Looking for a big boat? Paddlewheel Princess for sale
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/03/2016 (3805 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
You can own the Paddlewheel Princess.
Owner Steve Hawchuk listed the popular sternwheeler for sale in the Winnipeg Free Press on Saturday.
“It’s all ready to go,” said Hawchuk. All that’s needed is for spring breakup on the Red River.
Hawchuk spent $140,000 in upgrades on the cruise ship in 2010, then didn’t get on the river due to high water from flooding. It hasn’t run since 2009.
But it has all the upgrades, including a new engine. “All it really needs is a paint job because paint on the river doesn’t last long,” said Hawchuk, who has retired from the cruise ship business.
The Princess was originally built by “Red River” Ray Senft, owner of Red River Construction in Winnipeg in the mid 1960s. Senft first constructed the Paddlewheel Queen. It proved so popular he built the Princess shortly after.
But Senft’s background wasn’t the service industry. In 1969, he sold the boats to Hawchuk and step-brother, Joe Slogan.
There were once four large cruise ships running up and down the Red in Winnipeg, including the River Rouge and Lady Winnipeg owned by Dan “Commodore” Ritchie, but none have operated in recent years.
The Princess can carry 200 passengers, about half the number as the former Queen, which a new owner is converting into a barge to serve Northern Manitoba communities.
“The princess can run as a regular passengers service, with charters and weddings. You name it,” said Hawchuk.
Hawchuk announced in the Free Press in January that the Princess was for sale but didn’t get an ad in the paper until last Saturday because he was tied up with moving to a new home, he said.
It comes with complete galley with grill and fryer, freezer and coolers, warming cabinet, and all Royal Doulton dishes and cutlery.
He has had several inquiries already but isn’t certain how serious they are. Hawchuk has offered to assist in startup and consulting.