An iconic vintage vessel of Shuswap Lake is being made shipshape and ready for a return to service by new owner Mike Helfrick.

The Phoebe Ann was recently purchased by the Reds Rentals owner, who is fixing the former sternwheeler up to make it a special part of his Sicamous-based businessB次元官网网址� fleet.

The boat has become a bit of a conversation piece at RedsB次元官网网址� Finlayson Street location on the channel, where he said it used to be docked when operated by former Narrows Village owners Peter Steiner and Ellen Visser.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 been looking at it and it was a bit of an impulse buy,B次元官网网址� said Helfrick. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 seen it always on the lake and IB次元官网网址檝e been on the lake my whole life and it is kind of a cool piece of heritageB次元官网网址� it used to run out of right at Reds there, thatB次元官网网址檚 where it always was based out of. It was a good place to bring it back home.B次元官网网址�

Despite being out of use for a number of years, Helfrick says the Phoebe Ann, built in 1971, is in pretty good shape. HeB次元官网网址檚 been updating the interior and safety equipment onboard, and plans on having the vessel dry docked for various inspections needed before itB次元官网网址檚 put to commercial use.

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B次元官网网址淚 need to get it recertified because the last time it was actually commercially certified was 2004,B次元官网网址� said Helfrick.

Once the Phoebe Ann seaworthy and approved for use, HelfrickB次元官网网址檚 vision is to get the boat back out on Shuswap Lake for dinner cruises.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l start off with just Friday/Saturday dinner cruises and see how it goes,B次元官网网址� said Helfrick.

The Phoebe Ann was built in Vancouver and named after the grandmother of itB次元官网网址檚 original owner/operator, and SicamousB次元官网网址� former mayor, Gordon Mackie.

Initially, the boat operated as a sternwheeler, but in 1976, the sternwheeler portion was disabled and two Olympic drive propellers were added, providing more power and speed.

Mackie captained the vessel for a little over two decades, using it to push barges loaded with cars and later, to ferry people from Sicamous to Seymour Arm, as well as carry the local mail. When the road was extended to Seymour Arm, the Phoebe Ann continued doing tours on the lake and delivering freight, capable of holding up to 100 tonnes.

Mackie enjoyed operating the Phoebe Ann on her run to Seymour Arm, a voyage that took between three-and-a-half to five hours, depending on the number of stops along the way.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 leave here at 8 a.m. and usually get there at 12:30 or 1 p.m.,B次元官网网址� Mackie explained in a 2014 B次元官网网址 interview, noting travellers were given an hour or so to get some lunch or go for a swim. B次元官网网址淚t was a long day, a good 10-hour day when we ran the ferry and we always had a pretty good crowd on it.B次元官网网址�

Steiner purchased the Phoebe Ann in 1998 and made the boat available for chartered trips for people to enjoy a unique lake experience.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a piece of history and what I would like is for her to keep on being historical,B次元官网网址� Steiner told the B次元官网网址 in 2014, when he had put the Phoebe Ann on the market, hoping it would be picked up by someone who would continue to honour the vesselB次元官网网址檚 historical significance to the Shuswap.

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Steiner passed away in November 2015 and the vessel remained in the family until Helfrick decided to make an offer.

B次元官网网址淭he son was in town and IB次元官网网址檝e known him forever, so he came down here chatting and IB次元官网网址檇 seen the boat sideways on the beach up the lake and I just kind of mentioned it to him, B次元官网网址榶ou know your boat is sidewaysB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Helfrick. B次元官网网址淪o I made an offer and they took it.B次元官网网址�

Helfrick said he knew some of the Phoebe AnnB次元官网网址檚 local history when he bought it, and is learning more as people stop by his business to check out the familiar vessel.

B次元官网网址淧eople have been stopping by and telling me all their stories and memories, like people who got married on it back in the day,B次元官网网址� said Helfrick. B次元官网网址淚 think a lot of people are excited to see it go.B次元官网网址�

More can be learned about the Phoebe Ann at the Sicamous Museum, located at 446 Main Street.

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