Old Boats Buffalo

“EDITH ll”

C1905 26’ “FAY & BOWEN” STANDARD LAUNCH

IN 1895 WALTER L. FAY AND ERNEST S. BOWEN SET UP A SMALL PLANT IN AUBURN N.Y. TO MANUFACTURE BICYCLE SPOKES AND SPIKE NIPPLES.

IN 1900 AS THE BUSINESS PROSPERED THEY SOLD THEIR BUSINESS TO STANDARD SPOKE AND NIPPLE CO. OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT. MR. BOWEN HAD BECOME INTERESTED IN THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. ENCOURAGED BY HIS PARTNER THEY SET UP THE FAY & BOWEN ENGINE COMPANY. IN 1904 THEY MOVED THEIR OPERATION TO GENEVA ON SENECA LAKE N.Y. HERE THEY BUILT MANY ENGINES FOR USE AS STATIONARY POWER PLANTS AND OFTEN THEY WERE USED TO RUN MILKING MACHINES. BUSINESS EVOLVED INTO BOATBUILDING AND MANY FINE EXAMPLES OF FANTAIL LAUNCHES AND EVENTUALLY LONG DECK LAUNCES WERE PRODUCED BETWEEN 1900 AND 1929 WHEN THE DEPRESSION AND COMPETITION CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMPANYS’ DEMISE.

EDITH ll IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE COMPANY CALLED THEIR STANDARD OR FAMILY LAUNCH. CONSTRUCTED OF CYPRESS WITH OAK RIBS AND MAHOGANY DECKS SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN POWERED BY A MODEL L 22 WHICH WAS A 10 H/P TWIN CYLINDER ENGINE. THEIR COMPANY LOGO BECAME A SHIP’S WHEEL WITH THE WORD“RELIABILITY” EMBLAZONED ON THE INNER HUB. RELIABLE THESE ENGINES WERE NOT.

THIS VESSEL WAS FOUND IN A DERELICT STATE IN AYLMER,QUEBEC IN THE LATE EIGHTIES.SHE WAS FAITHFULLY RESTORED OVER A SIX YEAR PERIOD (2000 – 2006) BY DUKE MARINE SERVICES IN PORT CARLING, ONTARIO. THE MAJORITY OF HER HARDARE HAS BEEN REPRODUCED TO THAT OF THE TIME AND SHE HAS BEEN REPOWERED WITH “MODERN POWER” FROM 1920 A KERMATH MODEL 20 FOUR CYLINDER PRODUCING 20 H/P. SHE HAS RECENTLY BEEN REFINISHED BY THE PETER BREEN ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC BOAT CO. AND IS READY TO PLY THE LAKES ONCE AGAIN.