The Ottawa Valley Pointer

Strongback Construction Details


Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON


28/02/83

The Ottawa Valley Pointer

Stem, Oarlock and Oar Details


Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON


28/02/83

The Ottawa Valley Pointer

Frame and Planking Details


Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON


28/02/83

The Ottawa Valley Pointer

Frame Details

Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON

28/02/83

The Ottawa Valley Pointer

Side and Plan View Details

Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON

28/02/83

The Ottawa Valley Pointer

These plans are for the construction of the Ottawa Valley Pointer

These drawings were made from viewing and measuring "a pointer" that had been used by a local logging and lumber company

Construction hints are given from personal experience in this type of boat building

Howard Patterson
Arnprior, ON

John McGonigal
Arnprior, ON

28/02/83

John Cockburn Jr; Founder's Great Grandson

John Cockburn Jr of Pembroke builds pointers true to the design of his grandfather a century ago. Recently he introduced a jet model in an effort to modernize the design and develop new markets for the pointer boat.




The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

River Driver Crews Converging on a Big Log Jam

Boat crews converge on a big log jam further downstream on the Montreal River which flows into Lake Superior.

The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

River Drivers Breaking up Log Jam from Their Pointer Boat

Two river drivers use their pointer to break up a log jam on the Montreal River which flows into Lake Superior north of Sault Ste. Marie Ontario.

The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

Mississauga River Drivers

Mississauga river drivers return hung-up logs to the main stream.


The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

Pointer Leaping into Rapids

This pointer leaps into the swift and dangerous action at Pig Pen Chutes on the Mississauga River between Blind River and Elliott Lake Ontario.


The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

Pointer Boat Portage

River men roller a pointer around dangerous rapids. Boat crews co-operate at portages because a pointer, although responsive in the water, weighs half a ton or more on land.

The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

Pointer Boat Crews Converging on a Big Log Jam Down Stream

Photo scanned from

The Pointer Boat
Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
1963

Squared Stern Pointer upfitted for outboard motor and closed bow

Another square stern pointer upfitted for an outboard motor and with a fully enclosed bow resting on its side on trestles at the side of the Cockburn boat works on Lake Street in Pembroke Ontario

Photos by Montaigne of Pembroke
Arnold Gillies Muirhead Collection
Sept 6, 1955 Pembroke Ontario

Square Stern Pointer outside Cockburn & Son Boat Works

The secret of the pointer boat lies in its distinctive lines as developed in Ontario more than a century ago. All modifications have proven impractical and the modern pointer is true to its past with flaring sides curving gracefully into the upswept bow and pointed prow. The materials too have not changed since the early days neither in the 22 foot "baby" pointer towed behind the stern counter of a tugboat nor in the largest size, the 50 foot work boat of the rivers.

In the background you can see the air drying shed for all the wood used in building the pointers. Kiln dried lumber was too brittle for bending and building pointer boats.

"The Pointer Boat
Ontario Deparment of Lands and Forests
1963


Photos by Montaigne
Arnold Gillies Muirhead Collection
Sept 6, 1955

Square sterned Pointer outside Cockburn Boat Works in Pembroke

The materials in these boats has remained unchanged in 110 years and were still procured in the vicinity of Pembroke up until 1969. The planking was No.#1 common white pine, dressed 3/8" by 9/16", tongued and grooved on the sides, 1/1/4" for the bottom. The boats ribs or "knees" were made of white cedar which grew on Allumette Island nearby; the curvature of its root section provided a naturally strong "bend". The oars or sweeps were fashioned from red pine or white spruce and cut to a standard length of 10 1/2 feet. The 7 1/2 foot paddles were made from yellow birch or white oak.

Photos by Montaigne of Pembroke

Arnold Gillies Muirhead Collection

Sept 6, 1955

John Cockburn Jr. and his Production Hands

John Cockburn Sr., the original designer of the pointer boat was succeeded by his son, A.E. Cockburn who was followed by his son, John Cocburn Jr. (pictured) who continued to build pointer boats in the style approved by tradition and daily practice until 1969. John Cockburn Jr. died in 1972. The founder's grandson is probably the only pointer builder in Canada, regardless (as he puts it) of the few purchasers who "tear down my old boats and rebuild new ones from the pattern. They are still my grandfather's design."

"The Pointer Boat"

Ontario Department of Lands and Forests

1963

Picture by Montaigne of Pembroke

Arnold Gillies Muirhead Collection

Sept 6, 1955

John Cockburn Jr. driving an inboard side steering version of his pointer boats

This is a square stern version with a rear mounted inboard engine. Based on the tail plume off the stern of the boat this may in fact be an early prototype jet version.Notice the cowling covering the engine and the gauges on the front side of the cowling as well as the unique right side mounted steering wheel. The passenger sitting on the engine cowling is unidentified but is believed to be one of the employees from the boat works.

John Cockburn, the present owner-craftsman also builds a modified version of the pointer, a square-stern type, for pleasure boaters. Early in 1962, he fitted this model with a jet-propelled inboard engine which makes 30 miles per hour with a heavy load. The protoype operated successfully and seemed likely to revolutionize the pointer's use in summer freighting operations.

Officers of the Department of Lands and Forests observed trials of the new jet-pointer and reported favourably on its speed and capacity and the jet motor's built in hose couplings which allow it to double as a fire pump. This presents the prospect of a new development in forest protection.

"The Pointer Boat"

Ontario Department of Lands and Forests

1963

Pictures by Montaigne of Pembroke Sept 6, 1955

Cockburn Square Stern Pointer outside John Cockburn & Son Boat Builder Building

This pointer could be a more modern 32' square stern model built in the 1950's and 1960's for use with an outboard motor. This particular model also has an open bow.

In its heyday the Cockburn loft at 201 Lake Street in Pembroke produced about 200 pointers annually and employed about 12 men. In its waining years with two steady helpers and four additional hands during the winter it produced about 65 pointers per year. In full production, that amounted to one and one-half boats a day.

"The Pointer Boat"

Ontario Dept of Lands and Forests

1963

Photos by Montaigne of Pembroke

Arnold Gillies Muirhead Collection

Sept 6, 1955 Pembroke, Ontario

Workhorse of the Rivers

Designed and built by three generations of the local Cockburn family, the pointer boat was instrumental in the settlement of Pembroke and the development of Canada. It was the workhorse of Canadian rivers for over a century. Locally th pointers were contracted by lumber companies to clear or sweep grounded logs from shallow rapids, shoals and beaches along the Ottawa river.
The Cockburn pointer, painted a trademark brick red colour, had tow high pointed ends from which it derived its name. Each boat was powered by six to eight men rowing in unison using 3 metre long oars. Eventually the Cockburn family built a dozen different types of pointers, the largest being 12 metres long and weighing one ton. Each was stable, tough, graceful, easy to handle, and because of its symetrical design it could reverse direction without being turned around. Legend has it that because of its ability to navigate in only 2 cm of water the Cockburn pointer boat could "float on heavy dew."

Pictures taken by Montaigne of Pembroke

Arnold Gillies Muirhead collection

Sept 6, 1955