About Us

In the late 19^th century, Lake Sunapee became a popular vacation destination for city folk from New England, New York and New Jersey. The railroad line that passed by the shores of the lake spawned the arrival of wealthy Victorians to spend their summers here

From Newbury Harbor, steamships ferried passengers from the south end of the lake to family estates, cottages and the numerous grand hotels all around the lake shore.

NS Gardner purchased Little Island for one silver dollar and built a bowling alley on it. He then purchased the Penacook, later renamed Mountain Maid, to carry passengers to his island for recreation, thus launching the steamboat era on Lake Sunapee. The Woodsum brothers launched the Lady Woodsum in 1876. She was 50 feet long and could carry 75 passengers.

The 90 foot Edmund Burkewas launched in 1885, able to carry 600 passengers. In 1891, she struck and underwater ledger at Loon Island. This accident led to the construction of a lighthouse on the island in 1893 by the Woodsum brothers.  In 1887 they launched the Armenia White, 101 feet long and 650 passenger capacity. She was the flagship of their fleet and the biggest steamer ever to sail Lake Sunapee.

In 1897, the MV Kearsarge was launches at 70’ carrying 250 passengers. Today’s MV Kearsarge is a gas powered replica.

In 1902, the 50 foot Weetamoo was launched. After 25 years of service, she was scuttled off Pine Cliff in Newbury. The ship is still intact and visited frequently by local scuba diving clubs.

There were major steamboat landings at Sunapee Harbor, Georges Mills, Lakeside Landing, Blodgett’s Landing, Brightwood, Pine Cliff, Lake Station, Soo-Nipi, Burkehaven and Granliden to service the great hotels. The Great Depression took its toll and tourism declined.

Built originally in Damariscotta Bay, Maine, in 1926, the MV Mt. Sunapee (known then as the Suzy Q) first saw service as a rum runner carrying liquor in from beyond the twelve-mile limit.  Power by three Liberty engines of 250 HP each she was very fast with a speed of approximately 30 knots or 34 miles per hour.  Her first payload was 200 cases of Old Overholt whiskey brought in from a British freighter.

After several years of varying service along the coast of Maine and in other parts of the New England coastline, she was taken over by the US Coast Guard in 1936 and was based at New London, Conn.  During World War II, with guns aboard, the vessel was used as an auxiliary submarine patrol cruiser on duty on Long Island Sound.

In 1946 she was auctioned by the government and was purchased by Harmon Smith of Agawam, Mass and was used by him as a private cruiser along the Atlantic seaboard.  During this era she made several cruises along the New England coast, one cruise to Florida via the Inland Waterway, and one cruise to Chicago by the way of the Hudson River, the old Erie Canal, and the Great Lakes.

In 1950 the boat was purchased in New London by a corporation of interested Lake Sunapee business men headed by her first captain on the lake, Gene Densmore.  Capt. Gene sailed the cruiser to Boston where she was stripped down and was taken out of the water at Dorchester Bay.  After being brought overland on a large special trailer she was rebuilt at her cradle at Newbury and was put in service on Lake Sunapee as an excursion vessel late in the summer of 1950.  in 1952 she was repowered with twin Lathrop marine engines of 165 HP each.  Gasoline burning these engines develop a cruising speed of about 12 knots.

In 1960 the MV Mt. Sunapee was purchased by the MV Mt. Sunapee Excursions Inc. owned and operated by John and Steve McGrath

Daily trips, moonlight excursions, charters, carried 75 people, 53ft cruiser, $1.15 round trip including tax, children under 12 were 60 cents, children under 5 free.

While out cruising during it’s early years the MVS stopped in George’s Mills and Blodgett’s Landing and in the afternoon for a rest stop and ice cream in Newbury Harbor.

The boat was originally hauled up for winter storage at Davis Cabins in Newbury using a tow truck winch. This is the same location they pulled out the steamboats and took them apart. In 1966 the MV Mount Sunapee I was pulled up here, stripped of all her gears and motors and then burned.

In 1966 Captain John recognized the need for a new vessel if he was to continue in the cruise boat business. The MV Mount Sunapee I was starting to show her age and it was difficult to maintain the wood hull. He commissioned Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding Company in Massachusetts to build a steel hulled ship, with a design based on the original boat. The MV Mount Sunapee II was christened on June 26^th, 1966.

The original layout of the MVS2 had the pilot house located midway back on the main deck with stairs that led to the engine room and head. There were no windows and the bow was not enclosed.

She wintered in the McGrath/Hargbol family property on Lake Avenue. A 150-foot railway, 100-feet of which was underwater, was built. Before windows were installed, tarps and plywood were put up as protection for the interior from the elements.

By 1975, the MVS2 was renovated, moving the pilot house to the upper deck and the foredeck was enclosed, thereby enlarging the upper deck.  She now closely resembled the boat you see today.

In 1994 an extension was put on the stern that added 4 feet, 2 bathrooms and a cocktail bar.

The Sunapee Belle began operating 1970. She was built as a replica of a Mississippi streamer and had a paddle wheel at her stern.

Eventually the wooden hull of the Sunapee Belle was replaced by one of steel. She then transition from the Sunapee Belle to the  MV Kearsarge