Clinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 6916te ,C111.07.):113- 1107i4112Ek—lit ,70a
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSIWY. JUNE 24.1978f -PAGE 158
`May uac"was first steel tug built in Bayfield
(taken from the Clinton News -
Record, Aprril 6, 1954....written by
Lucy (Woods) Diehl)
It was an exciting moment on
Friday. April 2.1954 at 4:25 p.m.
when the 'Maymac a 14 ton
steel tug, the first of its kind to be
built in Bayfield, was launched.
Especially delighted were her
owner Capt. R.L. MacMillen and
Merton Merner when this
gleaming white and yellow craft.
took to the water like a bird and
rode at an even keel. for they had
designed her.
'Despite the bitter cold. a large
crowd of spectators badgathered
for the event.
The boat was moved on a float
by W.R. Parsons of Staffa. and
left M.E. -Merner's lot on
Chiniquay Street. where she was
constructed, at 1:30 p.m., went up
Maim Street, down the highway
and around to the north shore
with Constable . George Little
directing traffic.
Some difficulty was ex-
perienced around the turn back of
the River Rockery Cabins (now
the Bayfield River Cottage
Colony) when limbs of trees
interfered. And it was here that
the Canadian Ensign was torn
while the American Flag escaped
damage. Also the wheels of the
transport sank into the ground.
After some delay, she was
brought to the waters edge.
Donnie McLeod took the steel
cables across and hooked them
onto the other transport truck on
the south shore. Thomas Bailey
and Hales Dresser held one rope
from the stern and Leslie Elliott
and Captain MacMillen the other
to prevenher from swinging
around th the current as she
pulled, into the water. Shortly
afte a rds her master boarded
a ' brought her to berth at the
ock opposite his shanty.
The keel for the Maymac,
which was laid the middle of
August, 1953. is all steel. 40 feet
long, 12 inches by five and three-
eighths inch. steel I beam. The
overall length is fifty feet; the
beam is 12 feet. The hull is
covered with 3-16 inch steel plate,
the ribs are 2 inch by % flat steel
one foot apart; the keel on 3 inch
% inch angle iron. Fore and aft
stringers are 3 inch by 3 inch by
14 inch angle iron: deck beams 2
inch by % inch flat steel, one foot
apart; the rub tail 6 inch faced
with 11,E inch extra heavy 'black
.iron pipe.
She is all steel turtled in with
five windows in the turtle.. 2
sliding doors in the bow -for lifting
nets, two lift doors for discharge
of ,cargo, and ane wooden sliding
door in the stern for lifting nets.
The circular front wooden pilot
house has 11 windows. the
steering wheel is of black walnut
and oak. and a white compass has
been installed. The 200 gallon
gasoline- tank ismade of
aluminum. She is powered by a
180 HP Sterling six cylinder
marine engine, and equipped
with Crossley net lifter and
Crossley net spreader. The
"Maymac'" draws four feet 3
inches of water.
History was in the making
when this tug was designed and
built by Bayfield residents and of
their achievement the village
citizens are justly proud. Most of
the work Was done over the past
six months by Captain MacMillen
and Merton Merner, whose ex-
pert welding has been the subject
' of favourable comment. Sgt. Joe
Mayman. RCAF. a mechanic,
worked in hours off duty and he
also made the wheel. Reg
Francis. a motor mechanic,
worked on her for three weeks.
Percy Weston did the carpentry
work. Albert Wands helped with
the painting and inscribed her
registration No. 16 E 115.
R. Leslie MacMillen was a
native of Goderich Township.
With the exception of two years
overseas with the Canadian
Armed Forces in World War 1, he
had sailed the Greet Lakes for 20
years. He obtained his Captains
papers but left the service while
he was First Mate on the
"Stadaconna". For five years he
was assistant superintendent at
Central Air Craft in London. In
1943 he enlisted in the R.C.N.. but
was not accepted as he was one
year above the limit for a com-
mission:
In 1946. Mr.. and Mrs.
MacMillen with their son-in-law
and daughter, Mr. and' Mrs. Joe
Mayman, came to Bayfield and
ran the £'sties Service Station for
a ye , and he also went into
ins ranee. But the Lure of the
ater was too great for the sailor,
and the next year he captained
his own boat. when he bought the
"Binnie S" from .1. and J.
Sturgeon and commenced
fishing.
Merton Merner, a native of
Bayfield, worked with Storms
Construction Company from 1936
to 1942 where he says he "picked
up" welding. He enlisted in the
Royal Canadian Navy with which
he served for 3 years: and ten
months of that period being a
board the minesweeper
"Bayfield". He was Petty Officer
on the corvette "Algoma" when
he took his discharge. He has had
no special training in boat
designing but his general
,knowledge of boats enabled him
to plan the Maymac.
Sgt. Joe Mayman hails from
Preston. He served overseas with
the Canadian Armed Forces for 5
years and has been 7 years with
the RCAF. And although postings
have taken him away from here
temporarily. he regards Bayfield
as home ever since he first came
to the Village.
Reg Francis was born In
Waterdown. He served with the
Canadian Armed Forces for five
years and was staff sgt. In the
RCEME when he took his
discharge. He came to Bayfield
and settled here with his family
in 1946 when he entered into
partnership with Grant Turner in
operation of the Bayfield Garage.
Percy Weston, a native of
Goderich Township learned Jds
trade with his brother Charles in
Detroit. He has been a resident of
the Village for 30 years, and
Albert Woods has lived in
Bayfield alt his tire. With a talent
for art, he took a course in sign
writing which he does very
neatly.
Amoagst those who watched
the "Maymac" settle into the
water was Captain L.H.D.
McLeod. Bayfield's veteran
fisherman and in his day counted
as one of the best sailors on Lake
Huron. He is the son of a pioneer'
boat builder of Bayfield, Hugh
McLeod, and in 1926 in con -
junction with bis brother, the late
W.J. McLeod Sr.. built the
"Helen McLeodi'" one of the last
of the Huron boats, which is .new
being ren Vated for a training
vessel fortthe U.S. Sea Cadets.
Sin that time. two other
"•4 en boats have been. built
. The "Donna Macivor" was
constructed on the Flats by Dave
Myers. He and the late Don
Murray fished with her out of this
port before she was sold and went
to Lake Erie. Also H.A. Thomas
had.,a wooden boat constructed in
the Albion Garage: the work
being done by.the late J.R.
Cameron.
The "Maymac" made her
maiden voyage on Monday to set
white fish nets with Captain
MacMillen at the wheel and his
nephew Colin MacMillen, John
Sturgeon Sr.. Harold Boyce and
Sgt. Joe Mayman as crew. Thus
the fourth steel tug has been
added to Bayfield's Fleet.
As a follow up of the above
story. Milvena Erickson con,
tatted Joe Mayman who lives on
the Mill Road just - outside
Bayfield, to find out what
eventually happened to the
"Maymac".
Captain MacMillen died in 1968
and up until that time con-
tinuously
fished her. Jose con-
tinued to fish her until 1969 and in
1970, sold her to Mac Masker -
chuck of Brantford who took her
to Port Dover where he had her
made into a pleasure boat. She is
still in Port Dover, owned by
Mackerchuck and is still being
used as a pleasure craft.
Some of the original crew, one
of those who helped launch her.
one of the carpenters and the
Captain have passed to their just
rewards: Captain MacMillen.
Hales Dresser. Percy Weston,
L.H.D. McLeod. John Sturgeon
Sr. and Harold Boyce. As for the
rest of those mentioned. they are
all living in Bayfield and are hale
and hardy. with the exception of
Thomas Bailey who lives in a
nursing home in Goderich.
Fishingtugs hadtaken theplace of sailboats in this picture of the north shore around 1956.
Congratulations Bayfield! ..
On your 1 OOth Anniversary
Our staff : left to right, George Yeats. Ken Cooke. Priscilla
MacDonald. Bee Cooke
Our flowers have enhanced the appearance Of rooms. homes
and people for any occasion you can think of. We're proud of
our customers' loyalty and are continually welcoming new
friends to our shop. We'd like to add you to $1Ie list the next
time your special event comes up...
Congratulations
to the people of
BAYFIELD
Proud to be celebrating oar SOth year
on the occasion of Bayfield's 100th.
on the 100th anniversary
of the incorporation of your village
It has been a pleasure working with you.
JACK RIDDELL MPP ..
HURON -MIDDLESEX
t6 .
.C. -Cooke
Florist
61 Orange St. South
482-701 2