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SOLD for more details and pricing of this boat SOLD
Wascana was found in the Toronto area by my father, Alan Sheppard and his partner in boats, Manuel Mundschenk in 1983. The boat was complete with engine and all original hardware and name. They drove back to Toronto with my father's truck and hauled Wascana across the country to Lake Tahoe. There, in Mr. Mundshenk's workshop, they began the restoration. Many of life's little side trips intervened. My father became incapacitated by heart disease in 1995 and the boat sat unfinished, in storage until 2001. Upon my dad's passing in 2002, my husband and I pressed to get the boat completed by Mr. Mundschenk, a well-known boat restorer in the Lake Tahoe area. We capitalized the remainder of the work with the target of entering her in an ACBS show in July, 2004 on Lake Tahoe. She was well-received winning four awards. We then asked the Tahoe Yacht Club to allow her to be entered in the 2004 Concours d'Elegance. It was initially sold out but they graciously made room for this elegant lady. She won her fifth award at the Concours.
We are not in a position to keep Wascana. We are very motivated to see her happily home in Canada. We hope the boat returns to the Lake Muskoka area, the place of her birth. That was my father's intent and we would love to honor his wishes. The boat is currently titled in the state of Nevada but we would be happy to retitle her if this would facilitate her return to Canada. According to research, bringing the boat back to Canada should not trigger import duty as the boat was originally Canadian. Wascana comes with a trailer and custom-made cradle.
In the restoration, patterns were made using existing old parts and were faithfully
reproduced. Deck planks showing 1 1/4" width were renewed with 1 3/4"
planking with a double tongue and groove and epoxied to 1/8" plywood skin
underneath. These planks will not move, shrink or expand.
All original hardware was intact and has been rechromed. The original letters
for the name on each side of the bow survived and have been reinstalled. The
outboard rudder and deck quadrant along with other associated hardware is original
and on the vessel. Lettering on the transom is gold leaf. The hailing port of
"Brace Bridge" has been kept as original. Upholstery is done in the
original black leather with 4" tufting. Sisal carpeting on the sole and
wicker chairs with picnic basket have been located. A pair of long paddles with
"Wascana" lettering and receivers are installed on the ceiling boards.
Mahogany boarding steps that can be positioned port or starboard clip to hardware
on the coaming. A retractable and adjustable flat windscreen is spring loaded.
The four splices in the cover boards are unusual with decking of book matched
mahogany. All frames behind the ceilings were sistered halfway up the hull sides
with white oak and riveted as original. The engine compartment frames were all
replaced as they are visible. Transom framing, knees and gussets were replaced
using the rotted original members as patterns and a new white oak stem was installed.
Conventional transom planks of Honduras mahogany were installed.
A keelson, floors and cedar garboard planks were installed along with several
new aft tails of the topside planks. The bottom was faired and one coat of epoxy
applied overlaid with a layer of fiberglass cloth (rabbited at the waterline)
and three more coats of epoxy. Then the bottom was sanded with three coats of
copper bronze bottom paint applied. Topsides were faired, primed and painted
black as original.
Sisal carpet with a woven cotton edge is loose laid in the cockpits fore and aft.
4 cylinder Kermath 24 HP with magneto, primer cups and transmission. Generator
and starter were added when they became available in 1923.
A Lovett manual and automatic bilge pump has been added in the forward compartment.
The original boat at commissioning had no engine instrumentation. Switches,
etc. are now installed on the forward seat riser. In addition, she now has a
complete set of operational navigation lights
Wascana was the first Minett launch built for Judge J.W. Hannon of the High
Court, Regina, Saskatchewan. She was used by the Hannon family at their cottage
on Browning Island, Lake Muskoka. The boat was named after an Indian tribe and
park in the Regina area. The Hannon family had another 26 foot launch built
by Herb Minett in 1928. It carries the name Wascana II and has been fully restored
as well. I believe she is still owned by Malcolm McGrath.
The boat was part of the fleet of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and carries
the club burgee.
Extensive research has established that Wascana was built during the first part
of World War I.
Restoration Details of the 1912 Minett Launch
"Wascana"
Bottom and Topsides
All frames behind the ceilings were sistered halfway up the hull sides with
white oak and riveted as original. The engine compartment frames were all replaced
as they are visible.
Transom framing, knees and gussets were replaced using the rotted original members
as patterns and a new white oak stem was installed. Conventional transom planks
of Honduras mahogany were installed.
A keelson, floors and cedar garboard planks were installed along with several
new aft tails of the topside planks. The bottom was faired and one coat of epoxy
applied over which a layer of fiberglass cloth (rabbited at the waterline) and
three more coats of epoxy. The bottom was sanded with three coats of copper
bronze bottom paint applied.
Topsides were faired, primed and painted black as original.
Deck
The deck was very carefully measured and disassembled. New clamps, deck frames
and cockpit framing were installed. The king plank, coverboards (with splices
as original) and decking are book matched, epoxied to 1/8" plywood, splined
together and filled.
Ceiling and coaming boards are new and exactly as original. Z Spar brown mahogany
filler stain and Z Spar Captain's varnish were used on the deck and interior.
Interior
The engine bulkhead and seat risers are stile and rail with solid flat panels
as original. Upholstery is black leather tufted in four inch squares with buttons
as original. Sole covering is hemp with sewn trim
Mechanical
The engine is the original four cylinder Kermath for which the new head caps
(plug and primer) were specially remanufactured. The engine has the later optional
generator and starter kit installed. A new fuel tank has been fabricated to
the original specifications with bell ends. An exhaust is on each side at the
forward seat waterline as original.
All the original hardware has been chromed for durability including the original
two set of "Wascana" letters for the bow. The boat has the original
wooden steering wheel and column plus the original fold-down windscreen and
frame, outboard rudder and quadrant Navigation lights have been fitted as well.
She also has the original stem band, cleats, gas gauge and fill caps. A bow
pole flies the Canadian flag and a stern pole flies the Royal Canadian Yacht
Club burgee with two wicker launch chairs with a picnic basket in the cockpit.
