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Boat Builder
20th Century
Grosse Isle, Magdalen Islands, Quebec, Canada


Credits:
Glendon Dickson

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Arthur McKay first started helping out his father Austin around the boat building when he was 14 years old. He was a boat builder for 54 years in the winter and a lobster fisherman in the summer. His specialty was wooden boats but the last boat he built was for himself out of fibreglass. Arthur says when he started building boats they would build them with a low cabin just to cover the motor. Then, they went to a break that protected them from the wind and rain but it was open in the back. Finally, as they still do today the cabin's are completely closed in with a door. Glendon Dickson was the first fisherman in Old Harry to have the boxed in cabin. The first gas motors for the boats were called "Putt Putt". They were 5 or 6 horse power single cylinders. He remembers Percy Clarke and Norman Taker, both from Grosse Isle, were dealers for the 4 and 6 cylinder gas motors. Percy Clarke selling Universales and Red Wings over a period of 5 to 10 years while Norman Taker was selling Acadia Gas and 6 cylinder Chevrolet. Percy Clarke's son, Ivan, also sold Ford marine engines for a period of 5 years. He sold 460, V8 marines and 300, 6 cylinder gas engines. Norman Taker continued on selling 4 and 6 cylinder diesel motors after the gas motors went out.