summer with the two boats to Beausoliel Island. My father and Jim's schedule was always to stop for the night at either Christian Island Dock or at mainland Cedar Point dock to split the trip up to and from Owen Sound.

Bob is right to the fact that the Christian Island people would make a big deal over the Kimcee but they remembered the Kimcee and Rayn Bow II from year to year. Once a small group of Islanders missed the RA Hoey ferry to the mainland and they came to Jim and the Kimcee to take them across. Jim and my dad took them aboard the Kimcee while the women and us kids stayed behind on the Rayn Bow II. Those Islanders always remembered the name Kimcee as the boat that took them across. I remember one guy would come down the Christian Island dock and in a deep voice all he'd say is "KIMCEE KIMCEE". In a small community like Christian Island the name Kimcee spread as a good boat and the boat that helped their friends.

However one night Jim did catch a couple of guys taking the lines off both boats to set them adrift. Jim's wife Lola now 90 yrs old next month lives with daughter Debbie here in Midland and are still like family to me. Jim always figured the name Kimcee came from the Kimberly-Clark Company.

Jim bought the Kimcee from Orv Moore in about 1958-59 who owned it when the 1957 bay swim picture (top) was taken. In the early 60's Jim built a raised wheelhouse over the aft cockpit as well as extending the hull. Jim's brother John was a welder at Russel Brothers in the 50's and early 60's but in 1965 both brothers bought the Cliff Budge property next to the Georgian Yacht Club and started The Owen Sound Marina. John built three steel boats on the property, The 45 ft Brookholm for Earl Taylor in 1967, the 28 ft Duffy III for Harold Smith in 1969 and one last 36 ft hull for resale.

As said in 1974 Jim Hick's sold the Kimcee to finish the 36ft hull for himself and named it Debbie Anne after daughter Debbie. Here is a picture of the Kimcee taken from the Rayn Bow II as we were departing Christian Island in the summer of 1967.

Kimcee and R.A. Hoey at Christian Island, summer 1967. Photo courtesy Rick Stout.

Sheila Christie comments (Mar. 20, 2020): "Jim Hicks was my great uncle and I spent a few weeks one summer on the Kimcee with Jim, Lola and Debbie at Beausoleil Island. It was a popular spot for a few of the Owen Sound group."

 

For more Russel exhibits visit Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum 1165 1st Ave West, Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8
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