Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders
| Sarynthia II
RBF Notes: 26' Alligator Hull, no cabin. Bought by Bill from individual near Dryden, ON and rebuilt in 1997 as pleasure boat. Named after Bill's Daughters, Sarah and Cynthia. Has number 255 on hull edge which might be Hull Number. St. Lawrence Marine Gas Engine. Owned by Bill of Hudson, ON. Put up for auction on eBay January 2005. Sold for $1275.00 US on January 26, 2005.
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RBF notes: Sarynthia II - Named after owner's daughters Sarah and Cynthia. Came from Dryden area, sold on eBay in 2004 for $1275 US to individual in New Jersey.
(Hudson, ON Sept 25, 2004)
Andrew Axiuk's SARYNTHIA II has a few interesting features. Notably the port holes in the bow, the trailer hitch attachment welded up front and the forward deck extension. Rob Farrow notes "The original owner in Hudson also said there was two winch boats on a lake north of Sioux Lookout...said he had the wheels from them."
Andrew Axiuk comments (Oct. 31, 2018): "Me and my friend bought it via Ebay from William Turner of Sioux Lookout, ON, in 2005 and brought it here to Montreal (not New Jersey). Bloody thing was so heavy we blew out all the bearings on the flatbed gooseneck trailer in Thunder Bay, so I had to do a complete brake and bearing job at -20C in the parking lot of the motel that we were able to cripple into...ah fun times!
A few years ago I bought my friend out and so I am now the sole owner... I have done a few things to her (built new control panel, removed and cleaned carb, lowered the seat post and rebuilt an old steel and cushion milk truck seat as the captains chair) but have not done any major work as other priorities always got in the way and now that I found this group, I'm more inspired to get her in the water next summer...
Andrij Haksyouk commented (2019): Also you can just see the bottom of it on the bow but there is a small crane with an anchor hanging off it. it's removable and I would think I would take it off when using the boat as it must swing and sway wildly in any type of waves... Obviously the cabin is removed but there is a plywood sliding box that covers the engine with folding stairs that go down to the lower deck that is also made of plywood and outdoor green carpeting (astroturf type stuff) all this is pretty worn now as the weather has gotten to it and every year I have to remove an inch of moss from the astroturf so it's looking pretty ragged... All that is coming out and putting in steel plate instead with removeable gridding...
I plan to make a smaller box to cover the engine which would double as a type of table and bench to be able to picnic on...All out of steel as I want to keep it as much in steel rather than wood... Also since it is missing the cab and the winch, it sits really high in the water and part of the prop is above the water line, so the previous owner had many cement blocks in the stern to try and keep her down lower... I replaced the cement with solid steel pieces I had in stock, but I think it won't be enough..
Those windows seem like a neat idea but I question their logic. as i don't know if they will be close to the water line...they are plastic, (they look like they were old custom van windows from the 70's), so god forbid they break and let water in! bye bye tugboat!!...seems crazy to have a bulletproof mini steel battleship, and then put plastic windows in the hull!.. .I'm thinking of taking them out.or at least welding a protective cage around them in case of collision etc... but I have thought of putting green or blue lights behind them
Also the wheel system and pull out tongue is a neat idea for short hauling it to the river that the Previous Owner did... I live 400 feet from a public boatramp into the Ottawa river, so they could be handy for that... the way they are made is that steel square tubes are welded to the hull and the axles slide into these tubes.. you then launch the boat and crawl into the water and remove the wheels and axles (and tongue if you like) and you're on your way...but not good enough to tow any length of time, or be road legal for that matter.
July 20, 2020: Sarynthia II for sale by Andrij Haksyouk for $1,750.00, Montreal area.
Oct. 26, 2020: Andrij Haksyouk
comments:
After sitting next to my house for 16+ years, the SARYNTHIA II is finally on her way to a new home in Nova Scotia! Bitter sweet feelings to see her go, but I had to lighten my load of projects around here and this one was taking up a lot of "real estate". Buyer was ready to pick it up end of July but because of these STUPID "Atlantic bubble" covid travel restrictions, we were only finally able to get the boat moved by a trucker friend of his who was coming back to NS empty from out west who is exempt from the mandatory 14 day quarantine regs....
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 |
