News

Past guests and avid readers:

Under the Provincial government’s reopening plan we are slated to begin operations on the 2nd of July. To allow for any delays we will begin service JULY 3RD 2021.

We have been steadily getting calls for July, August, and September. 
Online bookings can be done contact-free for any tours by booking with us here online.

Due to continued diligence against COVID 19 we will require masks to be worn by all guests with the use to hand sanitizer on and off the boat (medical issues or children 2 and under are exempt) again in 2021 as per Transport and Health Canada guidelines. 

We thank all guests for their continued patience while we await our mandated return to active service July 2nd. If you have any questions or require assistance to book with us please reach out to us at lpiht@outlook.com or by phone 24/7 at 519-718-9608 or 9-5 at 519-410-1801.

Stay safe, see everyone VERY soon. 

Graham

-Graham Ferguson
Owner / Captain 
Interpretive guide 
LPIHT 

Final coat on CHIMO II. Just some stripes and it’s time to go up on IDLE Hour for the summer.

Final top coat is now on CHIMO II and I must say she is looking as good as her 1971 debut, possibly even better.

CHIMO II will sit for a day or two before we paint on her strips and take her to IDLE Hour for her final deck fitting.

It is a real pleasure to work on something my dad built years ago, A special restoration with return to duty shortly

Graham Ferguson
Owner/Captain
LPIHT

tonight we scuff the surface of CHIMO II and apply her “oh my that’s a nice looking dingy” final coat… A day of drying and we can apply the stripe and put her on top of Idle Hour.

Anyone else like a clean boat?

We do. Very much so.

From an ugly duckling to crowning jewel our CHIMO II is starting to look like I remembered her back in the late 70’s early 80’s. Time to primer and prep the inside while the hulls first top coat dries today.

PLAA time this evening/morning concluded with CHIMO II getting her first top coat 90% applied.

(We have more to do, but we ran out of top coat… Thirsty boards.)

Sleep well CHIMO II we will see you tonight for your last coat after some gentle sanding.

Being a family restoration, every twist of a bolt or minor repair I make to this little dingy is piece of much loved family history. 48 years ago my dad made this.
Years later his eldest son is preserving and putting CHIMO II back into service.

Powerful therapy during what is a trying time on some level for everyone during the lockdown.

My dad built the original CHIMO in 1970 which ran until he sold her in ’85. She was 23′ express craft in a house boat configuration. CHIMO II was stored on the roof.

Idle is a 1965 Chris Craft Cavalier with some differences but is very close to what as CHIMO was. This weekend, on her roof will be my dad’s restored boat, CHIMO II.

It is also his birthday this month, so he should get a kick out of seeing and taking her for a spin soon with a bit of history above him, like old times.

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Graham Ferguson

PLAA time (Pandemic Lockdown Alternative Activity) #3 CHIMO II.

CHIMO II is all sanded, prepped and will have her first top coat on her hull done shortly. i have never done 3 wooden boats in our boating downtime. It has been a real help to keep me focused. It is also fantastic so many look in and see our work, (on water or off) and it is my continued pleasure to take you on wooden journeys in between seasons on water.

Our family legacy boat should be done and installed on IDLE by Saturday… That is the goal… Stay tuned

Listening to 50’s and 60’s music into the wee hours of Tuesday morning at Ryerson’s island on our 1965 Chriscraft Cavalier… smooth as glass out here tonight, just outside the inner bay at Long Point Ontario Canada. I’m moored pretty close to where our home-built family boat moored for Saturdays at this same island 40 years ago. It is so beautiful out here.

Feeling a little nostalgic, good memories.

Be well, see everyone soon.