Trent Severn Antique & Classic Boat Association
Donation to the new Thousand Islands Antique Boat Museum in Gananoque Ontario
1950 15’ Heron cedar strip boat
made by Link Manufacturing of Gananoque Ontario.
1950 Johnson QD 10 built in Peterborough

2017 Update on the Link from TSACBA Past President Jim Watt

A few years ago I was able to donate this boat to the Gananoque Boat Museum and at the same time Murray Parnell donated a matching 1950 Johnson QD 10 motor. The boat had been in storage for about 40 years and was in mint shape.

The Museum has taken the upper room in their building - open to the public- and using the boat as a centre piece built their Board Room Table around it. The rest of the room has been made to look like a cottage from the 50s.

The picture on the wall is of the employees of Link Manufacturing Co. who made the boat. In 1929 Ed Link invented and patented the first flight simulator. To be able to sell these units to the Commonwealth countries he built a plant in Gananoque Ontario. The building is still there today and has been converted into Condos. It is about 200 yards from the Gananoque Museum.

If you are in Gananoque do drop in and see this museum it is worth the time.

Photos by Murray Parnell

After 64 years our cedar strip boat returns home.

Many of you know that a few years ago we acquired a 1950 15’ Heron cedar strip boat made by Link Manufacturing of Gananoque Ontario. A magnificent little boat with smooth lines and a unique inward roll of the gunnels at the tumble home.

She was displayed twice at the Toronto International Boat show and once at the Toronto Sportsman show. Recently she travelled to Michigan for the 37th Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Boat Show.

In the July issue of 1000 Island Life Magazine there was an article about a new boat museum being set up in Gananoque. The location of the Museum is on Water street right where the 1000 Island Boat Tours depart and arrive and will get lots of visitors. When you are facing the water and look over your left shoulder you can see the brick building where this Link boat was built.

We had been in contact with the folks at the museum - one of them being our old friend Howard Williams who was on the High Point tour in 2008 with his wife Judy. Then on Thursday August 14, 2014, I delivered the boat to Howard and his son-in -law Tim at the museum in Gananoque.

After a brief inspection they agreed it would be a suitable boat for their collection as they did not have a Link boat. At the same time I was able to deliver on behalf of TSACBA member Murray Parnell a restored 1950 Johnson QD 10 built in Peterborough just to cap it off. So our little boat and Murray’s motor will be on display for all to see.

The family on Kasshabog Lake who we purchased the boat from are also very pleased with our decision.

It is amazing that a Town of 5,194 has a boat museum featuring boats built there - Link Boats and then Cliffe Craft Boats as well as St. Lawrence rowing skiffs. If you are passing by on the 401 i urge you to drop in and have a quick visit.

Jim, Merridy, Finlay & Aislin Watt
Members of TSACBA

Read the The Link Collections., a fascinating story of a man who started by inventing and patenting the First Flight Simulator in 1929. Then became a pioneer in underwater rescue units, breathing apparatus with helium and finished by inventing the Flight Simulator for the Lunar Landing Module to name a few things. Next time you are in an airport and you or your luggage go thru a scanner, the “logo” will probably be “L3". That is the Link Manufacturing Company still going strong today.

Following are pictures showing the workshop area and some of the displays at the new museum.