Georgian Bay Heritage League
Restoring Old Boats To Their Former Glory
“There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
— Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932).
Who We Are
If all the years of experience in marine pursuits possessed by the members of the Georgian Bay Heritage League were added up, it would be an impressive total. While a considerable portion of that experience would be in wooden boat restoration itself, a significant part of it would be in the plain old enjoyment of boating on the bay. In fact, one of the great pleasures of being a volunteer in this group is in the stories told around the coffee machine. There is certainly a lot of knowledge in the craft of boat repair in the group, but some members tip the scale more on the side of the amount of passion they have for the boats and the history of Georgian Bay. When first joining, every volunteer brings in a distinct set of talents and skills which might not immediately seem related to boat restoration itself. But, with the mentorship of some of the masters in the group and through the work itself, everyone learns to transform their own background into an asset. Some were sailors, mechanics, electricians, teachers and in business before joining, and all have enjoyed their perspectives being valued. Accordingly, volunteers are welcome.
What We Do
The Georgian Bay Heritage League pursues the first part of its mandate, of restoring and preserving wooden boats, in a heated boat shop all year round. We are in possession of a number of boats obtained in collaboration with the Huronia Museum (Midland, Ontario), some completed and others waiting for our attention. However, we are always looking for wooden water craft to add to our collection. We are willing to pay a visit to inspect a boat that someone may wish to either donate or sell and can transport if size permits. On occasion we may also sell boats in our collection. We also have a collection of vintage outboard motors that are in different stages of repair, some complete and others waiting in the wings. The outboard motor parts we have, a considerable number of them, often serve our own purposes but can also be sold to someone in need. The second part of our mandate consists of an education component. We display our boats, either during public events (City festivals) or in specialized settings (such as vintage boat shows). We are always on the lookout for opportunities to sponsor organizations that require assistance in fulfilling their own mandate if related to marine heritage.
Fundraising Partners
Related Associations
Upcoming Events
These events may be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic
All events cancelled due to COVID-19.