On the way home from the cottage on the weekend we had the opportunity to see this lovely steamship, restored and docked in the narrows in Dorset. I had not had the opportunity to see her prior to this although I did see her in dry dock when the restorations were being done. From their fabulous website I was able to get the history of this beauty!
"The Bigwin is 66' in length with 11' 8" beam and depth of 6' 1" with a registered weight of 25 tons. After years of neglect, the boat sat partially submerged on the bottom of her slip at Bigwin Inn."
The ship was brought to the old Clayton property wharf for restoration. The old building itself was used to sell tickets by the Huntsville, Lake of Bays Navigation Company and storing shipments and mail for the Bigwin Livery Company. The upstairs was used as sleeping quarters by the ship captains of the Mohawk Belle and the Iroquois steamboats.
The Bigwin arriving in it's new home in Dorset.
Marine Museum
The finished Bigwin Steamship docked at the wharf beside the new Marine Museum. She is stunning!
The new steam engine.
In this picture of the wheelhouse the back of the Marine Museum is seen as well as other local buildings reflected in the new glass.
The original stack from the Bigwin at the back of the Museum.
The hull is planked in Douglas Fir,the transom in Mahogany.
The upper deck hasn't had the seats added yet for tourists.
It was ships such as this that opened up the lake to settlers and tourists in the last century or so. The Lakes and rivers were the highways and the steamers the transportation.
Bigwin Steamboat Restoration
1. Repair all steel frames, clean and prime with rust inhibiting paint.
2. Plank the hull.
3. Replace the keel and deadwood.
4. Repair the deck on the bow, stern and sides.
5. Rebuild the Wheelhouse.
6. Purchase, refurbish and install steam engine, propeller shaft and propeller.
7. Install new windows.
8. Install submersible pumps and put Bigwin in the water moored to the wharf in Dorset.
There plenty of watery shots to see at Watery Wednesday! Go take a look for yourself
here! Out door Wednesday has wonderful photos too! Go
here!
