SS ''Naramata'' is a steam

tug A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

commissioned by the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

(CPR) company. She pushed barges and broke ice on

Okanagan Lake Okanagan Lake () is a lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake is long, between wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2 (135 sq. mi.). Hydrography Okanagan Lake is called a fjord lake as it has been carved o ...

from 1914 to 1967. After over 50 years of service, the boat was eventually retired and left to rest in Penticton beside her sister ship, SS ''Sicamous''. In 2001, she was purchased by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society and is currently undergoing extensive renovations. ''Naramata'' is the only interior steam tug to be preserved in the province of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Manufacture

Built for CPR, the hull, engine, boiler, and steel fittings of ''Naramata'' were pre-manufactured in Port Arthur, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) by Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company, with final assembly taking place in Okanagan Landing. Construction began in September 1913 and was completed by the 20th of April in 1914. Upon completion, the total cost was and she was named after the village of

Naramata Naramata is an unincorporated community in the Okanagan region of south central British Columbia, Canada. On the eastern shore of southern Okanagan Lake, the locality is by road about north of Penticton. Name origin In November 1906, John Moore ...

, a town which at that time was responsible for producing a large portion of the valley's fruit supply.

Crew

The crew aboard ''Naramata'' consisted of 11-13 men: a captain or first officer, a pilot, two deckhands, a chief engineer, a second engineer, two firemen, one bargeman, and a cook who also served as a steward. The ship was the first on Okanagan Lake to have a flushing toilet and was equipped with a functioning shower. Due to the dirty nature of the job, crew members were required to shower at least once a week. Often, it was a joke that the crew members were considered to be some of the "cleanest and dirtiest" on the lake.

The role of SS ''Naramata''

''Naramata'' would occasionally carry passengers (maximum 22) up or down Okanagan Lake, but she was mainly employed as a tugboat for the

. CPR tugboats not only pushed and pulled barges filled with valuable goods, but in the winter months they would work as icebreakers, clearing the way for other larger and often wooden-hulled passenger ships. ''Naramata'' would often run ahead of ''Sicamous'' with crew members leaving a cardboard trail as a way to mark the clear path. More commonly, however, was the barge service. CPR tugboats could push up to two barges at once, and with barges capable of holding up to ten railcars at one time this was no small feat. When transporting two barges, ''Naramata'' would be wedged between them from astern, resulting in a "V"-shape that allowed for easy maneuvering. Alternately, barges could also be pulled from behind the tugs.

Retirement

''Naramata'' was retired in August 1967. After her retirement, she was kept at Okanagan Landing and passed through a variety of owners.

Restoration

In 1991, ''Naramata'' was sold to the Kettle Valley Railway Heritage Society and the City of

Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley of the British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan Lake, Okanagan and Skaha Lake, Skaha lakes. In the 2021 Canadian Census, its population was 36,885, while its Census geographic un ...

. On October first of that same year, she was moved to Penticton where she remained afloat beside ''Sicamous'' until 1993. Upon discovering that the hull had begun to corrode, she was immediately beached in order to prevent sinking. she is sitting in a pool of water with hopes to beach her permanently next to ''Sicamous''. In 2001, ''Naramata'' was purchased by the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society, and by 2003 the Society had begun to clean and repaired the damaged ship. This included the removal of three tons of coal and asbestos, general carpentry and safety repairs, and the installation of a steel staircase to allow for easier public access. In 2004 a grant was awarded to the Society by the Western Economic Diversification Fund, a federal government program. This permitted further restoration of the ship and she received a deep cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. This was followed by the restoration of the pilothouse, some crew cabins, the replacement of numerous windows and the implementation of a security system.

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Naramata Steamships of Canada 1914 ships Heritage sites in British Columbia Museum ships in Canada Museum ships in British Columbia Steamboats of Okanagan Lake