The Columbia, with Captain Greg Updyke and Captain Tony Compese and her new crew from Ithaca, passes under the Bridge Street Bridge in Seneca Falls. This bridge setting is thought to have been the inspiration for Frank Capra's film "It's A Wonderful Life."

Columbia sold, sails to Cayuga Lake

The Columbia, a longtime Seneca Lake entertainment and dinner vessel operated by Captain Bill's and replaced this year by the larger Seneca Legacy, has a new owner and a new home. Previous owner Mark Simiele reported on Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 that the vessel departed Seneca Harbor earlier that day, and he provided photos of its journey:

Charlie,

Here are some photos and captions of the Columbia's voyage to her new home on Cayuga Lake.

Captain Bill's Columbia has been sold to a cruise line based in Ithaca, NY. She sailed Monday from Watkins Glen to Beacon Bay Marina on Cayuga Lake, where she will spend the winter before being put back into service in the spring of 2008.

-- Mark

Photos in text:

Top: The crew enjoys the summer-like weather as they pass the Seneca Knitting Mill on the Seneca River. The entire canopy structure was removed to clear the many low bridges along the canal.

Bottom: Plaque at the Bridge Street Bridge in Seneca Falls, explaining the link to the film "It's A Wonderful Life."

Photo on Home Page: The Columbia at the dock without her signature blue canopy awaiting her last departure from Watkins Glen.

The Seneca Legacy pulls away from its berth at the beginning of a cruise.

Aboard the Seneca Legacy ...

WATKINS GLEN, Aug. 8, 2007 -- The Seneca Legacy, an entertainment vessel new this year on Seneca Lake -- the successor to Captain Bill's Columbia -- is available for cruises throughout the warm-weather months.

The views here were taken this summer -- as the boat pulled away from its berth near the Seneca Harbor pier at the beginning of a cruise, at the christening of the vessel, and as it was introduced to area residents early this summer during an open house.

For a look at the Seneca Legacy's summer schedule, click here.

Left: Seneca Legacy owner Mark Simiele sends a bottle crashing against the bow of the boat at its christening. Right: Area residents enjoy the vessel during an open house.

A Seneca Legacy worker sets tables in preparation for a party aboard the vessel.

Below:

Earlier articles chronicling the development of the vessel.

New boat gets new name: Seneca Legacy

WATKINS GLEN, Jan. 8, 2007 -- The new name for the Cross Rip -- the boat that will succeed the Columbia as Captain Bill's dining and entertainment vessel -- will be the Seneca Legacy.

According to business owner Mark Simiele, the name is a combination of two entries submitted in a contest begun in October. One of them -- Captain's Legacy -- came from Nancy Fraboni. The other -- Legacy -- came from Jeanne Johnson.

"We loved Captain's Legacy in honor of Captain Bill," said Simiele, referring to business founder Bill Simiele, who died in 2006. "But my dad asked that we include Seneca in the new name before he passed away. So we think that we have a great new name that honors the Legacy of Captain Bill Simiele."

The grand prize will be split beween the two winners, Simiele added, noting that anyone who entered a name in the contest will be eligible to receive free tickets to her maiden voyage this spring.

The grand prize, valued at more than $1,000, calls for each winner to be aboard the ship at its christening and maiden voyage, and be treated to a dinner cruise with a half-dozen friends twice next summer.

The Cross Rip (foreground) is now in the Columbia's old berth, while the Columbia -- seen in the background -- is wintering in the marina, behind the Seneca Harbor breakwater.

Columbia's successor is now near the pier

WATKINS GLEN, Nov. 24, 2006 -- Renovation of the Cross Rip -- the successor to Captain Bill's dining and entertainment vessel Columbia -- continues as the new vessel occupies a new berth.

The craft -- featured in an article written by owner Mark Simiele below -- is being renovated with an eye toward putting it into service in May 2007 in place of the Columbia.

The Cross Rip -- which will have a new name, not yet determined -- is longer than the Columbia, and thus will handle larger crowds.

It was being worked on near the Cargill Salt property, but has been moved now to the berth previously occupied by the Columbia. The Columbia was moved behind the Seneca Harbor breakwater, to winter at the marina.

The Cross Rip has a couple of primer coats of paint, and will be painted white in the near future, with color trimming.

The canopy that will protect passengers from the elements on the top deck will also be installed soon, while work also progresses on the interior. New windows were recently installed all along the main deck.

Workmen under the guidance of Simiele will continue the renovation project through the winter, preparing the Cross Rip for its maiden voyage as a Seneca Lake dining and entertainment vessel.

Photos in text:

Top: Mark Simiele goes on board the boat.

Middle: The boat's main deck, when new windows were being installed and caulked.

A view of the boat from the shore near its previous berth, alongside Cargill Salt.

Top section of the Cross Rip was removed in Albany to lower the boat's height to a level that could pass through the lock system. The section was reinstalled in Geneva.

From Cape Cod to Seneca Lake

By Mark Simiele

SENECA LAKE, 2006 -- The new boat on Seneca Lake… What is that huge vessel docked at Cargill Salt? It doesn’t look like it will be much of a luxury cruiser! Is that really going to be ready by next spring? How many people will that thing hold?

These are just some of the questions and comments that have been coming my way over the last few months. I thought a column on The Odessa File will keep the public updated on the progress of our new venture.

The venture began many years ago when my Dad (Captain Bill) and I decided that we needed a larger steel-hulled vessel to replace the Columbia. We looked at dozens of boats up and down the east coast and as far west as Chicago with no luck. We had just about given up on this idea when this past winter two 400-passenger vessels went for sale in Hyannis, MA.

A trip out to the Cape in early January found both vessels in decent shape and fairly priced. The only problem was how was I going to get them through the Barge Canal and into Seneca Lake? Both vessels were over 100 feet with a 30-foot beam, but the real problem was their height! They were 22.5 feet tall and this posed a serious dilemma, because many of the bridges only have 17 feet of clearance.

After two weeks of studying bridge charts and consulting with the original ship builder on how to lower her profile, I was finally ready. I called and made my offer only to find out that I had missed the proverbial boat and both vessels were pending a sale to a San Francisco company. However, a representative for Hy-line cruises offered a look at the Cross Rip that was drydocked in Fairhaven, MA. The representative thought that this might be just what I was looking for and suggested that the top deck super structure on the Cross Rip would be easier to remove. Another trip out to Massachusetts proved very valuable. The Cross Rip was just what I was looking for!

Captain Bill’s purchased the Cross Rip from Hy-Line Cruises in April of 2006 and the second step in the journey began. I lined up a crew, which included two captains (our very own Tony Compese, and Pat Folen, a tug boat captain out of Boston) and two crewmen -- Roger Lynch and Phil Simiele. They didn’t know it at the time, but they were in for quite a trip.

The weather was quite severe in most of Massachusetts at the time, with much of the state flooded. I began to get very nervous because the waters in the locks are typically too high for a boat like ours to travel at this time of year. However, my luck held out and the water levels remained low. The crew made a speedy trip, making it to Seneca Lake in less than five days. They were all happy to be home and ready for a shower!

The Cross Rip remained in Geneva for a few days and then made her trip down Seneca Lake for the first time and into a slot next to the Columbia. She isn’t much to look at presently and many people wondered just what I was going to do with her. Well, now she is docked at Cargill Salt and I have begun the process of rebuilding her for a dining vessel and entertainment vessel to replace the Columbia.

This site will allow you to follow our progress to the vessel's completion in the spring of 2007.

Photos in text: From top, the Cross Rip early in its journey; the boat in one of the locks it passed through; and Mark Simiele with son Tony in Albany, the Cross Rip in the background..

The crew aboard the Cross Rip on the journey to Seneca Lake.