September 27, 2024

LADY EATON’S OLD WANDA III PRIVATE YACHT WILL ELECTRIFIY MUSKOKA LAKES NEXT SUMMER

GRAVENHURST — How long does it take to trickle charge the Lady of the Lakes?

That’s a question I pondered last evening while touring the Muskoka Discovery Centre.

I’ll find out for sure tomorrow on the Segwun when I sail on one of its only two cruises this season.

Muskoka Steamships president and GM John Miller gave a couple of tours of the newly converted battery-charged Wanda III EV during the Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce’s first Business After Hours social of the year.

Lady Eaton’s 1915 personal watercraft is in its new boathouse and has been out for a couple of test runs this season, which Miller says it will hit the Muskoka Lakes high seas fulltime next year after major multi-year battery fit out.

It has a huge long power cord to plug in each night.

They have a couple of more test runs planned the next couple of weeks.

Muskoka Steamships president and GM talks about all the marvels of electrification the Wanda III has following a $2 million retro fit of the original 1915 Lady Eaton private yacht. Photos Mark Clairmont

The $2 million electric makeover will see it ready in 2025 for public trips and private rentals accommodating 30 people — 20 up top and 10 below.

And what a renovation it’s been since being donated to the Muskoka Steamships in 1993 by its Lake of Bays owner who obtained it after years of owners following the Eatons who sold it in 1940.

Miller said Wanda has had a lot of improvements the last couple years to make it certifiably sailable by the Coast Guard.

He says she was built for speed and they’ve had it up to 11.5 knots (13 mph) this summer, which is nearly twice the 6.5 knots (7.5 mph) the Wenonah II travels regularly travels. The latter is the speed all three ships in he fleet will sail at.

**Don Barron, sales manager at The Alexander cross the Bay, looks happy with his neighbour’s new project.**

This all part of a number of improvements taking place at the Discovery Centre.

Following its major Misko Aki museum addition two years ago and water displays, last week they opened their main exhibit hall.

And taken down a large display wall to open the view to Muskoka Lake, said new general manager Wendy Fairbairn who replaced Ann Curley this year. Curley is at the new Canadian Race Boat Hall of Fame on Hwy. 117 west of Bracebridge.

Fairbairn says it practically doubles the accommodation size of the room to more uses, including concerts like Indigenous singer Susan Aglukark Oct. 10 and Ian Thomas Nov. 28.

She says the corner hall will also feature 21 artists for a show opening Oct. 9.

As well the exhibits from the removed wall removed and others along the entrance and other boat building features are in storage for now to be spread out elsewhere in the large museum and exploration centre.

And this weekend for the Gravenhurst Autumn Arts Tour they have a two-day discounted $15 entry fee compared to $25 normally.