Calling All Ontario Members

[Grandad]

Unfortunately, many iBoats members don't put their locations in their member profiles, but occasionally I see a comment from someone that indicates they live or play in my backyard of Ontario. I'd like to connect with some of you via internet using the iBoats forums. Ontario really is a boater's paradise and I'm thinking that we might be able to arrange some outings, perhaps joint cruises to such places as the Trent or Rideau Canals or Georgian Bay. Maybe joint fish adventures. For those of us that are into restorations, it would be great to compare notes on local resources. Anyway, if you're interested, I invite you to add some of your details to this thread. No personal identifications please. If it seems popular, I could put some basic info into a spreadsheet and keep an updated posting as new entries are made. Suggestions welcomed. I'd also like to hear any guidance or concerns from moderators before going too far with this.
- Grandad

I'll start with what info I'd find helpful:
Year and model of boat you currently have, its length and engine size and type (or sailboats)

1972 Starcraft Holiday 21' 120 HP Mercruiser I/O​

Your residence locality (not your street address)

Barrie​

Where do you boat and when/how often?

Lakes Simcoe & Couchiching, Trent Canal, Georgian Bay. 6 - 10 days per season.​

Do you trailer boat or have a marina or cottage slip?

Trailer boat.​

What do you use your boat for: Fishing, skiing, travel, a day out with the kids?

Family day trips, tubing.​

Plans & dreams for future boats and future voyages.

Likely this will be my last boat. Want to outfit it further for overnight trips including the Rideau & Trent Canals.​

Did you/do you build or rebuild your own boat?

Boat building in the past, repairing & refitting my current boat.​

Your boating history - when you started, where, what adventures you've had.

At age 14, with dad's help, built an 8' MiniMost hydroplane with 10 HP Merc Hurricane.
At age 16, again with dad's help, started 3 year project building a 15' molded mahogany.
With my wife, before children, trailer boated a 17' Winner Eliminator & 80 HP Merc o/b to Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Georgian Bay & Trent Canal and many inland lakes. Some weeklong voyages. Now semi-retired.​

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Hi. It's a nice idea, but I see the logistics of getting a bunch of strangers to trailer their boats to a "meet" as being insurmountable. The best bet is to try for something more local.
I'm on the Trent Severn waterway and my boat is moored at my dock all season. It is never trailered. My boating is confined to the waterway. If you're ever down this way let me know - I can offer you a "refreshment" stop!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Well most of my stuff is either in my profile or in my signature. Boat generally docked at Wildwood lake near St Mary's and Stratford. We do however pull it out and tow to other locations sometimes. One of thnem being Rice Lake (generally Hastings end) Ahmic lake is another favorite with the occasional Georgian Bay thrown in.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Hi. It's a nice idea, but I see the logistics of getting a bunch of strangers to trailer their boats to a "meet" as being insurmountable. The best bet is to try for something more local.
I'm on the Trent Severn waterway and my boat is moored at my dock all season. It is never trailered. My boating is confined to the waterway. If you're ever down this way let me know - I can offer you a "refreshment" stop!

Thanks ARG, the registry is intended to allow members to find others with similar interests, not just trailer boaters. I don't fish or sail, but many do and may want to meet like-minded others. If enough members register, I'm sure we'll have enough contacts that even trailer boaters can make some alliances. So far, all three entries are from members boating on the Trent. That's a start. - Grandad

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Mine has stayed in the three bigger Muskoka lakes. With a little more trailer work I could get to Port Severn to hook up to the Trent Severn system.

 

[Viking62]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

I have a 2008 Bayliner 18' bowrider with a 3.0 litre engine. Also have a 14' tinny with a johnson 9.9 and 2 16' canoes.
Tinny is used for fishing. Bayliner is NOT used for fishing. A lot of days on the lake with kids tubing swimming boarding and just all round good times. Boats are generally moored on Crowe Lake in the Marmora area but occasionally pulled for a cruise on the Trent.
We live in Courtice (near Oshawa) and have a trailer on Crowe.
One of my canoes is a cedar strip that I built a few years ago.
Been thinking about building a Seaflea like the Minimost.
First boat was a 14' fibreglass with a 5.5 Eska (with "full pivot reverse") that my dad bought in 1972 when I was 10. I still have that boat too. We call it "The Heirloom". It was my fishing boat up until a couple of years ago. Motor hasn't run in years. Just pulled it apart the other day. Gonna clean it up (carb is all gummed up) and try to get it going again.
We used to use it on Scugog when I was a kid. Good friend of mine bought a place on Scugog this year so boat is at his place. Would like to get the motor running and take it back out on Scugog. Full circle kinda thing. Back to her home lake.

Mike

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

I'll chime in.

Boat mostly on Lake Simcoe but have ventured onto quite a few other lakes in Ontario, mostly centered around provincial parks. I've got a 16ft 1972 Wilker runabout with a 1971 Merc 800 and a 1986 Johnson 4hp kicker. The boat is stored on the trailer which was also completely refurbished. On the quieter and more serene side I prefer paddling one of my kevlar canoes in either Killarney or Algonquin parks.

I bought my first motor, 1959 Evinrude 7.5hp, when I was 14. It was many years after that before I bought my first boat, a 14ft Barkley Young with a 40hp Mariner. Both my kids learned to ski behind that boat and we had alot of fun with it but it was too small for comfort. On a whim, I placed a low-ball bid on ebay for a local boat (the Wilker mentioned above). Ended up winning the auction for boat/motor/trailer for $285.00. Spent a few dollars and lots of elbow grease to refurbish it and I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's still a work in progress.

Currently the boat is mostly used for recreational cruising and some fishing. I'm hoping to get out and explore more of the trent system and maybe get out onto Georgian bay to do a little exploring. It's a small boat so I have to pick my days and destinations carefully.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

First boat was a 14' fibreglass with a 5.5 Eska (with "full pivot reverse") that my dad bought in 1972 when I was 10. I still have that boat too. We call it "The Heirloom". It was my fishing boat up until a couple of years ago. Motor hasn't run in years. Just pulled it apart the other day. Gonna clean it up (carb is all gummed up) and try to get it going again.
We used to use it on Scugog when I was a kid. Good friend of mine bought a place on Scugog this year so boat is at his place. Would like to get the motor running and take it back out on Scugog. Full circle kinda thing. Back to her home lake.
Mike

funny, my Bayliner was owned by a guy in Havelock or Marmora area before I bought it and brought it to Scugog and the boat has a 23E registration (Lindsay) so must have began life here.
a non shifting outboard would be pretty frustrating in Scugog these days. need reverse to clear the millfoil. I had a little air cooled 5HP that had no gears....every time I would try to plane, it would load up with weeds and I'd have to stop and clear them by hand... 6 or 8 times usually to get going. I ended up selling it and got a 4HP Mariner with reverse.

I understand the nostalgia thing though - still good to restore it.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

funny, my Bayliner was owned by a guy in Havelock or Marmora area before I bought it and brought it to Scugog and the boat has a 23E registration (Lindsay) so must have began life here.
a non shifting outboard would be pretty frustrating in Scugog these days. need reverse to clear the millfoil. I had a little air cooled 5HP that had no gears....every time I would try to plane, it would load up with weeds and I'd have to stop and clear them by hand... 6 or 8 times usually to get going. I ended up selling it and got a 4HP Mariner with reverse.

I understand the nostalgia thing though - still good to restore it.

I hear you with the weed clearing and no reverse. Been there with an old air cooled sea bee

 

[Grandad]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Well folks, here's what I have gathered so far based only upon what has been posted to this thread. It may be prudent to move this thread to the Boating Activities forum. What do you think?
I have put the info to date into an Excel spreadsheet, then captured a JPEG picture in Paint. How readable the picture is in this post may determine if some other method may be required. I could keep attaching an updated Excel spreadsheet, but not everyone has Excel. I tried making a PDF, but the line separations of the rows in Excel didn't format properly when copied to Acrobat. Comments? - Grandad

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Looks good to me. Thumbnails are clear and easy to read ( I'm using an Apple I-pod touch). In my line just add "family day trips" in the usage column.
I agree this should be moved to the boating activities forum.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Ask and you shall receive ... moved.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Ask and you shall receive ... moved.

Do we get two more wishes, oh Genie?

 

[aspeck]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Do we get two more wishes, oh Genie?

Nope.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Just a minor update to the attached file. - Grandad

 

[eastont]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Hi all. As my name suggests I'm in eastern Ontario, actually in the 1000 Islands. Presently I have 2 boats, both Carvers. One is a 27' Santego Flybridge, which I am hoping to sell, and the other is a 3607 Aft cabin, that I just bought in the US.

I do most of our boating in the islands but go up the Rideau at least once a year for a couple of weeks. We are hoping to make it to the Trent this year.
I spent 10+ years on Rice Lake and many years boating out of Bluffers on Lake Ontario.

I am originally from BC, so my boating experiences are quite varied.

If anyone is interested in the Santego, send me a pm. The boat is 1990 but in immaculate condition......I'm rather anal about my boats....LOL

 

[Grandad]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Just an update to include eastont's info. Thanks eastont. Come on you Ontario guys. I'd like to make this a useful resource for all. I know there are many Ontario members not reported. Need input! - Johnny five.

 

[CraigBarnard]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Hello all.

We live just west of Barrie.

Do most of our boating from Lake Simcoe through Lake Couchiching up to Sparrow Lake where our cottage is located.
Occassionaly and hopefully more often next summer we take a weekend and go to Georgian Bay.

We own a 1965 Starcraft Chieftain 21' which was partially restored last winter. This winters project is to refurbish the cabin area.

Would love to one day take a few weeks and boat up on Lake Superior. To find the most natural and secluded beauty this area has to offer.

On a side note.
Are there any members here planning on attending the Toronto Boat Show?

 

[Grandad]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

Hi Craig. I'm a few minutes away from you in Midhurst. I've updated the attachment to include those members that I've run across while surfing through the forum that have posted info in other threads. If anyone wants me to add or change their info just check in and tell us a little about yourself as others have done. - Grandad

 

[swift1]

Re: Calling All Ontario Members

I see my user ID is on your list, so here is some additonal info:
Boat - 1997 Chaparral 180LE, 3.0 LX
Summers docked on the Big Rideau Lake.
Boating - mostly family day trips on the Rideau system, would like to boat the entire canal system one day. Occasional trailering to 1000 islands and other eastern Ontario locations, and upper NY state. (Lake George last summer was awesome!)
Dave