The Thousand Islands Boat Museum currently owns 36 boats, ranging from the 52-foot Windswept III, (1935 Ditchburn), to the 12-foot Jelly Roll, (1936 lapstrake sailing dinghy built in Kingston by Hans Nicholsen).

In addition to antique boats, the Museum also owns a very special collection of boats built by students at the Gananoque and Intermediate Secondary School (G.I.S.S.), that includes an 18-foot St. Lawrence skiff built in 2013-14, four Optimist sailboats and 1956 Gerrard runabout. The collection is used in many ways: to offer on-water experiences, to preserve the boating history of the region, to support the Museum’s programs in boatbuilding and restoration, and to tell the stories of local boatbuilders through exhibits.

Many of the boats in the collection can be found as a part of our Floating Fleet showcased and stored in the Boathouse, an impressive structure on the waterfront in front of the Museum buildings. The in-water fleet is used to promote the magic of the St. Lawrence River and the 1000 Islands and stimulates the cultural development of the community by encouraging people to use these examples of living history.

Visitors can also occasionally find boats visiting the Museum docks, these Visiting Vessels range from the St. Lawrence II brigantine ship to locally owned antique motor boats that owners generously offer to display on our docks.

Want to do a deep dive into TIBM’s collection of boats, owned, on loan, or built by the Museum?  An online catalog showcasing the boats is coming soon.