Meanwhile Up In Canadaa!

Miss Canadiana

Long time fellow Woody Boater Chris Bullen sent us in this great report from the great white North… vs the great yellow pollen filled South like yesterday. Yikes, can we just get to summer already! Take it away Chris, and thanks for reminding us you can go Woody Boating even indoors!

The last of the Greavettes a 1970s executive

Vintage madness

Vintage sparkplug

Hey woody is it spring yet! Its been a winter to forget, we started getting freezing temps in November up here and today April 29,2018 the day after Spring tour the ice is still on the lakes and snow has fallen and I see the ground outside covered with a white blanket.

Not ready to sit in the comfy chair

This is getting depressing, not since the 1920’s has the ice been so reluctant to leave. We are all getting cabin fever. This year more then many the spring tour was needed to give us all hope for the boating season to begin. We are celebrating the boat shops this year. The theme of the Boat show on July 7 is “Keeping the Passion Alive” A Salute to the Heritage Boat Shops. This year we are thanking them a little more for there commitment to this wonderful trade.


The boat shops this spring all had many projects on the go from the early Disappearing propeller boats to the fastest Canadian boats. We had Miss Supertest III and Miss Canadiana join the Spring tour this year.

Miss Canadiana

The Thomson’s Miss Supertest III was the only Canadian boat to win the Harmsworth Trophy and did it 3 times first in 1959 then 1960 and 1961 She was Driven by Bob Hayward.

Miss Supertestca

Miss Supertestca

Art Ashbury drove Miss Supertest II to world speed record in 1957 184.49mph and Miss Canadiana won him his last title in the Canadian GP class high point championship in 1978.
Those were just the fastest on the tour but we also had a great diversity of boats.

Merganser a 1930’s WJ Johnston

1929 Minett

1929 Minett

1929 Minett

Greavette made a last attempt to survive in the early 70s by making an all new design called the executive, two were on the tour getting freshened up, the angler sheer makes them distinctive

Greavette Executive

Duke Playmate

Duke Playmate

Ill let the photos tell the rest of the story.
I hope we see you in July, the ice should be gone. Rich and I are again holding pre-events ahead of our Boat show so come up and go boating.

Big Boy II – Clive Brown

Big Boy II – Clive Brown

Two Dispros

2cyl Dispro, motor

Reflections boats still flying high in the Grace and speed boathouse

21 replies
  1. Dan T
    Dan T says:

    Really cool collection of boats! I love the Duke Playmate. I could see myself tooling around in that.
    Thanks for the show Chris!

  2. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    Thanks for the great report Chris. This is a wonderful annual event hosted every April by our Canadian friends. There are always many great and unique watercraft featured that are the norm on the Muskoka chain of lakes. I’m sure their July show will be something special. We look forward to many of the Canadian WoodyBoaters joining us in September at the Port Huron show.

  3. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    Port Huron is just a short drive from Muskoka, but US Customs will not let them bring home made Canadian bacon across the border.

    On the other hand, if you want to go to Canada to see these boats in person, you can bring American bacon. Just don’t try and bring any potatoes.

  4. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Thanks Chris! Always love the report on the shop tour in Canada.

    Ice went out on Cobbossee last week I think. Going to turn the water on at camp today or tomorrow. Supposed to hit 80 tomorrow! I’ll believe it when I see it.

  5. Kentucky Wonder
    Kentucky Wonder says:

    Thanks for the report! Fresh varnish indicates hope that this long winter will soon melt away.

    Everyone who enjoys WoodyBoating should make the trip to Muskoka at least once with their boat in tow. The people are friendly, the lake is beautiful, the boats and boathouses are amazing (really!), and the pre-events before the show are a lot of fun. Our week there in 2016 was the best WoodyBoating week ever.

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      mmmm, when i spoke with the toilet people, they only had nice things to say about you CHAD! HAHAH

      • Matt
        Matt says:

        And for the record.. People seem to like a toilet story for some odd reason. This is a bar graph of readership. The tall one, almost 1000 more views is Toilet seat day?

        • floyd r turbo
          floyd r turbo says:

          A toilet story for on the toilet, what more could you ask for except a sufficient amount of “tp” to last for “the whole ride”.

      • Chad
        Chad says:

        Sorry Matt, no offense intended.

        Looking forward to the boating season and nicer weather.

        • Matt
          Matt says:

          I am so deeply offended. I was crying in the corner. Chad doesnt like my toilet stories..

        • floyd r turbo
          floyd r turbo says:

          I thought Chad was the monkey? Ok, my mistake. Whatever happened to the monkey? Wasn’t he potty trained?

  6. Royce Humphreys
    Royce Humphreys says:

    Good to see your photos Chris! We had ice out here this past weekend. I am getting one last coat of Varnish on the boat this week and then the hardware will be going back on.
    Mugge has his Steelcraft Swim Platform in my shop getting wooded and some new finish. Time to be back on the water! Hope to see you all this Fall in Port Huron!

  7. Wilson
    Wilson says:

    Hurray ! Hurray !… It’s the first of May…and no more pollen in Florida today.

  8. Ronald
    Ronald says:

    Wow, great pictures and story, I love seeing the Canadian boats as most are a little different than the boats we see down south. If you could only invite the global warming people up there to witness the water still frozen May 1st. That engine in Miss Supertest is possibly an Allison or Rolls Royce Merlin both 16 cylinder monsters that sound great. Thanks again

  9. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.) says:

    Great story Chris. I really liked all the pictures of the cool boats. It isn’t any warmer in the U.P. than it is in Canada. I hope the ice is gone so We can put dock in Memorial Day weekend. Think Spring!

  10. Richard Daley
    Richard Daley says:

    A little confused Miss Canadiana looks to be a front engine boat. While the very cool looking vintage madness with the rocking Chevy Vdrive is a rear engine boat. Any more pictures of vintage madness and it’s history.
    PS ice not quite of the lakes here in southern Alberta latest ever,
    Hopefully gone by this weekend.

  11. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Thanks for the report Chris. Sure miss going to this event. Great folks, great shop tours, great food, usually warming weather and the ice is usually out by 20th at latest but “Climate change” is warming things up, I mean, wait, let me check with Big Al, he knows all, he created the internet after all.

  12. 'Miss Supertest' facebook Community Fan Page
    'Miss Supertest' facebook Community Fan Page says:

    Nice to see ‘Miss Supertest III’ out in public. 1st time since before 2015-16 restoration, I believe. Thanks to ACBS – Toronto Chapter for the Spring Tour. I almost made it! Thanks also to Muskoka (Antique Boat & Heritage) Discovery Centre Curator Ann Curley for allowing me the impromptu meeting. See you July 7th for the Muskoka Boat Show!

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