Canal boat replica begins ferrying passengers in Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – A full-size replica of a 19th century canal boat has begun ferrying passengers along Fort Wayne’s rivers.

The 54-foot-long flatboat named Sweet Breeze made its maiden voyage on Tuesday. The vessel carries paying passengers along the St. Joseph, Maumee and St. Marys rivers in the northeastern Indiana city.

Local non-profit Friends of the Rivers raised $652,000 to build the colorfully-painted replica of a 1840s canal boat, and hopes it returns excitement to the city’s rivers.

The Journal Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2qXda2V ) the boat can seat 40 passengers for a standard 90-minute tour and 30 for a dinner party.

Don Steininger of Friends of the Rivers says passengers can book seats for Saturday and Sunday cruises for about $35 each, but he’d like to see that fee cut by $10 to $15.

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Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net