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

Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders

The Merry Song

Russel Bros. made an all-aluminum sail boat (racing yawl) in 1963, for an American buyer. "A 42 foot all aluminum racing yawl left the local yard, via highway float, for Chicago, Ill., last May. The Merry Song has participated in a number of sailing races this year and has brought its share of glory to her owners." - Owen Sound Sun - Times, Jan. 30th, 1964.

"Russel Brothers Ltd.has ventured into a different phase of shipbuilding for the company in the form of an all-aluminum racing yawl. This vessel is 42 feet in overall length with a waterline length of 28 feet. She will be completely fitted out and rigged and will be sailed from Owen Sound in the early spring by her owner, M. J. Boyle of Chicago, after which she will participate in sail boat races in Canadian and American waters. This is a boating field of great potential and Russel Brothers Ltd. hopes to build more of these vessels in 1963." - Owen Sound Sun - Times, Jan. 31st, 1963 (see below)

SB notes Aug. 23rd, 2006: David Low (ex head draftsman and designer at Russel Brothers) commented that there were actually two racing yawls made, the other was quite a bit bigger than the Merry Song (see Bonaventure II). Both boats were very challenging and necessitated many new fabrication techniques. The all aluminum construction made for a lot of variation in the boat measurements due to thermal expansion. The outer hull had to be "glass smooth" and there was a lot of trial and error in achieving this. Lots of body filler was employed. David remembers the larger yawl as being bought by a New Yorker, and delivered to a Toronto yacht club.

A yawl (from Dutch Jol) is a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an additional mizzen mast well aft of the main mast, often right on the transom. A small mizzen sail is hoisted on the mizzen mast. In the 1950s and 60s yawls were developed for ocean racing to take advantage the handicapping rule that did not penalize them for flying a mizzen staysail, which on long ocean races, often down wind, were a great advantage.