Past News & Events
Buckeye Marine Tops Ontario
For the seventh consecutive year, Boating Industry Magazine ranks Buckeye Marine at the top… the Top Dealer in Ontario in the magazine’s annual Top 100 Dealer Awards. Buckeye is the only Canadian dealer to rank in the program since it began. This year’s placement puts Buckeye at the top of all single location dealerships in [...]
Wild Salmon Return to Lake Ontario
Stories from early settlers in Upper Canada mention salmon so thick in the river mouths you could walk on their backs. Unfortunately overfishing and loss of habitat destroyed the population. And despite restocking efforts, the fish never caught on again.
The problem may have been alewives. These silver fish of the herring family is not natural [...]
New Chalets on the Rideau Rink
Denial works for only so long. The WaterWays are going to freeze whether we like it or not so let’s like it. The Rideau Canal is getting ready. In preparation for skaters on the world’s largest rink, the NCC (National Capital Commission) is replacing the old change rooms with seven new chalets. Not only do [...]
Mercury Marine Wins IBEX Award
Mercury Marine’s new four-stroke 150 horsepower outboard received an Innovation Award at the International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX).
Improvements that particularly caught the judges’ attention were the engine’s light weight, fuel efficiency and performance. Mercury trimmed 24 pounds off the engine, yet it has a 3 litre, four cylinder in line block that, according to [...]
Maria Street Bridge Closed in Peterborough
The Maria Street Swing Bridge will remain closed until November 8 for additional repair work.
Alternate routes include the McFarlane Street Bridge, Warsaw Road swing bridge, Hunter Street under the Peterborough Lift Lock, and Lansdowne Street East.
Parks Canada says it is committed to completing the work as quickly as possible to restore normal traffic flow.
According to [...]
Repairing The Rideau
I haven’t been on the Rideau Canal for a few years, now but according to many different sources, it is in a sad state of repair. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visited by people from around the world, yet boaters are saying the infrastructure is crumbling and should be repaired for aesthetic reasons [...]
Damned if You Do…
Here’s a conundrum. Asian carp will be an extraordinary menace if they become established in the Great Lakes. Some scientists believe they will not because the waters of the lakes are not suitable for spawning and the right rivers are too far from Chicago where the fish may be arriving. However, let’s say they do, [...]
A Steamship Sails Home
The S. S. Keewatin is coming home. She was once the pride of the Canadian Pacific Railways Great Lakes Steamship fleet, carrying passengers from Port McNicoll on Georgian Bay to Port Arthur - now Thunder Bay - on Lake Superior. She sailed for nearly 60 years, with a crew of 86 and room for nearly [...]
Port Severn Celebrates its Bridge
In 2009 the Port Severn Swing Bridge stopped swinging. It was no longer safe. The bridge was left on shore during the boating season, open for boats, closed for cars. Once the Trent Severn Canal closed for the season, the bridge was opened for road traffic.
The bridge has now been replaced. When it was re-opened [...]
Looking for Something to Do Next Summer? Go Paddling!
Ross Philips from Saskatoon did just that and set a new record. He and five friends paddled and portaged across Canada - yeah, you read that right - across Canada… in 172 days. The previous record was 183 days.
Think about that for a moment. They walked and paddled (and cycled, as it turns out) 7,500 [...]
When is an Inner Tube not an Inner Tube?
We’ve had a few people contact WaterWays Ontario about floating down the river on a raft. The OPP Marine Unit had told them they needed to wear PFDs. At first thought, that might seem a little over-protective. We contacted Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety in Sarnia. Turns out that if you are using the [...]
Shrinking Asset
So there you are, in the cold rain whipped up by a north wind, frozen fingers trying to zip up the enclosure on your boat one last time… and the two sides of the zipper just won’t come together. It’s like trying to do up your pants after Thanksgiving dinner but in this case your [...]
Bald Eagles Return to Lake Ontario
Birds of prey are making a comeback. They were wiped out in some areas, with most of the blame placed on chemical pollution, particularly DDT, which softened the eggshells so young stopped hatching. Now the osprey is well established again, with nesting sites up and down the Rideau and Trent Severn WaterWays. We almost take [...]
Another Invasion Threatens
With the Asian big head carp at the gate, poised, some say, to wipe out the natural fishery in the Great Lakes, we now have a European crustacean in North American waters. They’ve moved from the Great Lakes in Michigan (2006) and Lake Ontario, and now they’re in the Finger Lakes region. They’re called the [...]
Crates Landing Development Back on Track
Fortress Real Capital is pleased to announce that the Crates Landing Development is expected to proceed in the next few weeks. The project had been delayed for nearly two years because of an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (which has been resolved in favour of the project) as well as the economic downturn which [...]
Great Lake Levels Expected to be Low this Season
Forecasters with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expect water levels in each of the lakes to be lower than in 2010, although still above historically low levels. Lake Ontario is the only exception. This may come as a surprise, considering the exceptional snowfall through the winter. Unfortunately, much of this snow was “lake effect” [...]
Boat Registration Regs Changed… again
Last year after an overhaul of small vessel regulations the government was calling for all boats to be registered with Transport Canada. Registration (of course) meant paperwork, a photograph of the boat, estimated tonnage and a fee. That applied to all boats, which caused some confusion. Did that mean owners of canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, punts, [...]
Extraordinary Property for Sale in 1000 Islands Region
The Thousand Islands encompass country estates and cottages passed down generation to generation for centuries… ideal waters for yachts and cruisers where Lake Ontario, St Lawrence River and Rideau Canal meet… exceptional fishing and hunting… extraordinary sunrises and sunsets… peace and tranquility, an escape from urban crush, yet only minutes [...]
More Hydro Generation Proposed for Trent-Severn WaterWay
Falling water is an efficient and clean way to produce electricity and now the Otonabee River could be the site of two more generating facilities. Coast Hydropower Corporation from Calgary plans to build beside the dams at locks 24 and 25 to produce a total of about four megawatts of electricity, enough for approximately 1500 [...]
Better News from TIBS
SOLID SALES RESULTS AT
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
POINT TO A STRONG YEAR FOR CANADIAN BOATING INDUSTRY
TORONTO - More new first-time boaters, a renewed feeling of confidence from attendees, and selling trends indicating consumers moving up to larger boats, all combined to create a positive mood as the 2011 Toronto International Boat Show kicked off what’s expected [...]
Good News from NMMA
The National Marine Manufacturers Association reports that 70 percent of its winter boat and sport shows increased attendance. The others remained flat or were down by single digits. In addition, many exhibitors at the NMMA shows reported sales increases, strong leads and more people looking to make a purchase this year. Ben Wold executive vice [...]
“Just Add Water” Festival Celebrates Parks Canada’s Centennial
Canada’s national park service reaches 100 years in 2011 and the Just Add Water Festival kicks off the century celebrations in May. On Friday May 27, school children from the area will participate in various activities focused on our ecosystems. In Port Severn on Saturday the 28th, the day begins with a pancake breakfast, with [...]
Volvo and Garmin Enter Joint Venture
AB Volvo Penta and Garmin Ltd have entered a joint development and marketing strategic alliance to provide instrumentation, navigation and communication equipment for marine use. According to a recent press release from Volvo, boat builders and end users in the marine industry are looking for increasingly complete and integrated system solutions for the entire chain [...]
Update on Bridge Repairs at Port Severn
Now that the snowmobile trail is closed, the swing bridge at Port Severn has been swung open and will remain so while the new bridge is installed. The new bridge is expected to be completed by the time the Trent-Severn WaterWay opens in May and will be open to road traffic shortly thereafter.
Trailer Missing from Boat Show Lot
Sean Horsfall from Len’s Cove Marina has reported the trailer missing… either taken inadvertently by another dealer… or stolen. If you were at TIBS and brought a trailer home, check to see if it’s the one from Len’s Cove. It’s a MasterCraft X15 PS215TA “Pro-Tour” red tandem axel custom bunk trailer, serial number [...]
Dusty’s Back at T.I.B.S.
This is “the show” for boaters… the largest, the most fun, the busiest, and Dusty’s on the water in The Lake.
Dusty brings his unique boat handling skill to audiences daily from January 8 to 16. He demonstrates landing, taking off and all the nuances of keeping your boat in control… whether a single or twin, [...]
Missing Boat
Milton Tirecraft Auto Centre/Maki Automotive on Main Street in Milton had a boat stolen Sunday night - a Correct Craft Super Air Nautique, on a trailer. It’s a 2000 and the number on the bow is 59E29006. If you get close enough to look, the VIN is CTC07450E000. If you do see it, please notify [...]
Boat Show BS
Someone is calling Toronto Boat Show exhibitors claiming to represent hotels for the show. They don’t. The caller may identify himself as Chris calling from the Toronto Boat Show, or as a representative of Global Housing Reservations. However, he has no affiliation with the Toronto Boat Show.
The boat Show advises you not return the call [...]
Gusty Wind = Gutsy Sailing on Labor Day Weekend
Keith Metz, President of SailTime (fractional sailing) took one of the sailboats out of Toronto Harbor on Saturday. The boat was “Champers” a 33 foot Hunter.
They took off in that crazy, gusty wind that heralded the end of the hot spell in southern Ontario. While the air was fairly light at 7 knots when they [...]
Fossil Making Comeback?
A fish population survey this summer in Lake Superior counted a surprising number of sturgeon. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources caught and released more than 250 of this ancient fish in their nets. “We (knew) we’d see some sturgeon,” said Tom Pratt, research biologist with DFO, “but [...]
Canoes for Cancer Research
Boaters in the top of the Trent Severn Canal may have to give way to a flotilla of canoes on Sunday. From 9:30 to 3:00 on September 5, the OPP Marine Unit will be leading the way for a large group of paddlers between Big Chute Marine Railway and Lock 45 at Port Severn. It’s [...]
NMMA Announces CSI Awards
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) honoured 44 boat and engine manufacturers with the Marine Industry CSI Awards for 2010.
Official acknowledgement of the awards takes place during the annual Industry Breakfast during the 2010 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) on September 28th. Award winners achieved and maintained a standard of excellence of 90 percent [...]
A Boat to Dream On
Gulf Craft has launched a triple deck mega yacht… the Majesty 125. The new model makes its debut at the Cannes International Boat and Yacht Show next month before heading to Monaco and Genoa for two more boat shows.
The Majesty 125 has a pair of 2400 HP MTU engines. She has five staterooms with fully [...]
Cormorants A Boon to Lake Ontario Fishery?
Studies by New York state Department of Environmental Conservation have determined that the majority of the double-crested cormorants’ diet in Lake Ontario is helping native game fish. “Cormorants seem to be opportunistic feeders that take whatever is most available,” said Russell D. McCullough, senior aquatic biologist. His group studied the contents of cormorant pellets and [...]
Goodness Snakes
A newly established eight-acre preserve on the tip of Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie (it’s just across the US border from Pelee Island) is one place where the Lake Erie water snake is making its last stand. “The rocky beachfront and shallow waters not only provide habitat for the Lake Erie water snake… but [...]
Fallen Arches on Lake Superior
The famous arch at Tettegouche State Park, Minnesota has collapsed.
The arch had been formed by centuries of Lake Superior waves, nibbling away at the rock, and according to Jim Bischoff, park specialist, the natural bridge had had its time. “There was no big wind or waves or storm. I think it was just time for [...]
Lake Simcoe Getting Cleaner
A $30 million investment in the Lake Simcoe watershed is paying off. 60 different projects from creek channel restorations to storm water management around Lake Simcoe are having the desired effect. Weekly monitoring by a team of scientists over the last three years confirms it. The team takes water samples, temperatures, and sediment cores dating [...]
Thousands Gather in Hastings
The Fourth Annual Hastings Waterfront Festival was a rousing success, despite the rain and gloomy skies. Friday night close to a thousand people came to the shoreline for musical entertainment, and at least two thousand more came on Saturday for the waterfront breakfast, antique and classic boat display, silent auction and waterfront barbecue. Local vendors [...]
“Deadly” Visitors Coming to B.O.R.F.
The inaugural Boating and Outdoor Recreation Festival takes place Wednesday September 22 through Sunday September 26 at Metro Beach Park in Harrison Township Michigan, Just north of Detroit. Among the visitors to the show will be Neal Hillstrand and Mike Fourtner of the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch”. Fans of that show will have a chance [...]
Your Bath is Drawn
Lake Erie’s water temperature is near record levels. Environment Canada’s buoy in the western basin of the lake reached 27C in the middle of the month. That’s 80 degrees. Senior Climatologist David Phillips said “from January on and even earlier than that we’ve just had every month in the Great Lakes basin that has been [...]
Invading Mussels Blend In
Zebra and quagga mussels continue to wreak havoc in the Great Lakes Basin but the days of their explosive growth may be numbered. The mussels muscled into the lakes’ ecosystem, hitching a ride in ocean-going freighters. Without any natural controls they grew very quickly and caused a lot of damage. They still do. Recently the [...]
West Marine Looks for Green
West Marine is looking for another winner. The company is looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact and has called for entries in its second annual “Green Product of the Year” contest. The contest encourages the development of innovative green products, awarding a grand prize of $10,000. The competition is free and open to [...]
Bridge Work Along the Trent Severn
Repair and replacement of bridges along the Trent Severn Canal continues. In a release dated August 16, Parks Canada announced that the Lakeshore Road Swing Bridge 50 on Ramara Road 47 near Gamebridge reopened on Friday August 13th. The bridge had been closed for two years. Two more bridges - the Port Severn Swing Bridge [...]
Chicago Boat RV and Outdoor Show Gets NMMA Boost
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is joining forces with Affinity Events to produce the 81st annual Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show. Their plan is to strengthen the depth and breadth of the RV Pavilion at the largest outdoors show in the Midwest.
“We’re pleased to partner with Affinity Events and combine our strengths in [...]
Shorebirds Along the Ottawa River
Juveniles are testing their wings in preparation for the southbound migration and birders are delighted. The Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club have reported black-bellied plover at Shirleys Bay, along with a short billed dowitcher and, in Embrun lagoon, a young red-necked phalarope. Other reports from Shirleys Bay include 17 Caspian terns and eight great egrets. Rare [...]
Kayakers Paddle Up an Impressive Total
The 10th annual paddle of Kayakers for Cancer raised more money for research than any previous year. A group of 54 kayakers set off on August 7 at Kingston to paddle to Ottawa along the Rideau Canal. They arrived eight days later, on August 14. Supported by approximately 80 sponsors and innumerable donors, the paddle [...]
Cell Phone Distraction Bigger than DUI?
The National Transportation Safety Board says there is a serious safety problem at the helm: talking and texting. They specifically point to a boating accident in San Diego, last December in which an 8 year old boy was killed. His family’s pleasure boat was struck by a Coast Guard vessel in which, according to NTSB [...]
No Lunkers in Kawartha Fishing Event
Kawartha Lakes Fishing Club held its second event of this season recently… a twilight five-bass derby in south Chemong Lake. Six boats blasted off at 3 in the afternoon, all headed for the same shoreline of docks. Most of the fish were small and the totals reflected the lack of big fish. The five fish [...]
Low Water in Ottawa River
The wild river flow in the Ottawa River is reportedly lower than it has been for a century. A winter without much snow and a spring and summer without much rain have combined to plummet water levels to historic records. In some places they are down by nearly 10 meters. But it’s not as if [...]
Swimmer Finds Sunken Mercedes
Swimming from the Government Dock at Hawkestone, north of Barrie on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, James McGuire found a Mercedes Benz. McGuire is from Barrie and he and his family have cooled off in these waters for many years. He had been in the same spot the day before, so he knew this [...]
Favourite Boat Show Reaches Milestone!
The Port Credit In Water Boat Show will open the gates on its 20th show at the end of August (27-29). This is the place for new boats, used boats - power and sail - as well as a host of related products and services, including a marine consignment tent. Here, boaters bring “gently used” [...]
Hot Summer/Cool Water
Ontario’s hot hazy summer has brought millions to the myriad wonderful waterfronts we have throughout our province. Many go no farther than the shore, and long to join the people on the water. For them, Discover Boating has on-the-water suggestions.
Rent or Charter. Boat rentals can be hourly, daily or you can charter for weeks at [...]
Tougher Regulations for Boaters
The Federal Government has announced that it intends to change the way it licenses recreational boat operators by making the PCOC testing more stringent.
The Pleasure Craft Operators’ Card has long been criticized as too easy and too susceptible to cheating. New, tougher and better controlled testing is expected to begin this fall and will include [...]
Discover Boating and NMMA Push Safe Boating Message
The National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada (NMMA) has been awarded a $5,000.00 financial contribution from Government of Canada’s Office of Boating Safety under the Boating Safety Class Contribution Program.
The government program supports non-profit organizations that focus on promoting boating safety to Canadians. Discover Boating will use the contribution funding to [...]
Good Advice at Port of Whitby Marina
At a recent orientation for new boaters at the Port of Whitby, Marina Manager Keenan Watters pointed out that many boaters scare themselves off the water for good when they get into trouble. The For Sale sign is up before the end of day. He admonished new members to always go boating within their knowledge [...]
Barrie Boat Show Moving
The Georgian Boat and Sportsmen’s Show will be at Georgian Downs, the race trace at Innisfil Beach Road, on the West side of highway 400. The show had been slated for the Barrie waterfront but Barrie City councilors were not receptive to the idea.
Georgian Downs has rolled out the red carpet. The show will feature [...]
What’s Killing Our Fish?
VHS is not just an antique video format. It’s a fish killer. Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is a disease that kills all kinds of fish and has left shorelines littered with carcasses. A new strain of the virus has killed fish in the Great Lakes: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Muskellunge, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Chinook Salmon, White [...]
Asian Invasion Thwarted - For Now
A six-week mission to find Asian carp on the Great Lakes’ doorstep yielded no results, suggesting that few have passed the electric barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Biologists and commercial fishermen used nets and electric stunning prods to look for the silver and bighead carp in Chicago area rivers and canals where [...]
Cross Border Boating
Time was, you’d think nothing of it… boaters along the Great Lakes border would often cross from Canada to the US for lunch, to meet friends or visit a favourite beach or fishing spot… and come back the same day. Since September 11, 2001, it’s not that simple. So a coalition of boaters, marina operators [...]
New Regulations for WaterWays Safety
The federal government has introduced new regulations to enhance safety and streamline approval for WaterWays events. “The Government of Canada is committed to helping local communities maintain the safest environment possible in and around lakes, rivers and beaches,” said Transport Minister John Baird. “These changes give communities additional tools to promote safety in activities such [...]
Chilling Facts of Cold Spring Water
Safe Boating Awareness Week is May 22 to 28… but boats are in the water before then. Canoes and kayaks are usually first to hit the water in spring… but the rest soon follow. When you’re out on a hot spring day, remember that the water is still very cold. People talk about hypothermia but [...]
What Dreams May Come in Dubai
According to Emirates Business, one adjustment boat manufacturers are making to the new market conditions is to build larger, more customizable yachts at the top end and more affordable craft at the entry level.
At the Dubai International Boat Show in early March, a “Discover Yachting” campaign got underway to make owning a yacht and enjoying [...]
Oakville Gears Up for Boating Season
Everything you want to know about boating in Oakville will be yours for the asking on Saturday March 27. From 1 to 5 p.m. in the Town Hall (on Trafalgar north of the QEW), guest speakers and exhibitors will present Oakville Harbour’s Boating Expo 2010. Speakers include Dusty Miller to talk about boat handling (surprise [...]
Bridge Construction at Gamebridge
Parks Canada has announced that construction will soon begin at Lakeshore Road Swing Bridge 50 on Ramara Road 47 near Gamebridge.
The construction contractor will remove the old bridge to aid in the fabrication of the new bridge. The replacement bridge will be built elsewhere and brought in ready for installation. The bridge will be opened [...]
Spring Freshet
Such nice words… “Spring” and “Freshet”… we’re now just weeks away from the beginning of another great boating season. The people at the Trent-Severn are getting ready. In a recent release, the Superintendent of the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada says they’re making changes to water control structures all along the Waterway corridor [...]
NMMA to Put Toronto International Boat Show Back in Canadian Hands
The Show will go on but from the end of March it will be under a new banner. For 52 years, the Toronto International Boat Show has been an annual tradition in the depths of winter.
The NMMA bought it from Canadian National Sportsmen’s Show in 1992, and now, Canadians will be taking over again. The [...]
John Irwin Passes Away
John Irwin was one of those people who seemed like you’ve known him for years even though you’ve just met. Full of life, ready to laugh, engaging in conversation… in my experience, at least, he loved to talk about boats or aircraft. He seemed the kind of person who’d be fun on a long voyage.
John [...]
Toronto Boat Show - Friday
Pretty well all you need to know about boating in Ontario is here… along with a whole lot of information about boating elsewhere. Here are a few of the folks we spoke with on Friday:
Boat Show Exhibitors Cover the Water
New boats may make the Big Splash at Toronto International Boat Show… but exhibitors like these provide the nuts and bolts you need!
These are the people you should see… they fill out your boating experience.
Fresh Pickerel at Toronto International Boat Show
Henry’s Fish House is known everywhere - “World Famous” is accurate. Out on Frying Pan Island in Georgian Bay or on the shore at Doral Marine Resort, people come from all over to dig into the best tasting fish… pickerel’s a favourite but not the only choice. People arrive by boat, even fly in, [...]
Toronto Boat Show - Quiet Before the Storm
Saturday… the first full day of the show… crowds were lined up out in the frigid cold - sunny, but bitter cold. Before the doors opened officially, Brad took a few shots at what they were about to see. These four shots are the main hall… north south east west, overlooking hundreds of boats all [...]
Toronto International Boat Show Launched
The parking lot was jammed with trailers and tow vehicles shifting boats back and forth as if it was the first warm days of spring at the marina.
Indoors, the wraps were coming off and the polishing cloths were busy. Even on Thursday it hardly looked like the show would be ready… but it was.
On [...]
Henry’s is Back at TIBS
Henry’s Fish House of Georgian Bay will be transplanted to the Lake at the Toronto International Boat Show in January. If you’re among the thousands who have missed the world’s best fried pickerel (and other fish) and those steaming hot french fries… you’re in for a treat. Henry’s will be back in the East Annex [...]
Sea Ray Announces New Canadian Dealerships
Sea Ray Boats has added a new group of dealers to its sales and service network. Not long after announcing the signing of six premier dealers in August, the company is now pleased to announce the signing of eight additional dealers in important markets ranging from California to the Mid-Atlantic States to Canada.
“Since 1959, it [...]
Raymarine Unveils Stylized Glass Navigation System Monitors
Raymarine has introduced its new Glass Bridge Monitors for the G-Series Navigation System. The latest in Raymarine’s portfolio of sunlight viewable displays, the monitors come in two sizes, 15″ and 17,” and are LED backlit. Inspired by today’s PC and television screens, the monitors feature a smooth black surface with no protruding buttons and may be flush [...]
New York Boaters Must Wear PFDs
Boaters in any craft less than 21 feet must wear PFDs. The new regulation is in force from November 1 to May 1.
A rash of fatalities in New York waters have involved off-season boaters on small boats have accounted for approximately one-quarter of all boating fatalities over the last few years. Of 21 boating fatalities [...]
Mark Your Calendar! TIBS is Coming.
Toronto International Boat Show (TIBS) is set to warm your winter this January. From the 9th to the 17th you’ll see what’s new for 2010… the awesome cruisers, snappy sport runabouts, sailboats and canoes, trawlers and workboats, picnic boats, PWCs and more… they’re all there.
You can find all the gimcracks and gewgaws you need… [...]
Sandy Cove Marine Takes Customer Service to Extremes
Saturday afternoon at the Innisfil location was very busy… but the folks at Sandy Cove Marine were up to the task, making sure customers got what they were looking for. One, however, got a little more than what Sandy Cove was willing to give.
During the afternoon, Sandy Cove sales manager Gord Brittle noticed an empty [...]
HST Impacts Boaters Big Time
According to OMOA reckoning, Ontario’s Harmonized Sales Tax could cost boaters an extra $20,000,000 a year.
The number seems high, but when you consider that boaters will be paying an extra 8 per cent on dockage, repair services, marine surveyors, legal services, safety equipment, brokerage sales fees, winter storage, launching and haul out, mast stepping, holding [...]
A New Current in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
When boaters head past Chicago, they’re in for a shock. Part of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is electrified.
As the sun sags below the equator, a flotilla heads south from Ontario waters. Sailors may wait until the end of the hurricane season and head for blue water. Cruisers, however, often make their way down [...]
It’s here… September 15!
All boaters across Canada need PCOC (Pleasure Craft Operator Cards) as of today. The millions who have not yet passed the test face a hefty fine next time they go out on the water.
The fine for operating a boat without a PCOC is $250.
Now, OK, you’ve decided to put the boat away and not go [...]
Water Under Troubled Bridges
As reported earlier, the Boslover bridge is down for the count. It will not be operational until at least the end of the boating season in 2010. The Port Severn Swing Bridge (#60) at lock 45 is out of use, as well. It will also remain closed to road traffic for the foreseeable future. There [...]
Bolsover Bridge Repair
The Bolsover Road Swing Bridge (Bridge 43 on the Trent-Severn WaterWay) has been closed for some time and the process to repair it is now underway. An RFP (Request for Proposal) for a bridge design consultant has been posted to competitive tendering. Design work should be completed by the end of March with work on [...]
A Familiar Face has a New Name at Atherley Narrows
Not just a new name but a whole new image. Hot Knots Landing Marina is now Bridge Port Marina. For some time, Hot Knots Landing Marina has been building a name for itself along with a growing list of friends and satisfied customers at one of the busy spots along the Trent Severn Waterway.
Atherley Narrows [...]
Mercury Outboards Stolen in Simcoe
Marina operators and boaters should keep a lookout for five outboard motors stolen from Proctor Marine. Partner Doug Heighington reports “Our fence was cut open last night (June 7) and outboard motors were stolen. The OPP are being quite thorough in their investigation, taking fingerprints, photographs and so on.”
Proctor Marine is at 487 Queensway [...]
Great Lakes Continue to Rise
Lake Huron is reportedly more than a foot deeper than it was a year ago. The US Army Corps of Engineers attributes the rise to this winter’s heavy snow and says that Lake Superior is five inches deeper. Still both Lake Superior and Lake Huron is below average for March, the deeper water will be [...]
Another Invader Thwarted… for now
Asian carp have made it up the Mississippi almost to the intersection of Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Chicago River. Catfish farmers who wanted to keep their ponds free of algae and other detritus imported two species in the 1970’s and they escaped during the floods twenty years later. These high-jumping giants have [...]
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Turn Around Trend?
Maybe this is the start of great news for the coming boating season. The Dubuque Boat and RV show was busy and boat sales were brisk. Justin Pretasky is General Manager of American Marine with a significant presence at the show. “Heading into the year, we heard all the gloom and doom” he said, “but [...]
On the Other Hand…
Hawaii seems to have a much more supportive attitude toward recreational boating. That state plans to brighten its parks, boat harbors and other recreational sites with $240 million in repairs. In the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Rob Shikina reports that plans include connecting a string of parks on the Big Island for long distance hikes, camping [...]
Boaters and Boating under Attax - II
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to merge California’s Department of Boating and WaterWays (Cal Boating) with the Department of Parks and Recreation. In his column in the Daily Pilot that serves Newport Beach and Costa Mesa California, Mike Whitehead says this is all about money. No surprise there!
Cal Boating receives funds from dedicated sources paid by [...]
Sea Ray Launches Hybrid at Dallas Boat Show
The 56th Dallas Boat Show opens at Market Hall, with more than 300,000 square feet dedicated to boats, accessories and the outdoor lifestyle. The show runs to Sunday February 1, closes for two days, then reopens to run from Wednesday to Sunday February 4 to 8.
At the show, Sea Ray will debut a prototype hybrid [...]
Nautical Heritage
information to come
Boat Clubs Under Attax
Everyone knows the old saw about death and taxes but in Toronto some new tax assessments may mean the death of boating clubs. The Water Rats Sailing Club is a 40-year-old shoestring club that has a Great Lakes freighter bridge enclosure for a clubhouse. It asks its members for annual fees of about $150 plus [...]
Another Technological Anchor
Any boaters planning to cruise into US waters this coming season should check their EPIRBs and give older models the deep six. The units transmit on 121.5 or 243 MHz that the Coast Guard will no longer hear. The new technology will only receive distress alert broadcasts using digital 406 MHz.
The switchover for commercial vessels [...]
Jerry Huck Honoured by NMMA
Canada’s Boating Hall of Fame inducts a new member at the Toronto International Boat Show. At the annual Industry Breakfast on Tuesday January 13th, the NMMA will officially recognize Jerry Huck’s extraordinary achievements in the recreational boating industry. From 1975 to 1996, he was the president and co-owner of Ed Huck Marine Limited. This marina [...]