A tragedy that led to a two-year restoration and the revival of a family marine business.
By DEL Writers
At seven years old, Travis Logan was already learning the family business with his father aboard the Hornet. Twenty-five years later, he found himself rebuilding the same boat after it had sunk — this time without his father.
The Hornet had spent nearly two decades working the Fraser River under Mark Logan, towing and salvaging logs out of Richmond. Then, in October 2023, a trip toward Mosquito Creek ended in disaster. Mark was killed when the vessel capsized and sank in severe weather.
When the Hornet was recovered, Logan decided to bring it back. It was more than a workboat to him. It was part of his childhood, his education and his family’s business. “I worked on this boat 20 years ago with my dad,” says Logan. “I wanted to keep my father’s legacy alive.”
Logan’s father Mark acquired the 18-foot dozer boat in 2006 after bringing it over from Vancouver Island. Powered by a 266-horsepower Detroit Diesel engine, the Hornet was designed specifically for working with log booms and primarily operated on the Fraser River, from the mouth of the river near Wreck Beach to the Maple Ridge area.
After the tragic sinking, the Hornet was recovered by a marine crew and transported to Vancouver Island. From there, it was taken to Jenkins Marine, where Logan spent much of the following year personally working on the recovery and initial stages of the rebuild.
The restoration was hands-on from the beginning. Logan sandblasted and painted, while working alongside electrical and mechanical crews. The wheelhouse was modified so it could be removed, allowing the vessel to be loaded onto a flatbed truck and transported back to the mainland aboard a BC Ferries vessel.
After bringing The Hornet to Shelter Island in Richmond, Logan worked with Bracewell Marine spending approximately another year completing the restoration.
The rebuild touched virtually every part of the vessel, including a complete engine rebuild, new electrical systems, radios, LED lighting, safety equipment and a full paint job. The deck was also modified with a more modern rubberized system.
Smaller improvements included replacing the lazarette hatch and modifying the wheelhouse with a wall and canvas system. A welded cage was added to the outside of the vessel.
The engine presented another major challenge. Because the specific engine had largely been decommissioned, finding replacement components proved difficult. Ultimately, parts from two engines were combined to create a functional replacement.
Logan says the process was not without its setbacks but there was never any question that the project would be completed. “There were some tough points. I lived away from home for a good eight months trying to restore the boat,” he says. “At the beginning we knew that we would just do it. We would find a way to complete the project and just took it one step at a time from there.”
Much of the work and decision-making was handled by Logan, his sister Kim Rudnik and his brother-in-law Carl Rudnik. After two years of work, the Hornet finally returned to the water. Logan says the first voyage after the restoration was a particularly meaningful milestone.
“It was fantastic because I was able to show my brother-in-law and sister the water because my sister hasn’t seen it since she was a kid, and my brother-in-law hadn’t seen it at all,” he says.
The Hornet officially returned to service in July, and Logan relaunched the family’s business, Log an’ Tow — a name that pays homage to his family history.
Today, the Hornet is once again working the Fraser River, performing log salvage, towing logs and supporting marine and logging operators. The company also provides on-call emergency support when companies experience problems such as broken or escaped booms.
The business is drawing on both its history and a new generation of customers, and Logan says he has received plenty of support.
“All of my dad’s contacts from the past have reached out and have shown assistance or support in the ways that they can.”
For Logan, the return of the Hornet meant rebuilding a boat, restarting a business, and continuing what his father built. Carrying on Mark’s legacy of integrity and hard work is extremely important to both him and his sister. “My sister and I basically learned the whole business from our father, so I just knew I had to take on the project.”
But perhaps the most meaningful part of bringing the Hornet back has simply been being aboard the boat where his story began.
“Being back on the boat was probably the biggest thing for me,” says Logan. “I worked on it with my dad since I was a kid, so to bring it back and be on it again after all these years was pretty special.”
