MARY LOUISE (1884, Propeller) #

The propeller Florence, also known as Mohawk Belle, was built in 1901 at Mortimers Point, Ontario. Alfred Mortimer was the builder of this wooden-hulled vessel. It was designed as a single-deck propeller ship, primarily used for propulsion.

The Florence was powered by a screw propulsion system, driven by a 13-horsepower for-and-aft compound engine manufactured by Jno. Inglis & Sons in Toronto. The vessel was equipped with a 160-pound steam scotch boiler, also built by Jno. Inglis.

With a length of 82.4 feet, a beam of 13.2 feet, and a depth of 0 feet, the Florence had a gross tonnage of 129.6 and a net tonnage of 83.21. It was a relatively small vessel, suitable for various tasks on the water.

Throughout its history, the Florence underwent several changes. In 1908, it was rebuilt by William Robinson in Huntsville, Ontario, resulting in new measurements of 94 x 19.42 x 7.42 feet and a gross tonnage of 167, with a net tonnage of 103. The vessel was subsequently renamed Mohawk Belle in 1909.

Another rebuilding process took place in 1913, this time carried out by William Robinson in Muskoka, Ontario. After the reconstruction, the vessel measured 94 x 19.50 feet, with a gross tonnage of 76.25 and a net tonnage of 51.85. It was registered under the official number C133744.

However, the life of the Florence came to an end when it suffered a destructive fate. The vessel burned out and became a hulk that was subsequently scuttled in the vicinity of Bigwin Island, located in Lake of Bays, Ontario. The final registry closure occurred on January 27, 1964, marking the conclusion of the vessel’s official documentation.

Latitude: N 45 18.378
Longitude: W 79 04.098