Otsego Abroad

Chief Uncas Finds New Purpose on the Susquehanna

By EMILY HILBERT
WRIGHTSVILLE, PA

Have you ever wanted to take a scenic river cruise on a century-old boat once owned by a famous beer tycoon? Well, now you can. The Susquehanna National Heritage Area is preparing to hoist the metaphorical sail on its 2024 River Discovery season, featuring tours of the Susquehanna River aboard the Chief Uncas.

Set to finish its regular maintenance and launch in early May, the Chief Uncas was built for beer mogul Adolphus Busch in 1912 by the Electric Launch Company, later renamed Elco Motor Yachts. Busch used the boat to take leisure cruises at his summer estate on Otsego Lake. It stayed within the family for decades before being used for public tours.

Per an SNHA brochure, “the Chief Uncas is 55 feet long with a 9.5 foot beam and 2.5-foot draft, displaces 12 tons, and is constructed of mahogany planking with white oak ribs and frames…powered by two 4-hp electric motors and sixteen 12-volt batteries that propel the boat at 8 mph with an endurance of 8-10 hours.” It also adds that “with its well-documented family heritage, eco-friendly power, and historic association with the Susquehanna River at its source, the Chief Uncas is a fitting vessel to showcase SNHA’s mission and focus on history, environment, and the river.”

According to President Mark Platts, SNHA acquired the Chief Uncas from Busch family member Lou Hager in July 2021. Using a crane and flatbed, the boat was loaded on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 and departed for Pennsylvania the next day.

“We moved it to Pennsylvania by truck, after initial prep work by Cooperstown area boatwright Tom Krieg,” Platts wrote in an e-mail.

“To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements for use as a passenger vessel on the Susquehanna River, we had to have the boat’s electrical system redone to marine standards, replace windowpanes with tempered glass, add safety equipment and signage, add a ton of ballast (repurposed railroad track), and pass a USCG stability test to confirm the number of passengers we could safely carry, which turned out to be 24,” Platts explained.

“All of this prep work took months in 2022, but we were able to get the boat USCG certified and begin public tours by fall 2022. Last year was our first almost full season, after a delayed start to finish up additional work,” Platts said.

This past winter, SNHA worked on revarnishing the boat decks, polishing bronze hardware, and installing new, state-of-the-art Elco electric motors in partnership with Elco Motor Yachts, the reborn company that built the boat and is now a major supplier of electric boat motors, Platts added.

Where does the name “Chief Uncas” come from? Unsurprising to literary fans or locals to the area, Chief Uncas is a character in James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans.” This character was most likely inspired by the Mohegan Sachem Uncas, a Native American leader from Connecticut, during the 17th century. While one can see this naming of the boat as fitting given its location, the SNHA brochure points out that “Adolphus Busch’s naming of the boat for Cooper’s fictional Uncas reflects the common appropriation and romanticizing of Indian culture and leaders in early 20th century America.”

Now that we know a little more about the boat, how about a ride? Tours will run from Memorial Day to October and depart from the Zimmerman Center at 1706 Long Level Road, Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. Ticket sales are set to start mid-May. One way to guarantee a seat is to purchase a gift certificate in advance, as certificate holders get priority booking before sales go public.

“Last year, the Chief Uncas welcomed more than 4,000 passengers aboard for tours and charter trips, and this season we expect to host over 6,000,” Platts said.

“The Chief Uncas has become a local star on the river here. People love the preserved character, the Busch family history of the boat, the connection to Cooperstown and Otsego Lake as the headwaters of the Susquehanna, and its green boat heritage as a 112-year-old electric vessel,” Platts continued. “They enjoy learning about the history of our National Heritage Area and the Susquehanna River from the boat while cruising in the very same waters it always has.”

There are three types of tours currently being offered by the SNHA: River Discovery Tours, Sunset Cruises and the Private Chief Uncas Experience.

The River Discovery Tour is the standard hour-long tour of the river, which is open for all ages and dives into the history of the boat, the landscape, and the Susquehanna River.

The Sunset Cruise is an hour-and-a-half tour which departs in time for sunset. The original Chief Uncas ice box is used to store food and alcoholic beverages that can be brought aboard and enjoyed by passengers as they watch the sun set and the vintage lights glow. Seats are limited to 14 on this tour.

The Private Chief Uncas Experience must be requested through the SNHA website.

According to the brochure, “acquisition of the Chief Uncas was made possible through a major gift by Ann B. Barshinger of Lancaster, PA and generous donations from Doug Hoke and George & Bambi Long of York, PA.”

While the SNHA has been able to cover the start-up costs for the Chief Uncas through private gifts and public grants, income and donations fund operating expenses. To donate, visit https://susqnha.org/support/donate/ or call (717) 252-0229. For more information about the Chief Uncas, to purchase a gift certificate, or to request a private tour, visit https://susqnha.org/programs/boat-tours/

Darla M. Youngs contributed to this article.