The Dawn Light a "Classy Lady"

The Dawnlight is very unique. She has participated in over 111 years of active service. She is the oldest certified Inland 11 passenger vessel on the Great Lakes. Getting her start in November of 1891 as a steam yacht. Over the years, the Dawnlight has had 4 names (Leroy Brooks), (Henry Stokes), (Aburg) and (Dawnlight). She has had 5 major appearance alterations, 4 hull rebuilds, 4 different engines, the first two of which were steam as well as 9 different owners. Most of her career was as a "Model Bow Tug" for McQueen Marine Ltd. of Amherstburg, Ontario on Lakes Erie and Lake Huron, as well the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers. Today she still retains her classic "Model Bow Tug" look, but has been refitted for use primarily as a passenger vessel capable of carrying 12 berthed passengers or 22 unberthed. 70% of her time is dedicated to serving scuba divers on Georgian Bay and Lake Huron and the rest of the time sightsee'ers, kayakers, hunters and fishermen/women can be found on her decks. The Craig Shipbuilding Co. in Toledo, Ohio built "Leroy Brooks" in 1891 for "Count" William Rehburg of Middle Bass Island, Ohio. Her hull was made of riveted steel with dimensions of 75' X 14' 6" X 7' 6". This steam yacht was the 47th hull launched by her shipbuilders. Her U.S. Registry #141143 remained in place until she was sold into Canadian ownership in 1910. "Leroy Brooks" was converted into a tug in 1910 (possibly as early as 1907) and was sold into Canadian Registry #116320 to Captain John S. McQueen of Amherstburg, Ontario. At that time she was remeasured at 71' 3" X 15' 2" X 8' 1" as a tug. She was fitted with a new steam engine that was originally used in Hiram Walkers yacht "Lurline". She was sold and renamed "Henry Stokes" in 1925. The Dominion Sugar Company Ltd. of Chatham, Ontario in 1925, purchased "Henry Stokes". At purchase, the "Leroy Brooks" was renamed "Henry Stokes" to honour his namesake, a Dominion Sugar Co. executive. She was put into service to haul sugar beet barges to plants in Chatham and Wallaceburg. She was sold in 1935. Captain J. Earl McQueen of Amherstburg, Ontario, purchased "Henry Stokes" in 1935. She carried on with active tug service until the conclusion of 1950 when she was hauled out and totally stripped. At this time, she had the most extensive rebuild of her career with strengtheners added on the inside and new plating added to the outside of her hull. Over the course of the next 3 years, she was transformed into the "Aburg" and finally in the spring of 1954 she was relaunched as the "Aburg" complete with a new 500 hp diesel engine. At the time of her launch in 1954 the "Aburg" was owned by the McQueen Marine Ltd. and joined sister ships "Atomic" and "Patricia McQueen" in their fleet of tugs. At this time, her measurements were 68' 1" X 14' 2" X 7' 7". She won the highly esteemed Detroit International Tug boat race in 1956 Captained by Lennard Gillard. In 1960, she received another hull alteration at Erieu dry-dock and she was widened to a beam of 17' 6" which favourably increased her stability. In 1966, she participated in the salvage of steel coils from the stranded "Nordmeer" off of Thunder Bay Michigan just prior to the gale that sank the large freighter "Daniel J. Morrel". In 1978, she was sold to William Smith of Amherstburg, Ontario who used her as a pleasure craft for 2 years before selling her in 1980 to Garnett Cheney, Subservices Ltd. of Penetanguishene, Ontario. In 1981, she was registered to Carol Baker (Cheney's partner) and the name of the vessel was changed to the "Dawnlight". "Dawnlight" was operated as a liveaboard dive boat and also did towing and salvage work for her new owners. By 1988, she had undergone substantial alterations to her superstructure and was repowered by a Caterpillar turbocharged 6-cylinder diesel. Her accommodations were vastly improved and her owners advertised "comfortable accommodation for up to 16 people". A brand new 15cfm Bauer air compressor was installed to fill dive tanks and she became 2nd to none as a Great Lakes Dive Boat. In 1996, Captain Ray Davis purchased her from Mrs. Baker and the "Dawnlight" has been in active service for Tobermory Adventure Tours since she began operating out of Tobermory, Ontario. For more pics and info on the Dawn Light go to www.tobermory.com Credits: Information for the timeline gathered since 1996 from Patrick Folkes, Tobermory, Ont.; Ron Beaupre, Port Elgin, Ont.," Moran's Shoreside Companion for Great Lakes Ships 97" by Bill Moran.

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