Barge Services for Huntsville and Muskoka
Cottage Barge Inc.’s base of operation is Huntsville Ontario serving Lake Vernon, Peninsula Lake, Fairy Lake, and Mary Lake with barge rental services. Our barge is mobile so depending on demand we can service the surrounding Muskoka area as well!
Cottage Barge is owned and operating by Rick Keevil, Ian Somerville and John Stewart. We all have cottages on Big Island on Lake Vernon and have had life-long connections to Huntsville and the surrounding area.
We hope to grow the business and expand our offering over time and as the business develops, we will add content to this site to keep you informed about what’s new at Cottage Barge Inc.
Our Equipment
We have invested in a new barge push platform which can be configured to suit the job and materials you need transported.
Our ramps are fully hydraulic to make loading and unloading simple on any shoreline.
Our push boat is powerful and reliable to ensure that we can deliver on our promises.
Our Team
I was born in Chatham but from the time I was born my parents rented a cottage on Lake Vernon and eventually owned a cottage on the lake. I was educated at the University of Western Onario and the University of Toronto as a Geologist and taught school for years which gave me the summers to spend on Lake Vernon. I have for years operated Keevil Construction and have been an active building contractor on Lake Vernon and in the surrounding area. The company has built stairs and decks and docks and boat houses and cottages and Muskoka rooms and pretty much anything you can think of that has to do with a cottage. Unlike John and Ian, my wife Jane and I live full time in Huntsville. We have had a cottage on Big Island on Lake Vernon as well for 10 years. My experience in the construction business has provided me years of barging experience all over the lake. We hope to bring that experience to you, to help you with your transportation needs when they arise.
I came to Lake Vernon for ten summers starting in 1966 at Camp Tawingo, so I have loved Huntsville and canoeing around the lake for over 50 years! I fell prey to the allure of Big Island 7 years ago and now enjoy weekends on the South side of the Island, but these days without 7 other kids in a leaking tent. Being on an Island, I have become very familiar with how to barge well, and have joined with my friends Ian and Rick with a goal to providing the best barge service in the area – without counsellors!
Like John, I came to Huntsville as a kid and spent many a glorious summer on the shores of Lake Clearwater at Pioneer Camp. I loved it so much I worked in the kitchen for a summer after my camp days were over. Fifteen years ago I returned to Huntsville when my wife Cathie and I bought a place on Big Island. It is a private slice of heaven that we share with family and friends. Last year I introduced my grand-kids to the rapids in Port Sydney. I can tell you it is as much fun today as it was 45 years ago! Water access can be challenging and we are no strangers to ferrying all sorts of things across Lake Vernon to the shores of Big Island. This year with my friends Rick Keevil and John Stewart, we formed Cottage Barge inc to make everyone’s trek a little easier! Let us know how we can help with your transportation needs!
Our Projects
