FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Sweet Breeze boat tours will begin later this month following the launch of the canal boat replica on the St. Marys River.

Tours will begin on May 27 and tickets are now available by calling 260-427-6000 or at the FortWayneParks.org website. Private tour options are also available. A Season Kickoff Open House is scheduled for Friday, May 26, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

According to Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, Sweet Breeze was built by Scarano Boat Builders out of Albany, NY. It is flat-bottomed, aluminum hulled boat which is 54’ long, has a draft of 2.75’ and an air draft of 8.5’. The new build was modeled after 1840s canal boat, but in order to better fit our waterways, was scaled back to ¾ the size of the historic canal boats. It is powered by a single 55 HP Marine Diesel Volvo Penta engine. It was delivered by a lowboy trailer in January 2017, craned into the Maumee River on May 20th and christened on June 5th. The Sweet Breeze is wheelchair accessible.