In the 1920s the Muskoka Lakes saw strong growth in tourism as the Canadian economy recovered from the trauma of World War I. By 1924 the Muskoka Lakes Navigation Company found that the six steamers then serving the lakes were growing inadequate to the task and looked to add to their fleet. Rather than commission an entirely new boat, management decided to convert the decommissioned SS "Nipissing" from a paddle-wheeler to a twin propeller passenger steamer. "Nipissing"s wrought iron hull was built on the Clyde in 1887 and was in service on the lakes from 1887 through 1915. When Segwun was rebuilt on the hull of the second SS "Nipissing" she was also converted from a side paddle wheel steamer with a walking beam engine into the current two counter-rotating propellers.