With the recent installation of a 4B 76 horsepower engine, the ferry now can continue taking passengers across the lake from Bemus Point to Stow.

The installation would not have happened without board member, and retired Cummins employee John Osborne, said Board Co-President Jay Kuntz.

“He knew who to reach out to,” Kuntz said.

And since 1986, there has been a Cummins Engine on the ferry.

The 76-horsepower Cummins engine donated by the Jamestown Engine Plant to the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry is pictured. Submitted photo

“And this will be the third one,” Kuntz said.

Things, Kuntz said, started in the fall of 2025 where Cummins team members removed the engine from the ferry, and brought it to the Cummins facility in Buffalo. At the facility, Cummins redesigned the whole engine compartment which allows for easier maintenance, Kuntz added.

“Now we have gauges that work,” Kuntz noted.

And during the installation, Kuntz said Cummins installers experienced very uncooperative weather – rain, sleet, snow, and heavy winds.

According to thebemuspointstowferry.com, the unique cable-guided ferry is one of less than two dozen in the United States. On its eastward journey to Bemus or the return trip to Stow, the bow shifts from one end to the other. The uncommon vessel always goes forward, and never backward. “The paddle-wheels aren’t decoration, they power the boat between The Narrows. Her description as The Icon of the lake has been earned,” the website noted. “The Ferry is operated by licensed pilots who can tell you all about the long service connecting Stow and Bemus Point. On-board ambassadors are glad to share knowledge about the history of the region and give tips on other activities.”

Starting in 1811, the cable-guided ferry has been crossing the narrows of Chautauqua Lake.

The 215th season is set to begin May 22, at about 4 p.m. On Thursday, May 21, Kuntz will host a historical presentation at 6 p.m. at the Bemus Point Library.

For more information, visit The Historic Bemus Point-Stow Ferry Facebook group page or email info@thebemuspointstowferry.com.