RMS Segwun, North America’s oldest operating hand-fired steamship, is having its sailing season cut short after a damaged furnace component was discovered—the third incident the boat has faced in the last year.
The historic boat, which is cared for by the Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre (MSDC) in Gravenhurst, Ont., was first built in 1887 in Glasgow, Scotland, and assembled in Gravenhurst as the Nipissing II. The ship was taken out of service at the outset of the First World War, but relaunched in July 1925 as the Segwun, or “Springtime” in Ojibwa.
Over the last 138 years, the 125-ft steamer has been taken on and off the water, been transformed into a floating maritime museum, and finally into a cruise boat, allowing passengers to “see the beauty of Muskoka as it should be seen, by water,” says the MSDC’s website.
But earlier this month, remaining cruises for the Segwun’s sailing season, which was going to conclude on Thanksgiving weekend, were cancelled when it was deemed a cast iron grate in the ship’s furnace needed replacing. “The part is currently being forged at a foundry but will not be ready until after Thanksgiving, which is the end of our season,” says MSDC president John Miller.
Despite the season being cut short, Segwun enjoyed a successful summer season. “The ship was running very well in August and September and all passengers enjoyed their cruises,” says Miller. “We had a great season on Segwun, and this was a small issue that is easily solved, just needed time to do so.”
This latest repair follows a mechanical problem with the ship’s boiler that led to cruise trip cancellations in July of this year and a blustery incident last December where the ship nearly sank during a snowstorm.
The replacement of the iron grate will now be a part of a larger restoration that MSDC hopes to embark on this fall, pending funding. Miller shares that while financing has not yet been secured, the Centre has submitted the relevant applications and remains hopeful. Along with the new cast iron grate, the restoration would involve significant wood replacement and updating of some mechanical components.
“We expect to be sailing next year, and with the upgrades, we expect to not need major restorative work for the next 25 years,” says Miller.
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