Replica Of Historic 'Sheila' Boat to Lead Pontoosuc Lake Flotilla
 Dave Francoeur purchased the replica last year. |
When Francoeur, who runs U-Drive Rent-A-Boat near the Lanesborough border, read about Andrew Carnegie's boat providing sightseeing tours around Pontoosuc throughout the mid-1900s, he wanted to bring that back.
So last year, he purchased a replica of Carnegie's boat, "The Sheila," to do just that. He now offers the same type of hour-long tours filled with stories of the lake's history that hundreds in the past have taken.
"I think it was 5 cents to get a ride around the lake," Francoeur said on Wednesday. "I had wanted to create something like The Sheila for a long time."
Later this month, The Sheila will lead a flotilla parade around the lake to celebrate the town of Lanesborough's 250th anniversary. The flotilla is open to anyone with a boat (except sailboats) and will set out near Matt Reilly's Pub and circle the lake.
The 250th anniversary is a yearlong celebration of the town's incorporation. The flotilla is one event, and organizers are encouraging costumes and decorations in the theme of Lanesborough — with prizes for the most colorful, most creative and most original.
"We are delighted that we can celebrate Pontoosuc Lake in this way, with a fun flotilla open to everyone, and one led by The Sheila," said Robert Barton, a 250th Anniversary organizer.
The parade floats off at 1:30 on Saturday, Aug. 22, with a rain date scheduled for the following day. Francoeur says he hopes more flotillas are organized to promote use of the lake. People can register online.
The Sheila's history doesn't go back as far as the town's, but it still has a storied past.
The original Sheila was purchased in 1915 by the industrialist Carnegie and glided about Stockbridge Bowl. In the early 1920s, it was used as a sightseeing tour boat around the Pontoosuc. The Sheila provided rides for decades, with George Vogel at the wheel, until 1967, when she sunk during a storm. The boat was pulled from the lake and put back into service on Cheshire Reservoir. A second version of the boat picked up the tours in 1972. A third version of the Sheila also provided tours of different lakes.
Francoeur has books on both the boat and the lake's history. The latest revival of The Sheila stemmed a lot from Francoeur's passion for history and the lake.
He is a Pittsfield native but has moved around to various places in the country. In 1984, he bought his first boat and hauled it around to lakes. Eventually, he decided he would either sell his boat or buy a house on Pontoosuc Lake, where he would visit his family. In 1997, he purchased a house on the lake.
He bought the piece of land on North Street in 2004 with the idea of eventually building a marina. And that dream of owning a marina came quicker than he expected.
In 2005, he put up a dock and a sign on a pontoon boat advertising that it could be rented, and leased it that same day.
 This version of the Sheila is all electric, being powered by numerous car batteries. |
After that first rental, the calls kept coming in from people looking to rent it. In just a few years, he fixed up a retaining wall, designed a logo and signage, and turned it into a business — a business he runs outside of his daily job. With help from his family, the company has been renting boats by hours and days during the summer for the last decade.
"Once I realized it had merit to it, I re-did the walls and started the application to start a marina," he said.
Francoeur says he has "an entrepreneur spirit" and is constantly looking for ways to build on the business. He purchased the former Fireplace, near the intersection of Hancock Road, with the hope to turn that into a shop selling hamburgs, hot dogs, and ice cream. He wants to connect that with the lake and has engaged the city in conversations about docking The Sheila on city property across the street.
He is also looking into expanding his business to have a "timeshare" option for customers to share a boat all summer with others.
Currently, he has three docks on his property — one for the rental business, and the others to rent to boat owners.
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