These are the examples of some of the work that the Peter Breen Antique & Classic Boat Company LTD has

produced over the past 30 years.

They Range from Total Restorations to ground up New Boat replicas and custom new boat projects.

ABIGALE1931 Ditchburn 31’ Launch • Abell family

After several years of looking for a Ditchburn, the Abell family found Abigale in a farmer’s field in 2001. She had been abandoned and was almost completely rotted. There was evidence that she had been turned into a workboat during her later years of life. Peter Breen was chosen to do the restoration because of his attention to detail and his ability to source the many period parts that made the restoration as authentic as possible. The restoration began in the fall of 2002

and she was relaunched in August 2004. She is powered by a Chrysler straight flat head 8-cylinder engine producing 180 hp. She now resides in the Abell boathouse near Mortimer’s Point on Lake Muskoka and is used extensively for cruises throughout the Muskoka Lakes.

Jeffrey II1911 W.H. Mullins 19’ Leader Launch • Peter Breen

Purchased in 1989, the year Jeffrey, Peter’s son, was born, this boat was rebuilt and finished for the St. John’s River Run in Florida for its maiden voyage in 1997. She traveled 200 miles south to Mount Dora where she won the “oldest boat” award. Travelling at 12 mph and fighting a river current of 7 to 8 mph in the narrows, the trip took four 12-hour days. That summer at the ACBS Gravenhurst Boat Show, the Jeffrey II won the prestigious Captain’s Choice award. Originally powered

by a very rare Mullins single-cylinder motor, which was slow and cumbersome, the Jeffrey II was refit with a 25hp. Gray Marine 4-cylinder Sea Scout. The Mullins Boat Company was the largest boat company in the world prior to WWI, building metal hulls with wooden interiors and decks. Very few craft survive today, as most were melted down for the war effort. The boat is now used and enjoyed regularly by Jeffrey and his dad Peter on the Severn River in south Muskoka.

Cash Injection2002 Breen 28’ Gentleman’s Racer • Peter Breen

Cash Injection was designed from a Hacker Gold Cup race boat hull of the mid 1920s. Power is supplied by a modern 496 cubic inch engine delivering twice the horsepower of the Gold cup engines of that day. The deck, interior and windshield design are all 1920s Ditchburn styles. All the hardware from the bow light, cleats, horn, spotlight, folding windscreen, ventilators, five-gauge grape-leaf dash, throttle, outboard rudder and exhaust pipe were sand-casted using the original process. The boat also features a veneer aircraft throttle and signature Breen Indian on the bow.

After the five-year restoration project was complete, consuming over 6,000 hours of labour, she was loaded into an enclosed trailer and hauled through the snow to Florida. Her maiden voyage was on the famous St. John’s River Run. At the Mount Dora Boat Show, she won the Master Craftsmanship Award. Equipped with duel fuel tanks, as many of the boats were in the 1920s because fuel was hard to come by on the lake, this long-range cruising boat is used and enjoyed regularly from its home port on the Severn River by Peter and his son Jeffrey.

Eleanor1929 Ditchburn 29’ Viking • Peter Breen

Emerald1917 Dowsett 24’ Guide Boat • Peter Breen

Constructed in 1929 for a wealthy widow, Eleanor was designed so that it could be used in the spring and fall and varying weather conditions with six roll-up windows, folding front windscreen and retractable navy top. This was the only boat of its kind ever produced as the intricacy of the hardware so close to the cockpit proved to be quite expensive. Eleanor was one of the last boats delivered before the stock market crash of 1929 and she is still powered by her original Sterling Petrel 200 hp. Engine. After spending her first 50 years in Muskoka, Eleanor was housed at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club for 20 years. She was brought back to Ontario by Peter Breen in the mid 1990s.

Emerald was found and bought by Trish and Blair Cook, after sitting in storage for over forty years. The boat is 100% original from engine to oars and even has the original cast iron propeller. In the mid 1990s, this boat won several awards at boat shows. This is an example of an early guide boat with direct drive built by Dowsett Boats of Portland, Ontario. Historically it would have been rowed into position by the guide and then the St. Lawrence, 2-cylinder 12hp. engine would have been started to power the boat to its destination. Emerald’s long and skinny form, featuring a beam of only 36 inches, allows it to cut through water well with little power.

Arequipa1936 Ditchburn 21’ Triple Cockpit Runabout • Ian Bruce

With serial number 1936-1 and very graceful lines, Arequipa was the prototype for this Ditchburn model, and only four were built.

Only fragments of the boat’s history are known. The boat was purchased at the Toronto Boat Show in 1936 and was shipped to Lake of the Woods for use there for close to 40 years. The boat came off the lake in the early 1970s. In the late 1980s, Ken Heshka purchased the boat and sold it to Peter Breen. Peter commenced restoration of the boat at his Rockwood shop for a client in the early 1990s, but the work was halted when it was only half complete.

Ian had been looking for a boat for some time and saw the boat in less than ideal conditions in late 1998 sitting behind Peter’s shop under an orange tarp covered with snow. It was instantly clear that this was the boat he had been looking for, and he made arrangements to buy the boat, with Peter agreeing to finish the restoration.

The circle was closed three years later when Arequipa was relaunched on Lake of the Woods, where the Bruce family has their summer cottage.

Miss Oaklands1955 Shepard 22’ Runabout • Louise and Bill Cooke

Miss Oaklands was purchased from the third owner on August 22, 1980 and was completely restored by Bill Cooke and his son David. At later date further restoration and varnishing of the Honduras mahogany hull was completed by Peter Breen. Power is supplied with a 200 hp. Chrysler Imperial Hemi V8. The boat is berthed at the Cooke home in Burlington. Louise and Bill are enjoying a cruise near their home in the picture.

The Duke1959 Shepard 22’ Runabout • Crawford family

Originally owned by Ken Sobel of Island Grove, Lake Simcoe, this boat was purchased by the Crawford family in 1987 as a 65th birthday present for Dr. J. S. (Jack) Crawford. The family had been boating on Lake Simcoe for over 30 years. At the time they cruised Lake Simcoe, the Trent-Severn waterways, Georgian Bay, and the St. Lawrence Seaway in their 1961 48’ Chris-Craft Constellation. The boys wanted to give Dad a special gift and thought he would enjoy moonlight cruises with his wife Margaret and boating friends at Big Bay Point Marina.

The boat was refurbished following a marina fire, after which Marg and Jack moved the boat to the Severn River to be nearer their new home in Collingwood. After several years’ enjoyment on the Severn River and Georgian Bay, The Duke

was moved to the Muskoka Lakes, where it currently resides on Acton Island, Lake Muskoka.

So, why name a Shepherd The Duke? During the summers of 1940 to 1942, Jack worked on and piloted The Duke of Northumberland, a cruise ship running between the Port of Toronto and Port Delhousie. Jack’s boat was named in fond memory of his summers working as wheelsman on the Great Lakes.

Jack and the Crawford family still enjoy cruising the Muskoka Lakes regularly. The Duke is now used to pass along Jack’s love of boating to his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Pipe Dream1957 Ames Bros. 20’ Gentleman’s Racer • Ann and John Firstbrook

The Firstbrook family acquired Pipe dream in 1998. She had previously been owned by some of Canada’s top business personalities. Originally built in 1957 for Bud Wilmot, the boat was then owned by Gordon Wilson, Douglas Bassett, and Richard Grand. The boat had a tendency to roll over at speed – not good. A new bottom added in 2000 solved the problem.

Mineta1917 Minett 36’ Long Deck Launch • Jim Grand

The Mineta we see on the lakes today is actually the third boat of that name. The first Mineta was a 45-foot steam launch built in 1903 for Clevelands House, Lake Rosseau, Muskoka. The second was very similar to today’s Mineta, only a little smaller. The third Mineta was built in 1917 also for Clevelands House and was used as a livery boat to take guests on excursions around the lakes. Many people have fond memories of their time with Mineta – people who worked for the hotel maintaining the boat and people who drove her.

A niece of Bert Minett came to a boat show in Gravenhurst in her wheelchair just to see her “favorite boat” again. Visiting with her was a wonderful experience.

Mineta is a perennial crowd favourite and has often been voted People’s Choice at boat shows. She now lives on East Bay, Lake Muskoka and is used regularly by the family who are proud to be caretakers of this wonderful piece of boating history.

Playmate I1933 Duke Playmate • Jim Grand

In 1933, John Stevenson of Beaumaris asked Duke Boats of Port Carling to build him a deluxe fishing boat. Duke Boats took the design of a Disappearing Propeller Boat, widened the boat, squared the stern and installed a Buchanan baby Four 15 hp. engine, and the first Playmate was born. The Playmate line of boats was so popular that over the years more than 150 were built with changes along the way first to centre-drive and then front-drive.

Playmate I was acquired directly from the Duke family and restored by Ed Skinner of Duke Marine Services Ltd. She has been refinished recently by Peter Breen Antique and Classic Boat Co.

Over the years Playmate I has been shown at boat shows throughout Ontario and New York State, where she has won many awards. She now resides on East Bay, Lake Muskoka and is enjoyed every summer.

Rocket1946 Clive Brown 22’ Runabout • Jim Grand

Rocket was started in 1946 but not completed until 1948 for Nelson Davis of Beaumaris, Lake Muskoka by Clive Brown, one of Muskoka’s small and almost forgotten boat builders. Brown was said to be an eccentric, obsessive builder who did things his way so much so that he rarely had any assistants working with him.

Nelson Davis wanted a boat that would surpass any other

boat. The result was Rocket, 22 feet in length and powered by a 1948 Ford flathead V8 engine. Rocket is a spectacular-looking boat with a dramatic design, a true climax of Brown’s craftsmanship and career as a boat builder. Rocket was restored by Butson Boats and has been maintained over the years by Peter Breen Antique and Classic Boat Co. A constant winner at boat shows in Ontario and New York State, she now resides on Lake Muskoka.

Elizabeth J1898 Davis Boatworks 36’ Launch • Jim Grand

Elizabeth J first took to the water when built in 1898 as a 30 foot boat. She was extended to 36 feet in the early 1900s when a galley and toilet were added. Her power then was a Toronto Junction early gasoline engine.

In 1990, Elizabeth J was found derelict along with old cars and other abandon boats, in a field south of Huntsville. At the time, her name was Annie Lyle. Negotiations took place and she was rescued and taken to Peter Breen’s shop in Rockwood where she was given a new bottom to go with

her original sides, window frames and many other parts. She was also fitted with a newer Chrysler Crown engine at the same time. After two years of work she was re-launched in Gravenhurst bay and taken to her new home for a great “welcome home” party. Named after the owner’s great-grandmother, grandmother and daughter, “EJ” has been awarded recognition wherever she has been shown. Now in her third century of service, Elizabeth J is a family favourite and can be seen regularly cruising Lake Muskoka.

The Duchess1929 Duke 31’ Launch • Bonnie and Gary Hurvitz

This launch was built by Duke Motor Service for W.S. Hodgens of Dominion Securities in 1929. It was used by the Hodgens family until the early 1940s when the family sold their cottage property to the Reids who owned the property next door, Milford Manor, Lake Muskoka. Named Snegdoh, which is Hodgens spelled backwards, this boat was used by the lodge for sightseeing and special occasions until the late 1960’s when the Reid family sold the lodge property.

In 1997, after sitting stored on timbers in her original

boathouse for 20 years, the boat was launched and with the help of a fire pump, floated to the nearest landing. Peter Breen Antique and Classic Boat Co. did the restoration. Renamed The Duchess, this is the only surviving long deck displacement launch built by Duke along the Ditchburn lines before the stock market crash of 1929. She is almost 100% original with only the bottom having been replaced. The Duchess now resides on Lake Joseph in Muskoka where she is used and enjoyed regularly by the Hurvitz family of Toronto.

Lady Jeane1930 Ditchburn 31’ 6” Launch • McGraw family

Lady Jeane is a Raised Deck Commodore model Ditchburn launch that was built in Gravenhurst in 1930. She is 31’ 6” long with a beam of 7’ 4”. The boat was found in the Lake of Bays area in the mid 1980s; she was weather beaten but very complete. Restoration took place between 1997 and 1999 and was done by Peter Breen who used all the original hardware and some of the wood. She was originally powered by a straight eight cylinder Chrysler Majestic and later with a more reliable 165 hp. straight eight Chrysler Royal.

Lady Jean is owned by Rick and McGraw and is used and enjoyed regularly on Lake Muskoka, especially for midnight cruising with friends.

The Jeffrey1939 Greavette 21’ Gentleman’s Racer • McGraw family

The Jeffrey is a Gentlemen’s Racer custom designed by Douglas Van Patten and built in Gravenhurst Ontario in 1939 by Greavette Boatworks. Her black hull (Serial number 39-17) has beautiful lines and is 21’ in overall length or about 18 inches longer than the standard Greavette Flash gentlemen’s racer model. Originally powered with a 6-cylinder 115 hp Gray Marine Fireball, she was re-powered in the 60’s with a Chrysler V-8 with twice the horse power.

The boat was retrieved from a boat house on the north shore of Lake Nippising in 1985. Peter Breen restored the boat between 1989 and 1993 and named it after his son. The Jeffrey was purchased by Rick McGraw in 1992 and has been enjoyed by the McGraw family on Lake Muskoka ever since. The Jeffrey is thrilling to drive at 50 miles an hour in calm or rough water. At full speed, only of couple of feet of the gull remain in the water and it feels like you are driving a low slung English sports car. She throws a significant amount of spray, but is surprisingly dry unless the waves are over two feet and you are skipping across them!

Heldena II1917 J.J. Taylor 36’ Race Boat • McGraw family

Heldena II was built in 1916-17 for Fred R. Miller, a famous Toronto businessman. Miller raced her in Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit until the late 1920s. Heldena II has a very impressive racing history including championships, gold cups and world speed records. She was the Canadian Displacement Boat Champion of 1918-1920. One observer called her “the most raced boat on the North American continent” because she had raced for four years and was still performing well. Miller died suddenly in 1922 at the age of 43. The Miller family sold Heldena II to the Toronto Harbour Police and she

was part of their fleet until her retirement in 1957. Heldena II was rescued from a scrap yard in Scarborough, Ontario in 1984. Rick McGraw purchased the boat in the summer of 2000 and restoration was completed in June of 2003 by Peter Breen. She is now powered by a 1918 V12 Liberty aircraft engine, which she had when she set world records for displacement boats in 1919-1920. Heldena II is the oldest Gold Cup race boat in Canada

Kemah II1934 Ditchburn 25’ Launch • Tony Melman

Designed by Earl Barnes for Ditchburn, this one-of-a-kind boat with a six-foot beam was built to reflect the streamlined and more modern styles of the 1930s. It is a standard displacement launch with a more modern triple cockpit style deck and is powered with a 6-cylinder Chrysler engine.

Kemah II was rebuilt in 1994-95 by Peter Breen Antique and Classic Boat Company. She won First in Class in Lake Tahoe, California and also in Muskoka. The Melman family use and enjoy this boat regularly on Lake Muskoka.

Tenawa2002 Breen 24’ Gentleman’s Racer • Tony Melman

Tenawa is an exact scaled-down replica of the Rainbow III hull that Harry Greening had so much racing success with in the 1920s. It was built with all cast bronze hardware similar to that used by the Ditchburn Boat Company. This hardware includes outboard rudder, stand-offs, fuel fill, dashboard, gearshift, throttle, windshield, ventilators, cleats, chocks, bow lights, and the cutwater. Tenawa also has the signature Indian bow ornament that was prominent in cars and boats of the era. Powered by a 350 EFI MerCruiser that was balanced,

blueprinted and powder-coated, this engine weighs the same as the Packard Gold Cup 6 that originally powered Rainbow III, but delivers twice the horsepower.

Tenawa is Ojibwa for “downstream” and was built over a three year period by Peter Breen Antique and Classic Boats Company Ltd. This beautiful gentleman’s racer is used by the Melman family on Lake Muskoka

Skookum1928 Ditchburn 36’ Launch • Peter Roy

Skookum was originally built as a lodge boat servicing the Severn River in south Muskoka. Used up and abandoned on shore, this hull spent 40 years exposed to the elements prior to being restored by Peter Breen. The boat was half submerged with the bow up on shore just a mile away from the Breen family island and as children, Peter and his brothers canoed by and played on the wreck many times. In 1998, as

wrecks became more and more scarce, Peter Breen went up the river with a crane on a barge and retrieved the boat with the mother-in-law cockpit and forward part of the deck still intact. The restoration took over two years and Skookum was delivered back to Muskoka in 2001. She now resides on Old Woman Island, Lake Muskoka where the Roy family of Boston, Massachusetts enjoys using her regularly.

Shokeepani2003 Breen 28’ Gentleman’s Racer • Peter Roy

This hull is an exact replica of the Rainbow III, which has a trued bottom and outboard running gear. Shokeepani is finished as a two-seater gentleman’s racer, which was popular in the 1920s. The decks were built with enough crown to accommodate a balanced, blueprinted, and powder-coated 502 MerCruiser. The woodwork is round and sleek like that of a typical Minett boat, and the hand-cast hardware if from the 1920s Ditchburn styles. The word Shokeepani means “moving swiftly” in the Ojibwa language. The boat was built for the Roy family of Boston and Lake Muskoka’s Old Woman Island.

On Behalf Of Sam1929 Ditchburn 24’ Launch • Allan Weisberg