That's too bad BB - they were fun - MUCH smaller than the paddlewheeler, and a little faster and able to go up close to shore. And you often got a very fun captain too. I liked the top deck myself - but inside was fun too, looking through the little slotted windows.
Used to have the canoes too - those were lots of fun. I do miss lots of those more 'innocent' times types of attractions - probably why I still enjoy Tom Sawyer Island so much - it reminds me of my days as a kid in Disney more than almost any other section, because of how little touched it is (at least the one in Florida).