Preserving the S.S. Klondike for future generations
Plans are in the works for the S.S. Klondike to embark on its maiden voyage this spring in the United Kingdom. The model boat version, that is. Phil Button, a hobbyist model-boat builder from Norfolk, U.K., has spent the last seven years building a working model of the S.S. Klondike, complete with its own steam plant. A retired electrical engineer, Button started building model boats when he was 15 years old. He picked up the hobby again in his retirement, and now his home is filled with 30 meticulously crafted model-boat builds of various sizes and vessel types.
Button had already built a sidewheel paddle steamer when he decided that a sternwheeler was next on his bucket list. He began to research different existing sternwheelers that he could replicate and he came across many that sailed on the Mississippi River that were covered in ornate detailing. However, Button’s interest doesn’t lie in recreating miniature decorative detail; the appeal for him is in building a model that can not only float but can also move through water. Then he stumbled across a small architectural drawing for the S.S. Klondike on the Parks Canada website. When he inquired about receiving a larger version, Parks Canada staff in Whitehorse sent more drawings of the boat in its various versions throughout its history.
Coming in at 59 inches long and 10.3 inches wide, Button’s S.S. Klondike is now in its testing phase: rigorous experiments will determine that there are no leaks and that the boiler produces enough heat. Float tests will prove a little more challenging for the miniature craft, as this model is too big to fit in Button’s usual testing place—the bathtub.
While Button’s current work is getting the model boat to float in the water, the life-sized S.S. Klondike in Whitehorse is undergoing its own work to ensure the boat’s longevity out of the water. After many years of being dry-docked in the Yukon’s harsh northern climate, the condition of the S.S. Klondike has severely deteriorated and needs some significant restoration.
Parks Canada is working to preserve this treasured vessel so that future generations can continue to immerse themselves in a time when riverboat transport was prominent in the Yukon. Restoration and preservation work will resume this summer aboard the S.S. Klondike, with the continuation of lead paint removal from both the interior and exterior of the boat.
Following the lead paint abatement, crews will continue to improve the structural integrity of the vessel. Over time, the wooden structure of the boat has warped, creating gaps that have allowed rain and snow to penetrate and, along with freeze-thaw cycles, impact the integrity of the structure. Conservation work includes replacing rotten areas and reinforcing historic wood elements, where needed, to improve the boat’s overall condition. Once structural concerns have been addressed, work will focus on improving fire suppression, the electrical, mechanical, water and security systems.
This long-term project will take place over several years and will require the expertise of a variety of carpenters, engineers, environmental specialists and cultural-resource managers. During this period of restoration work, visitors will not be able to access the boat itself, but the grounds will continue to be open and the site will continue welcoming guests.
This season, visitors can still enjoy guided tours around the boat, as well as interpretive panels throughout the grounds. Back by popular demand, the new escape room—“Escape the Sinking of the S.S. Klondike”—will challenge participants in a race against the clock to solve a series of historically inspired clues and make it out in time. The Welcome Centre will be open seven days a week from May 18 to September 2, and the theatre will be screening the immersive documentary In the Days of Riverboats.
As for Button? At 77 years old, he has no plans to slow down in his boat-building endeavours. His grandkids have also taken an interest in his hobby, with his grandson spending the summer with him and learning to build his very own live steamer tugboat model. One of the best parts of his hobby, though, is taking the boats out for a spin on a nearby lake. Button says that local kids are always amazed by the radio-controlled boats and that the steam power is a real hit. The kids will ask if he made the boat from a kit, and Button will chuckle to himself and proudly share that they either came from his imagination or from real drawings. You don’t just have to be a kid to be filled with awe and wonder. Whether looking at the impressive miniature version or the real-life epic vessel, it’s easy to imagine a past time when travellers and supplies regularly navigated the waterways on these boats. The current restoration projects at the S.S. Klondike ensure that future generations will enjoy meaningful experiences at the site, for many years, and can continue to inspire folks like Button to share a little piece of Yukon history, while half a world away.
