York boat

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York boat

The York boat was a type of barge used by the Hudson's Bay Company to carry furs or merchandise on the inland waters of Canada . It was named after the headquarters of HBC, York Factory , and was designed after the fishing boats of the Orkney Islands (these in turn were successors to the Viking long boats).

use

York boat in use, ca.1910

It was preferred to the fur trading canoe as a cargo carrier because of its larger dimensions, higher loading capacity and better stability in rough water. The heavy wooden construction of the boat also brought advantages when driving through rocky passages or ice; it was much less sensitive to cracks and holes. This advantage became a disadvantage when portage was necessary. The boat was far too heavy to carry, and instead of just clearing a path through the bushes, it was necessary to lay out poplars as casters and drag the boat laboriously across the land. Whatever the circumstances, operating a york boat was an arduous task, and those who chose this life, according to researcher Sir John Franklin, “ faced never-ending drudgery, punctuated by the horror of the storms. "

description

The York boats were about 14 meters (46 ft) in length and the largest known boat could carry over six tons (13,000 lb) of cargo. It had a pointed bow, a flat bottom, and a 45 degree stern, which made landing and launching easier. The boat was propelled by both rudders and canvas sail and was steered by a control rod, or a rudder when sailing. The crew was six and eight men. The first boat was built in 1749 and by the end of the 18th century there were boat building stations from James Bay to Fort Chipewyan . The appearance of the steamships at the beginning of the 19th century marked the gradual end of the York boats as a cargo ship.

this and that

The trip from Lake Winnipeg to Hudson Bay by York boat was the subject of the Canadian television documentary "Quest for the Bay" in 2002.

Can still in York Boat Race Norway House ( Manitoba be seen). Race entrants compete for a grand prize of $ 25,000 in an event called the Treaty & York Boat Days.

See also

  • Fur Trading Canoe - Counterpart / rival of the York boat in the Canadian fur trade

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