THUNDERBIRD 1974 - 2000
What we know about "Thunderbird" prior to our purchase is sketchy. We were told that R. J. "Dick" Watt built her at his marina "Buchanan Marine" in Winnipeg.
Her hull was purchased used from Riverton, without a working engine. The story is that she was a Lake Winnipeg hull and was used as a ""Fisheries Inspection Boat". The steel hull with slightly raised steel forecastle and partially enclosed helm, was purchased and hauled to Winnipeg to be turned into a pleasure boat. Dates Unknown. Dick Watt added the 471 Detroit Diesel, and as a master carpenter who worked for Brown and Rutherford, he also added the present superstructure and beautiful woodwork and inlays throughout the interior.
The engine he installed came from a 1954 Winnipeg Transit Bus as did some of the interior light fixtures. Our research with Detroit Diesel indicates that it came off the line for a 1947 McCormick Tractor, but was somehow diverted to a bus manufacturer and ended up at Winnipeg Transit. Lots of questions there??? We also have documentation that indicates that she was first re-launched in 1974, but not finished and registered as 5F40284 until 1978.
We came to know of the boat and her history through Dick Watt's daughter Susan, who is a friend and was a co-worker of mine for 27 years. The first time I was ever on "The Bird", was in the spring of 1986 when Susan invited us out for a cruise, on the Red River. Dan and I had just gotten into what we considered larger boats with the purchase of our 25ft Bayliner and loved our little boat the "LINDAN". But when I stepped on board Thunderbird, I said "Now this is a BOAT! Wow!” And I have been in love with this boat ever since.
When Dick Watt died in 1984. The Thunderbird was taken from the marina and taken to Colville landing by someone from the marina claiming that the boat was promised to them. They had no documentation or bill of sale or record of transfer or payment. There was also nothing in any will naming a bequest to them. So, Susan, her brother Jack and their mother Jean had to take them to court to get the boat back. They eventually won the case in court and the boat, much neglected and with certain items missing was returned to them. I remember being at Kildonan Canoe Club in our LINDAN with friends when Susan and Jack went by the day they were bringing the boat back to Buchanan Marine.
After Dick's death, Susan and Jack tried to keep the marina going, but were unsuccessful. So, after the years of legal wrangling and the closing of the marina, they were keeping the boat back at Colville landing and trying to decide whether to keep it or sell it. We were living on Henderson Highway at the time and keeping our boat at Colville Landing as well.
1. The Bird's roofs were leaking.
2. They didn't know much about the engine.
3. They had only ever boated on the river and were not at all familiar with the lake.
That’s when we got involved.
They found a friend at Colville to help them get the engine running. Both roofs were leaking, but the Galley/Salon roof seemed to be leaking the worst at that time so, we helped them patch that. Basically, we convinced them to fix up the leaky roofs, put her in the water and venture out onto the lake with us, and the "LINDAN". "How did they know they wouldn't just love it as much as we did?"
We had many great holidays and weekenders as we introduced them to “The Lake”. We spent a lot of time together between Colville Landing, BCYC and Gimli and have many fond memories of those times.
But as it turned out they didn't really enjoy boating on Lake Winnipeg as much as we always have. After a few years they were not enjoying it enough to warrant the expenses and decided to sell. At the time we still owned our Bayliner and were very much involved with our new house on Henderson Highway and weren't really prepared to think about boating.
But, years later, with retirement looming, and us deciding to sell the house and downsize, the idea of getting back into boating as a retirement hobby, seemed like a good idea. My thought was, “What better way than with the Thunderbird?” Dan’s thought was “Do you realize how much work that boat needs?”
I decided to find out if they still owned it and if it was still for sale. We hadn't really kept track of whether they had sold her or not. The subject didn't exactly come up at coffee breaks. But, when I asked Susan about it she said her mother always thought we should have it and Susan made me an offer, I couldn't refuse. And Dan was right. He has been working on it ever since.
What we know about "Thunderbird" prior to our purchase is sketchy. We were told that R. J. "Dick" Watt built her at his marina "Buchanan Marine" in Winnipeg.
Her hull was purchased used from Riverton, without a working engine. The story is that she was a Lake Winnipeg hull and was used as a ""Fisheries Inspection Boat". The steel hull with slightly raised steel forecastle and partially enclosed helm, was purchased and hauled to Winnipeg to be turned into a pleasure boat. Dates Unknown. Dick Watt added the 471 Detroit Diesel, and as a master carpenter who worked for Brown and Rutherford, he also added the present superstructure and beautiful woodwork and inlays throughout the interior.
The engine he installed came from a 1954 Winnipeg Transit Bus as did some of the interior light fixtures. Our research with Detroit Diesel indicates that it came off the line for a 1947 McCormick Tractor, but was somehow diverted to a bus manufacturer and ended up at Winnipeg Transit. Lots of questions there??? We also have documentation that indicates that she was first re-launched in 1974, but not finished and registered as 5F40284 until 1978.
We came to know of the boat and her history through Dick Watt's daughter Susan, who is a friend and was a co-worker of mine for 27 years. The first time I was ever on "The Bird", was in the spring of 1986 when Susan invited us out for a cruise, on the Red River. Dan and I had just gotten into what we considered larger boats with the purchase of our 25ft Bayliner and loved our little boat the "LINDAN". But when I stepped on board Thunderbird, I said "Now this is a BOAT! Wow!” And I have been in love with this boat ever since.
When Dick Watt died in 1984. The Thunderbird was taken from the marina and taken to Colville landing by someone from the marina claiming that the boat was promised to them. They had no documentation or bill of sale or record of transfer or payment. There was also nothing in any will naming a bequest to them. So, Susan, her brother Jack and their mother Jean had to take them to court to get the boat back. They eventually won the case in court and the boat, much neglected and with certain items missing was returned to them. I remember being at Kildonan Canoe Club in our LINDAN with friends when Susan and Jack went by the day they were bringing the boat back to Buchanan Marine.
After Dick's death, Susan and Jack tried to keep the marina going, but were unsuccessful. So, after the years of legal wrangling and the closing of the marina, they were keeping the boat back at Colville landing and trying to decide whether to keep it or sell it. We were living on Henderson Highway at the time and keeping our boat at Colville Landing as well.
1. The Bird's roofs were leaking.
2. They didn't know much about the engine.
3. They had only ever boated on the river and were not at all familiar with the lake.
That’s when we got involved.
They found a friend at Colville to help them get the engine running. Both roofs were leaking, but the Galley/Salon roof seemed to be leaking the worst at that time so, we helped them patch that. Basically, we convinced them to fix up the leaky roofs, put her in the water and venture out onto the lake with us, and the "LINDAN". "How did they know they wouldn't just love it as much as we did?"
We had many great holidays and weekenders as we introduced them to “The Lake”. We spent a lot of time together between Colville Landing, BCYC and Gimli and have many fond memories of those times.
But as it turned out they didn't really enjoy boating on Lake Winnipeg as much as we always have. After a few years they were not enjoying it enough to warrant the expenses and decided to sell. At the time we still owned our Bayliner and were very much involved with our new house on Henderson Highway and weren't really prepared to think about boating.
But, years later, with retirement looming, and us deciding to sell the house and downsize, the idea of getting back into boating as a retirement hobby, seemed like a good idea. My thought was, “What better way than with the Thunderbird?” Dan’s thought was “Do you realize how much work that boat needs?”
I decided to find out if they still owned it and if it was still for sale. We hadn't really kept track of whether they had sold her or not. The subject didn't exactly come up at coffee breaks. But, when I asked Susan about it she said her mother always thought we should have it and Susan made me an offer, I couldn't refuse. And Dan was right. He has been working on it ever since.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS BLOG UNDER "DIY", THE REFIT OF THUNDERBIRD HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2000
