Kuskanook underway, 1928.
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History | |
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Name | Kuskanook |
Owner | Canadian Pacific Railway |
Operator | CPR River and Lake Service |
Route | Kootenay Lake |
Builder | James M. Bulger |
Cost | $104,145..37 |
Launched | May 5, 1906 |
Maiden voyage | July 19, 1906 |
Out of service | December 1931 |
Identification | Canada #121758 |
Fate | Converted to floating hotel in 1932 and sank in 1936. |
General characteristics | |
Type | inland all-purpose. |
Tonnage | 1008 GRT; 548 NRT |
Length | 193.5 ft (58.98 m) |
Beam | 30.9 ft (9.42 m) |
Depth | 7 ft (2.13 m) depth of hold |
Installed power | twin steam engines, horizontally mounted: cylinder bore 22 in (56 cm); stroke 8 ft 3 in (251 cm); 32.3 nominal horsepower; 560 indicated horsepower; boiler generated steam pressure 180 p.s.i. |
Propulsion | stern-wheel |
Capacity | Licensed for 450 passengers; 37 staterooms. |
Crew | Twenty-eight (including seven officers). |
Kuskanook was a wooden, stern-wheel driven steamboat that operated on Kootenay Lake, in British Columbia from 1906 to 1931. After being taken out of service, Kuskanook was sold for use as a floating hotel, finally sinking in 1936. The vessel name is also seen spelled Kooskanook. [1]
Kootenay Lake was a long glacially-carved lake running north to south in the Kootenay region in British Columbia. [2] About half-way along the lake's length, an extension called the Western Arm curved in to Nelson, BC. [2] Near the junction of the Western Arm with the main lake were, on the north of the arm, Balfour, and on the south, Proctor. [2]
North of Balfour, about halfway between the Western Arm and Lardeau, was the town of Kaslo, British Columbia. [2] Just to the east across the lake from the Western Arm there were landings at Kootenay Bay, Crawford Bay, and Pilot Bay. [2] At the southern end of the lake was Kootenay Landing, which was the furthest point reached by railroad when Kuskanook was built. [2]
Kuskanook was built by James M. Bulger at Nelson, British Columbia in 1906 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. [3] No sternwheeler had been built in Nelson since Moyie was launched in 1898. [4] Kuskanook was one of a pair of nearly identical vessels ordered by CPR, the other being Okanagan, which was placed into service in 1907 on Okanagan Lake. [4] Both Kuskanook and Okanagan were based on the design of an earlier vessel, the Arrow Lakes sternwheeler Rossland.
The vessel cost $104,145.37. [3] The parts had been manufactured in eastern Canada and brought to Nelson to be assembled. [5] The launch on May 5, 1906 was reportedly attended by 3,500 people. [5]
Kuskanook was 193.5 ft (58.98 m), long, measured over the hull, exclusive of the fantail on which the stern-wheel was mounted. [3] The steamer had a beam of 30.9 ft (9.42 m) with a depth of hold of 7 ft (2.13 m) . [3] The Canadian merchant vessel registry number was Canada #121758. [3]
According to one source, Kuskanook had 37 staterooms and was licensed to carry 450 passengers. [3] Another, more detailed source, states that Kuskanook had four dining room tables, with total seating for 32 persons, with 39 staterooms, and a total passenger capacity of 400. [6] By the mid-1920s Kuskanook could carry eight motor vehicles, mostly on the route between Nelson and the settlement of Kuskonook, just north of Kootenay Landing. [6]
Kuskanook had three decks, the freight and machinery deck, above which were the passenger deck and the texas deck. [4] The wheelhouse was placed just forward of the funnel and stepped back from forward edge of the texas deck cabins. [4] The passenger accommodations were the finest yet seen on the Canadian Pacific's sternwheelers. [4]
Kuskanook required a crew of twenty-eight, including seven officers. [6]
Kuskanook was driven by twin steam engines turning a stern-wheel. Each steam engine was horizontally mounted, with a cylinder bore of 22 in (56 cm), and a piston stroke of 8 ft 3 in (251 cm). [3] The steam plant generated 32.3 nominal horsepower; 560 indicated horsepower. [3] The boiler generated steam pressure ad 180 p.s.i. [3]
Kuskanook and other lake steamers were often the only connections the communities along Kootenay Lake had with the outside world. [5] Kuskanook made its initial trip on July 19, 1906, running from Nelson BC to Kootenay Landing. [3] Kootenay Landing was the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which reached the landing from points east through Crowsnest Pass. [4] Increasing demand for lake transport on this run was the main reason for placing Kuskanook into service. [4]
Because of the connection to the Crowsnest railway, the Nelson-Kootenay Landing run was called the “Crow Boat” route. [4] Increasing demand for lake transport on this run was the main reason for placing Kuskanook into service. [4]
Kuskanook was extensively refitted in 1911, and in 1913 was replaced on the Nelson-Kootenay Landing run by the new steel-hulled steamer Naskookin. [3] Kuskanook was refitted in 1914 and placed on the Nelson- Kaslo run. [3] From 1914 to December 31, 1930 Kuskanook was also operated as a relief steamer for Nasookin, and for excursions departing from Nelson. [3] Kuskanook also called at Balfour, where before the First World War, to encourage tourism, the Canadian Pacific had built a 50-room hotel. [7]
In 1925 there was a steam pipe explosion on Kuskanook. [8] A water trap failed in the main steam pipe leading aft to the boiler, and high pressure steam burst out all through the engine room. [8] Three crew members were scalded to death. [8] This was probably the worst fatal accident in the history of the Canadian Pacific's Lake and River Service. [8]
The completion of the B.C. Southern rail link between Kootenay Landing and Proctor eliminated the need for steamboat service between the two points. [5] Road construction had already reduced the demand for steamer transport. [5] In 1931, Kuskanook was worked on the Proctor- Crawford Bay- Lardeau run, and on excursions. [3]
In December 1931, Canadian Pacific sold Kuskanook to Arthur D. Pochin. Canadian Pacific decided to keep Moyie in service, even though older, because Kuskanook’s wooden hull made the boat surplus. [9] Pochin tied Kuskanook up to a wharf at Nelson for use as a floating hotel. [3] The boat was later towed to Kootenay Landing, where it sank in 1936. [3]
The wreck of Kuskanook lies at Kokanee Landing, on Highway 3A, about 30 km east of Nelson. [10] The wreck lies perpendicular to the shore, and can be readily seen during low water. [10]