The MV Cordite occupies a unique place in the history of the Royal Military College of Canada. Designed and built by the staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the mid-1950s, she continues, to this day, as a floating laboratory for staff and student projects.

Cordite was one of the first two all-welded-construction aluminum boats in Canada. She was built using a new process that made welding of aluminum practical, more than a century after it had first become available as an engineering material.

In addition to her use in engineering education at the College, over the years Cordite has also represented RMC, both formally and informally, in support of many other organizations, including the City of Kingston, Queen’s University, HMCS Ontario, the Ontario Field Naturalists, and even the British Royal Navy.

This book tells the story of the design and construction of Cordite and highlights a few of the many activities in which she has participated since her launch in 1957.

The story is supplemented with photographs, many of which were contributed by members and former members of the department, as well as some official DND photos drawn from the archives of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.