A Kelowna man who describes himself as an old-fashioned romantic is hard at work on a project that he hopes will become a major Okanagan tourist attraction.
Doug Mayzes is building the Spirit of Kelowna, a replica of an old-fashioned paddle wheeler that was common in parts of the province a century ago.
A boat builder by trade, Mayzes has singlehandedly done most of the work turning the military surplus lifeboat into an elegant sidewheeler.
The boot is 66 feet long and weighs 60 tonnes.
Giant paddlewheels 12 feet in diameter propel the vessel.
The Spirit of Kelowna will be able to carry up to 99 passengers.
Mayzes says there have been many moments where he has questioned his dream but says he is excited that he is close to completion.
He plans to launch the boat sometime in May and will offer a wide variety of tours and services to tourists and locals.
He says he has an agreement with the city to dock his sidewheeler next to the old Fintry Queen in downtown Kelowna.
Launching the Spirit of Kelowna could be tricky, depending on how high the water is in Okanagan Lake during the spring run-off.
If the lake level isn’t high enough to use a boat launch, a giant crane may have to be used to lift the vessel onto the lake.
Mayzes has been working on the boat for roughly 70 hours a week for the last four years.
He estimates the construction has cost him approximately $750,000.
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