Canadian List of Shipping 1956: Whitney III [C.175005] registered at Owen Sound; built at Owen Sound in 1945. 41� x 11�5 x 4�4; 16 g.t.; 11 n.t.; 125 hp. Owned by Geo. Gordon & Co. Ltd., Cache Bay, Ontario. Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Whitney III [C.175005] registered at Ottawa. Built at Owen Sound in 1945. 41�; 16 g.t. Canadian List of Ships 1997: Steel tug Whitney III [C.175005] registered at Sault Ste. Marie. Built at Owen Sound in 1945. 12m; 16 g.t.; 11 r.t. Owned by Michael Dacy, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Transport Canada List 2003: Owned by Michael Dacy, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. GAO Notes: See Russel Brothers clipping file for photocopied pic courtesy of Buck Longhurst. RBF Notes: Listed for sale 2004 on Scruton Marine for $50,000 cdn. Details for registered vessel WHITNEY III (O.N. 175005) Date of suspension: 2013-01-07.
Many Alligator tugs had plied the waters of Lake Nipissing and its tributaries over the years. The Gordon Lumber Company of Cache Bay had operated there from 1900 to 1965, during which time they owned and operated many West & Peachy tugs.
In 1918 Fred Clarke, a well-known boat builder of Sturgeon Falls built them an Alligator boat called the Whitney, which lasted 20 years. In 1938 it was replaced by the Whitney II which ran until 1955.
The Russel Brothers of Fort Frances had taken over the building of Alligator type boats by the time Clarke built the Whitney II. When it was replaced in 1945 by the Whitney III, the builder for the Gordon Lumber Company was Russel Brothers, who were now well-established in Owen Sound.
Whitney III, Soo Great Tugboat Race 1987. Courtesy Jeannette Cox.
Clipping courtesy Jimmy Polnick (Nov. 2017), from the 1989 Great Tugboat Race log. Click to enlarge to 2048 pixels wide.
2003 Great Tugboat Race programme courtesy Jeanette Cox. "Built by Russel Brothers in 1945 as the first original diesel vessel on Lake Nipissing, she worked for the G. Gordon Lumber Co. with the steam powered sidewheeler Whitney II towing log booms until 1965. From 1965 to 1978 she was owned and operated by the Upper Ottawa Improvement Co. on Lake Timiskiming and the Ottawa River. In 1978 Howard Avery bought her, replaced her original engine, and modified the interior for work and pleasure. We bought her in 1986 and are having a wondeful time learning and exploring, puttering and painting. We even managed a trip all the way around St. Joe's Island in our "Winnebago on the Water"."
RBF notes: Whitney III - For sale (Soo, ON July 2, 2004)
Whitney III and Cobra behind. 2015 - the last Sault Ste. Marie Tug Race.
Jul 1, 2015: LOCAL2 cameras were on the scene as 16 vessels took part in the 34th annual Great Tugboat Race, held Saturday afternoon on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. This four minute video features short interviews with Adam Lyons of Whitney III, Roy Wilson of Queensville, and Annette Currie of Mikayla. Also Marc Mousseau. Also footage of Boomalong, Scottish Thistle, Cobra and (briefly) W.D. McCosh. source: https://www.sootoday.com/videos/news/tugging-along-the-st-marys-river-11509
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
http://marinerail.com
