The steam tug COLLINGWOOD was built in 1874 by Melancthon Simpson in St. Catharines, Ontario. It had dimensions of 61 feet in length, 15.4 feet in beam, and 7.9 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of 49.57 and a net tonnage of 23.61. The tug was initially owned by Alex Ritchie Christie in Toronto, Ontario.
The COLLINGWOOD was powered by a high-pressure steam engine with a single cylinder, measuring 16 inches by 18 inches, and producing 50 horsepower. It had one mast and a screw propulsion system. The tug was primarily used as a lumber tug in Georgian Bay.
On July 19, 1878, the COLLINGWOOD suffered a tragic loss when it caught fire and burned to a total loss in Lake Huron, specifically 1/2 mile from Byng Inlet in Georgian Bay. The crew on board was able to escape safely. At the time of the incident, the tug was owned by S. C. Kanaday & Co. in Toronto.
The COLLINGWOOD’s history is marked by its construction, ownership changes, use as a lumber tug, and its unfortunate destruction due to fire on Lake Huron.
