Dock Lines readers may enjoy an update on my search for info on the Sarah Margaret, a story that appeared in this form back in 2004. Most of those who responded to me since the last posting indicated that they thought the Sarah to be a pre WWI ELCO cruiser. Unfortunately after much additional sleuthing and pouring through old ELCO advertisements posted for sale on e-bay I determined that the hull was not the right shape, particularly the torpedo stern. ELCO boats of this size almost always have a counterstern or fantail. At the same time I happened to see an old photo of a pre 1910 Fay and Bowen launch in Adirondack Life Magazine. That boat, although much smaller, had a hull shape identical to the Sarah. As Geneva New York was the home of F&B I subsequently e-mailed the Geneva Historical Society to obtain its view. I soon found out that F&B production records had been lost long ago when the firm's plant at 84-90 Lake Street on Seneca Lake was demolished to make room for a highway diversion. The Historical Society's Director did however point out that there were enough photos of other F&B products and other published information to conclude that the Sarah was very likely an F&B product . And a rare one at that. Seems that around 1906 F&B took special order(s) for cabin cruisers purportedly designed by the naval architectural firm of Morris M Whitaker of Nyack New York for service on the Great Lakes. Some of you will be familiar with the Aliquippa which lives on the Muskoka lakes, it is likely she was the first of these custom cruisers. By 1911 the Aliquippa design had apparently morphed into a 40' x 8' production boat complete with a head, galley and enclosed forward cabin all offered at a base price of $4,000.00. Ultimately though the model approved unpopular with F&B clientele as only 4 were ever produced. My theory, although unverified, is that the Sarah is one of those 4 boats. From photographic evidence I have already established that the Sarah was purchased new by Wallace.H Rowe around 1908 to 1911, so the time- frame is right. If, however, one compares photos of the Aliquippa and the Sarah you will note that the stem and the stern are different. The Sarah's bow is more raked then the Aliquippa, she also has a Torpedo stern rather than the Aliquippa's counterstern. The Sarah Margaret also had a taller wheel house and more lavish woodwork and fittings. But these differences can be explained by F&Bs policy of allowing customers to choose from a variety of different features and design elements. Needless to say I am still looking for any historical documentation that confirms that F&B built the Sarah and that she is one of the 4 production cruiser models. What became of the Sarah still remains a mystery . There is some speculation among members of the Rowe family that she was sold in the 1940s and moved North (Muskoka or even Tamagami?). I was, however,very pleased to find out that several of the Sarah's deck chairs, complete with original upholstery, have survived. They are in the possession of the Granddaughter of the Sarah's original Captain (Sherman Cooper) and are being put to good use at her home in Victoria BC. I am attaching another photo of the Sarah taken in 1919 on the Trent Severn Waterway, likely at Peterborough. A better shot than that previously posted, this version may, with luck, shake loose some old memories. As always if anyone has additional info. on the Sarah Margaret please call me at 1-800-624-5418 and have me paged or e-mail me at straughan@sympatico.ca Stephen Straughan Cobourg On.
Original Post
I am a former member of ACBS and thought that someone in the society might know the whereabouts of a yacht originally built for Wallace H. Rowe, a Pittsburgh industrialist who's family summered in Cobourg Ontario from 1907 to 1951 . The boat in question was probably built around 1910 and was named the Sarah Margaret (after one of the Rowe's daughters). The Sarah was gas powered and was kept in a boathouse in (from what I can determine) the Roseneath area of Rice Lake (South Shore). I have no idea who manufactured the boat or what overall length she is /was, but the attached photo shows that she was of considerable size and bore a striking resemblance to many of the wooden displacement hulled yachts that sailed the Muskoka lakes prior to W.W.II. you can page Stephen @ (905) 885-0291 |
