Big Group Paints

From left; Tom Mathers, Don Warren, George Gilmour, Lorne Shantz, Larry LePage, Murray Majury.

MHS Outside Crew Prepares Docks near East Wall of the Boat House

The Marine Heritage Society (MHS) and their volunteers from the Propeller Club have spent a busy winter.  In addition to their annual re-conditioning of the Tour Boat Peerless, the Work Barge and the Tilbury Work Boat, they have been very busy.  Two of the projects are of interest.

• The MHS has worked on the Boat House behind the Art School over the past 8 years.  It is now a fine and useful structure that includes a large work bay, bathroom, wash basin outside the bathroom for rough cleaning, conference room, work benches and equipment, storage in the loft above for Town Christmas decorations, Archaeological equipment and other useful items.  This year a crew of volunteers redid the ceiling  with panels and white paint making the interior bright and cheerful
• The tour docks are being completely reconditioned now to be ready for the busy summer season.

Docks...

Docks and Expanded Metal Walkway at Chantry Island

Some years ago the Town purchased 3 docks for use in the Port Elgin Harbour.  After some deliberations and inspections, they determined that they were not heavy enough for use over time in Port Elgin.  The Town staff asked the MHS if they could make any use of them.  They received a positive reply.

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One dock is positioned in the Saugeen River and two are located in tandem out at Chantry Island to embark and disembark passengers.  They have served well.  Over time they taken quite a beating and have one further flaw.

The Birds of Chantry Island love to perch on the docks and watch the world go by, which is fine and everyone likes that, but in the process they leave a lot of guano, which is very slippery for the tourists.  The docks have normal wood on the top with a steel structure beneath that includes keyholes for anchoring them with heavy chain to large concrete blocks on the bottom of the lake.

The MHS is doing a re-work of the top of the docks to change over to a mesh-like expanded metal that is easy to walk on and not slippery.  Furthermore, the docks require 2 hours with 2 people to clean them.  This can be  eliminated with the expanded metal

Rick Schumacher (L) and Peter Haskey 'True Up' the Dock structure before welding takes place

MHS Crew and Welder Pete McGuire Scramble over the dock structure