Header Photo: Start of the Paddling Canoe Race, Late Nineteenth Century

The previous header photo was harvested from Facebook with little identification. A paddling canoe start from the late nineteenth century, the location remained a mystery. I emailed several canoe historians and they were somewhat stumped as well. Someone said Lake George N.Y., another said possibly Hay Island right acroos from Gananoque in the Thousand Islands. Dating was also broad, sometime between the late 1880's, 1890's. Even without a precise identification, the bevy of delicate sailing canoes in the foreground still makes this photo a gem.

A sailing canoe from that era up and planing.

A Hybrid Row-Sail Dinghy from the Late 1800's?

Douglas Fowler sent along photos of this discovery, identification unknown. It does fit my conjectural image of what George Aykroyd had in mind when he developed his hybrid row-sail dinghy. (See the Toronto Dinghy.) A fellow named Everett is in possession of her and sent along this information:

"Attached are some photos of a small sailboat I am trying to identify. I think it is a cruiser of the type that appeared at the end of the decked sailing canoe early days say 1890. It was owned by Fred Bourne and purchased at a Dark Island auction in the 1970s. Nicely made, Spanish Cedar, copper tacks have a star embossed on the head. Any thoughts? Thanks' Everett

There doesn't seem to be any provision for rowing. This may have been sail only but it does sport a Whitehall rowboat type transom.

Photo of 1910 L.S.S.A. 14-Footer

Two chaps from the Toronto Canoe Club racing the cat-rigged L.S.S.A. 14-footer on Toronto Bay, circa 1910.

City of Toronto Archives

Another photo of the L.S.S.A 14-foot dinghies racing.