Boblo Boats in Sad Shape

[MrMal1980]

I remember that I was just a little kid when I first went to Boblo back in the 80's and I hate that it couldn't stay open for the newer generations to be able to enjoy all the fun and love that place had. Kinda makes me sad to see these photos, brings back SOOOOO many memories.

[TheCaretaker1964]

just like detroit let a detroit jewell go to hell and let a new yorker rubb our nose in it

[cptboblo]

A nonprofit group is making tremendous progress on the Columbia.  They are planning on getting it stable enough to be towed to New York where the restoration will be completed. Once the restoration is complete they plan on sailing the Columbia up and down the Hudson River.

We were also making great progress on the Ste. Claire’s restoration saving the owner millions in labor and raising thousands at trade shows with souvenir sales and donations.

[cptboblo]

However, work stopped on the Ste. Claire last year when the owner sent a nasty message to the volunteers telling them that all trade shows were cancelled and that the boat was off limits to us. He also said that all the volunteers could “Get F**ked!” No one has heard from him since nor seen anything from the money raised go back into the ship.

[JeffHendrie]

@cptboblo That person should either be arrested, or, give the ship to you people. Why take the Columbia to the Hudson River anyways?

[JeffHendrie]

@cptboblo By the way, Nice job getting these old "dirt rags" restored. :) Finally somthing of Detroit's history is ACTUALLY RESTORED, not destroied, like J.L. Hudsons, and most of the older hotels and other buildings.

[AGDemo]

@cptboblo wth!?!?

[cptboblo]

The Columbia was launched in 1902 and the Ste. Claire was launched in 1910. Both ships have steel hulls and were supposed to be ocean-going tugboats but then it was decided to make them into passenger ships. No one ever thought these ships would become as popular as they did. The ships had several destinations in the beginning but their longest and most remembered destination was to Boblo Island amusement park. The hour and a half cruise to Boblo continued until the season ended in 1991.

[DarrenNemeth]

Nice boat. What type of hull does it have??

What years were the Boblo ships made? I see a lot of checked plywood with peeling white paint. Compared to two yachts I am working on, these look like relatively easy, large scale overhaul projects.

[mmichaelc]

@DarrenNemeth For a start the 2 ships have sat here for going on 20 years at least the people that own the Columbia are going to restore it and run her on the hudson river. As for the Ste Claire who know what the "they are going to do with it.

[cptboblo]

Sadly they aren't trying to bring back the island but we have been restoring the Ste. Claire for over 3 years. The Ste. Claire will be staying in Detroit while the Columbia, once stable, will be headed for New York to sail on the Hudson River. It's been great working on the Ste. Claire, brings back all the memories of when I worked on the Columbia in 1981 & 1982. What a great time!!!!!!!!

[pufferfish75]

EMERGENCY UPDATE::::the boblo boats were sunk by torpedo's fired from a terrorist bass boat in the detroit river...all hands were lost....

[daven58100]

@pufferfish75 Really?! I bet it was those goddamn Canadians. Death to Canada!

[340polaristxl]

@daven58100 first of all the boblo boats are still floating, they werent sunk and second boblo amusement park is in canada so why would we attack something in our own country

[cptboblo]

Sadly they aren't trying to bring back the island but we have been restoring the Ste. Claire for over 3 years. The Ste. Claire will be staying in Detroit while the Columbia, once stable, will be headed for New York to sail on the Hudson River. It's been great working on the Ste. Claire, brings back all the memories of when I worked on the Columbia in 1981 & 1982. What a great time!!!!!!!!

[brian7125]

@daven58100 , americunt.

[daven58100]

@brian7125 Hey dipshit. It was a joke, but I guess you are too stupid to realize that. Actually I like Canada, but I have a low tolerance for ass-wipes like you. Have a nice day.

[brian7125]

@daven58100 , americunt.

[daven58100]

@brian7125 Wow, great comeback. Are you what is considered a genius in Canada? I'll bet you are.

[brian7125]

@daven58100 ,americunt.

[daven58100]

@brian7125 Oh wait, I see you are a fan of "Professional" wrestling. I guess that helps to explain your mental state.

[antwonza]

@cptboblo

How is the restoration coming along?

[cptboblo]

@antwonza ..............We have reached a point where the volunteres have done almost all that they can. Ron, owner of the ship, has told us that he is working with an Ohio company to draw up the plans for the rebuild. The plans should take 5 to 7 months and the rebuild should start next summer. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Btbfu]

@cptboblo wait are they trying to bring back boblo island

[toastieee1]

I remember all the fun times on the boblo boat. I cant believe it is on youtube. Man those were the good ole days when the boblo boat was running.

[Martintheauthor]

I am a member of the United States Power Squadron and all of us in District 9 have been following the restoration. Wonderful effort you folks are making. I can't wait to come aboard when you're finished!

[thore989]

Thank you for your reply. We moved away from Detroit in 06 and your vid just made us miss old Detroit very much. Good luck on your work with the ships.

[thore989]

I am from Detroit and I miss the rides on the old boat. What is the name of the song playing with this vid it plays well with the slide show.

[cptboblo]

You know I have no idea what the name of the song is. I had the songs "I Like Dreamin" & a reggae version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" but Youtube took it off and attached this song because copy rights.

[micahwfmh]

this is sad to see but the ste claire should be almost done by now,i had so many memories on these two boats as well as the other ferris that were on a smaller scale i wonder what happened to those small ships ? im not liken how they are going to take the columbia to ny to the hudson river when its redone

[cptboblo]

We have been working on the Ste. Claire for 3 years now. We hope to bring her back to Detroit sometime in August for her 100th birthday. We plan on having tours of the 1st & 2nd decks then a haunted house, all to raise money for her continued restoration.

She's coming along great!

[bsquared1836]

Anyone remember Alpha Omegas ( AO ) Boatdance in the early 60's? A thousand or so drunk highschool kid's having a Blast . Our school, Cooley High, Vice Princible Mr. Meyers standing outside of the terminal threating any student who got on board with expulsion if they partook of the festivities.... GREAT FUN !!!!!

[chabba77]

Looks like the boat in the old Faygo commercial.

[mmichaelc]

No that's not either the S.S Columbia or Ste Claire.

[OnTheRun167]

I remember being 8 and dancing on the boat back to Detroit. It was 1981. Thanks for the post!

[amiegamache]

I had so many great memories of Boblo and the boats - our church group along with hundreds of other kids from other local churches would have an all night party at boblo - so fun!

[jimnascar24]

boblo went the same way the other jewels of detroit went. long lingering death

[KITTYKITTYBO]

Nice Job!

Thank you for posting...

[cptboblo]

I know, I was helping Mr. Anderson clean up the 3rd deck on the Columbia a few weeks ago and there was nothing but holes. The good news is, the Ste. Claire is almost ready for the rebuild to begin. The plan is to have her back in Detroit sometime next year for her 100th birthday.

[Berlitz777]

The Boblo boats. How sad to see them in such poor shape. I left behind many fond memories of childhood on those very boats.

[sonecheeba]

Where are they docked at now?

[capttrouble]

we were just on the colombia today and i have to tell you she is in bad shape. but the folks that have her will get her back to shaoe and then she is off to new york :(

[chica476]

Auf WiederSehen! greetings from capitalism!

[figmentz]

I was born in england and moved to canada in 1964 with me adopted parents. I miss bob-lo island you should open it up again and call it bob-lo island reborn.

[cptboblo]

That's exactly why I chose Somewhere over the Rainbow and I like dreamin. Because it was all about dreamin!!!

[cptboblo]

I wish they would tell me how to contact someone to explain why their song is so appropriate. Oh well I guess we just have to turn on the radio or cd while watching now.

[cptboblo]

You're welcome mmichaelc. These ships meant so much to so many. We are not trying to profit by using a certain song. The songs that were chosen for the slideshow were so fitting. I dont think there are any songs that could exactly express the way we feel about those ships. Although, Youtube offers some free songs that can be used its hard to watch this presentation while listening to rap, techno, or the upbeat music they only seem to offer.

[mmichaelc]

There's only one song I can think of that's perfect for this video from 3:42 and that's "I Like Dreamin" by Kenny Nolan and you had it. Showing the Columbia docked, then Ste. Claire being towed and "Dreaming" of cruising down the river again on the Ste. Claire.

[cptboblo]

It's sad when a company takes the music away from such a nice slide show, especially when it went so well with it. What's worse is that Youtube will not give any contact information so you can possibly get the ok to use to song.

[mmichaelc]

Thank's Cptboblo for putting back one of my favorite boblo video's you made! Now I have to go and find the 2 songs to play along with the video,

Talk to you soon

[deeannut]

lookin at this breaks my heart bob-lo was such a treasure to detroit

[mawgwi667]

It's a shame that Bob-lo is no more and the boat is in such a state. I remember going there as a kid growing up in MI

[timwmartin]

The same greed heads who created the financial mess on Wall Street turned Boblo Island into a gated community back in the 90's. Unfortunately, the development went bust and the island went into receivership a few years ago.

[cptboblo]

Hopefully, the public can get at least 1/2 the island back. I can't believe what that guy did to such a unique amusement park. Like we needed more residential places!!!!! Long live Boblo!

[Sunshine021282]

I MISS BOB LOL island, the boats, everything.. It was way better then Canadas Wonderland.... !!! You cant ferry across to get to the amusement park at CW! LOL

RIP BOBLO

[redravensounds]

So many memories - as a little girl, I remember running up and down the stairs, the smells, the excitement, looking down at the water, tying up at Bob Lo Island and coming back so tired and falling asleep in my daddy's arms. I hope with everything in me that at least the St. Claire will once again be her beautiful self. Why are we so cavalier with our history?

[cheapeep36]

I see some pics of one of them on the Maumee river. They tried a haunted house on the boat for a couple of times and I don't know how successful it was. They are kind of like a white elephant, unfortunately. Costly to restore, after they are restored, then what? The price of oil to fire the boilers would put the whole thing into a new and worse perspective. Sad...very sad. It will live on in our memories....

[Biggie1231]

Wow seeing these Old Boats Brings back Alot of Memories . I remember the Music Playing and the old Gray decks and Danceing to the Music , I remember they Had a Arcade on the one Level of the Boats and getting to look down to were the Engine was looking at all the Parts Moveing like that in the Engine Room . What kinda Engine was that expantion steamer??

[Proutpictures]

Thanks for sharing your video. It's a shame that the boats sat for so long without anyone looking after them.

I gave the previous owner of the Ste Claire several photos (some framed) to sell and raise funds for the restoration.

[cptboblo]

Thanks for the comment. I have a bunch of pictures. I also have a slide show that I have been selling on the Ste. Claire with the proceeds going to the restoration.

[mmichaelc]

How much is the slide show and were can I get it?

[cptboblo]

The slide show and the DVD are each $20.00. I have tried to send the site but for some reason it won't let me. Do a search for boblo reunion and it should take you to the site.

[mmichaelc]

Great video of the Columbia,Ste Clair. Do you have more videos, pic's of either ship, inside of either Plot house or more pic's of the outside Ste Clair's Plot house. Thanks for posting the video

[cptboblo]

Sorry I haven't been online in a long time. I just took more pictures & videos of both the Columbia & Ste. Claire that was taken a few weeks ago. I'll try to get it online soon.