BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Maritime Center is recreating the historic maiden voyage of the Seneca Chief, the first boat to travel the entire Erie Canal. The replica of the Seneca Chief is traveling about 500 miles, recreating the first ever boat voyage from Buffalo to New York City. RELATED: Seneca Chief, first boat to traverse Erie Canal 200 years ago, recreates historic voyageRoger Allen, the master builder of the Seneca Chief replica, expressed his excitement about the project. But the whole history of the Erie Canal, and what this boat meant and what the Erie Canal has meant in history of the United States is it’s an amazing thing. But also to get people excited about, traditional, making traditional boat building, traditional, materials and the tools used to make those things,” Knibloe said.