SS Canadiana

The Canadiana during its inaugural trip on May 30, 1910
History
NameSS Canadiana
Owner
  • Lake Erie Excursion Company (1910–1924)
  • Buffalo and Crystal Beach Corporation (1924–1947)
  • Crystal Beach Transit Company (1947–1956)
  • Seaway Excursion Lines (1958–1959)
  • Toledo Excursion Lines, Inc. (1959–1960)
  • Lucas County Bank (June–December 1960)
  • Pleasurama Excursion Lines, Inc. (1960–1966)
  • S. Parella of Cleveland, Ohio (1966–1967)
  • Mobrays Floating Equipment Exchange Inc. (March 7–15, 1967)
  • Waterman Steamship Corporation (1967–1968)
  • Tropicana Products Inc. (March 20–28, 1968)
  • Sea-Land Service Inc. (March–April 1968)
  • Maritime Administration (April–June 1968)
  • Jim Vinci of Cleveland Ohio (June 1968 – May 1983)
  • Northrup Contracting Company (May 1983 – April 1984)
  • Friends of the Canadiana (April 1984 – June 1993)
  • Canadiana Restoration Project (1993–onward) [1]
BuilderBuffalo Dry Dock Company of Buffalo, New York
Cost$250,000
Yard number215
LaunchedMarch 15, 1910
Maiden voyageMay 30, 1910
IdentificationUS 207479
Nickname(s)"The Crystal Beach Boat"
FateRemaining hull scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, in 2004
General characteristics
TypePassenger ferry
Tonnage
  • 974 tons gross
  • 427 tons net
Length215 ft (66 m)
Beam54 ft (16 m)
Height16.1 ft (4.9 m)
Decks3
Installed power
  • Detroit Ship Building Company 1910 Coal fired triple-expansion steam engine
  • Piston #1: 20 in (51 cm)
  • Piston #2: 30 in (76 cm)
  • Piston #3: 50 in (130 cm)
  • Stroke Length: 36 in (91 cm) [2]
  • 1,446 shp
PropulsionSingle propeller
Capacity3,500 passengers (when launched) 1,800 passengers (downrated)
SS Canadiana lifeboat at Buffalo Maritime Center Canalside Buffalo, New York.

The SS Canadiana was a passenger excursion steamer that primarily operated between Buffalo, New York, US, and the Crystal Beach Park in Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada, from 1910 to 1956.[3] Canadiana was the last passenger vessel built in Buffalo, New York.[4]

After being sold in 1956 Canadiana changed owners numerous times, and by 1983 she was berthed in Ohio needing major restoration.[3] A nonprofit group, the "Friends of the Canadiana", brought the ship back to Buffalo in 1984 with a hope of restoring her to service.[5] When restoration efforts failed the ship was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, in 2004.[6][7]

  1. ^ "Geaneology". SS Canadiana.com. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  2. ^ "Canadiana". University of Detroit Mercy *Fr. Edward J. Dowling, S.J. Marine Historical Collection. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b "The Canadiana Revisited". WNY Heritage Press. 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  4. ^ "The Story of the S.S. Canadiana". Archived from the original on December 11, 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Mission Statement". The Canadiana - The Organization - Directions and Goals. The S. S. Canadiana Preservation Society, Inc. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Final Destruction in Dry-Dock". Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  7. ^ Licata, Elizabeth; Carri Gregorski (September–October 2001). "They Didn't Build It. And Nobody Came". Buffalo Spree. Retrieved 24 July 2015.