The Bi Annual Port Carling Boat Show Is Back
An amazing Seahorse Bow
A huge thanks to Chris and Julie Bullen for this wonderful report from up north in paradise. Okay not that far north, not like pearly gates north, we are talking Canada North, not that it isn’t heaven up there. You know what, I am gonna let the pics tell the story.
Minett shields Seahorse
After much delay from some inconvenience around the world the bi annual Port Carling Boat show is back. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day for a boat show. The poster boat this year was “Caprice” a 1936 Minett -Shields of 26’. A very unusual boat by that manufacturer. She look amazing. Julie brought her boat carrying the all-important dingy to hold the ice and drinks for the folks that brought their boat. I hope you enjoy the photos of a few of the 60 boats in attendance.
Julie hauling the dingy to the show
Blythewood 1926 Ditchburn 37 feet
Blythewood 1926 Ditchburn windscreen
Blythewood 1926 Ditchburn
Caprice 1936 Minett sheilds_details
Caprice Bow
Caprice stern
details of a 1905 brooks steam boat 26′
Julies 1940 WJ Johnston got an invite to come
seahorse patina seats
Upper locks in Port Carling
At this point, I get to make up the comments. I call this Bathroom break
Those Canadians will always figure out a way to protect their boats. From photographers
This is one very very cool perfect sized boat. LOVE IT
A little bit of tunes to make the day more fun
The rodent on the bow is PERFECTION!
Welcome!
Note the bottle is empty!
Nice!
Great name
Wonderful
A beautiful day on the dock
WOW
Yikes, all joking aside about fenders there. MUCH NEEDED
Stunning
Steamer stern
WOW.
I wonder? Is that Asbestus? I doubt it, but sure looks like the stuff one finds and.. well and if it is real asbestus is that added points? Do you need the note from your oncologist to prove it.
Slow ride! no, like real slow ride. Slower.. No, slower.
Incase you missed the huge side of the building
I am not sure what this is, Best Tent award?
Cool ship.
OMG, I’m on Muskoka overload. The detail and design features of those amazing Canadian boats are in a class by themselves. I can remember being in that marina when Chris and Riot led our cruise a few years ago and we had lunch in Port Carling. He is an official member of the Michigan gang.
I have to look at the photos again now. Thanks for sharing.
My first mate found a photo of Riot with the Michigan gang on Muskoka.
Photo!
A lot of good shows in beautiful places lately! Thanks for sharing Chris and Julie.
Apparently, the owner of Blythewood likes to vent.
My son and I have had many fond cruises in Paul Gockel’s steamboat shown above which we would refer to as our pie cruise. We’d bring a fresh pie from Silver Streams Farm Market at Port Sandfield and slice it up and serve it on Paul’s hatchet he used to split kindling up for the fire box. To “steam up” the boat for a cruise we would kid Paul as to what kindling were we burning this time? Duke or BIlly Johnson frames or some other oil soaked wood boat frames that would really heat up that boiler quickly. At some of Paul’s neighboring cottages, they would sometimes put out firewood for Paul to replenish his supply while cruise Lake Rosseau or Joseph. You really have to know what you’re doing to run a steamboat which is why the operators were called engineers to make sure you didn’t overheat the boiler and there’s a special procedure for bringing up steam as well as shutting her down. Its one of the most enjoyable rides one can have and Paul is a great steward to maintain this boat over the decades. Sure do miss riding on those lakes for the 15 years my son and I spent working up there in season.
Matt,
There is a town, Val-des-Sources, approximately an hour east of Montreal that was formally named Asbestos… At one time it had the largest producing Asbestos mine in the America’s…I’m pretty sure that is Asbestos insulation.
PS: thanks for the great Tahoe show coverage, I was up at Tahoe, but had to head home for appointments…all that I got to see was a bit of the boat prep and boat launching
Chris,
Thanks for the view of the Port Carling show. The boats of that region are just incredible! Beautiful scenery too.
Hi there Woody Boater, please acknowledge the hard working organizers of the “Port Carling Show” who are members of The Muskoka Lakes Association,
http://www.mla.on.ca
…who by the way organized the very first Antique Boat Show in North America 1972.
Many thanks
Robert Purves, Honorary Commodore
Thank you to Chris and Julie for submitting the report, and being the classic boat ambassadors they are. What wonderful people we have met in our classic boating life!
This report also reminds me of the passing of Robert Attfield, who used to make video reports for Port Carling Boats and publish them on YouTube. I miss Robert’s reports, and wish that I had gotten to meet him when we visited Muskoka in 2016.
Thanks for posting photos of the boat show! I love seeing the work of my great uncle Bert and Cam Milner.