Monday, February 9, 2015

We used to build things in this country, #177. Tugboats at Kingston Shipyards

 Charles Maginley, The Ships of Canada's Marine Services,Vanwell Publishing 2003
 In 1910 Collingwood Shipyards opened a subsidiary shipbuilding and repair depot in Kingston, locating it next to the locomotive works on Ontario Street.  Kingston Shipbuilding Company landed a government contract for three ships the next year, the tug pictured above, the Polana, was one of them. Launch of the Polana
She became the Jalobert when she was transferred to Marine and Fisheries in 1923 and was the pilot vessel at Rimouski for the duration of WW2. From 1954 till 1965 she was the Macassa when she became the Queen City. In 1980 she was retired and was made into a floating restaurant "The Tugboat " in Windsor. Eventually she was retired once again and apparently still survives as a hulk in Detroit.

Kingston Shipbuilding enjoyed a prosperous time during both World Wars, with no ships launched between. Corvettes and minesweepers were built during WW2. Postwar, only one large vessel was built, the canaller Everest in 1950. 
The yard was closed in 1968 and became the location of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in 1974.

Is this the end? The Queen City sinks at the Bayview Yacht club on Lake St Clair. Mar 15 2020



at

6 comments:

  1. StewartMarch 14, 2021 at 7:34 PM

    The Queen City was converted into the temporary clubhouse for bayview yacht club, but sank in Lake St. Clair this morning

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mister GMarch 15, 2021 at 8:43 AM

    Thanks for the note! Its not in the news yet, but I found this old post on Detroityes.com forum;
    "She used to be moored on the Windsor waterfront just east of Ouellette, possibly with another. From what I can remember, she was used as a restaurant maybe even called "the TugBoat restaurant" but being only 28 my memories are fuzzy at best as to when she left. All I do remember is that she was a habitual sinker, and seemed to be just as comfortable with a slip at Ouellette or a slip at the river bottom."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StewartMarch 15, 2021 at 10:16 AM

      Yeah, hasn't hit the news yet, but it was posted on the Lake St. Clair facebook page:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2904594306492344&id=1634094656875655&__tn__=%2As%2As-R

      Delete
  3. Mister GMarch 15, 2021 at 10:28 AM

    Thanks! I've updated the post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 24, 2022 at 12:32 PM

    The Queen City was raised after sinking and restored once again. She since has been relocated to Escanaba, Michigan where She will be operated as a bar and restaurant after some additional updates.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mister GDecember 25, 2022 at 10:49 PM

    a boat of many lives...

    ReplyDelete