14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

[heman37]

hi all

I have a small older but reliable 1962 Cadorette boat ,which is 14' with a 35hp Chrysler Viking motor. I would like to get a few people or even a group of other boaters that would like to go for a few days of travel of course it would have to be day trips that at the end of the day we would find somewhere to set up camp at a campground or something like that. then proceed the next day again to another destination, I am in the Kitchener area in a little town called Palmerston . but i can trailer the boat to another body of water. any ideas are welcome. just thought it would be a neat idea to get a few people together to go for a little cruise .I was thinking of somewhere around July .like i said though I am open to ideas. I had the boat for about 4 years and got not enough use out of it as we also have a seasonal trailer that we go to on the summer weekends. thanks all hope to spark some interest.

 

[arboldt]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

I think there are several river trips you can do not too far from you.

Other ideas:

Michigan's Inland Waterway goes 45 miles across the tip of the lower peninsula from Crooked Lake near Petosky to Cheboygan (and into Lake Huron if you really want). We've done this with another couple (each couple in their own jet boat, ours a 13.5', theirs a 15'). The rivers are mostly no-wake, but there's several nice lakes, too. Lots of fun. We stayed overnight at a motel in Cheboygan that had boat slips. There's are really nice state parks on Burt Lake and Mullet Lake.

There are a couple other chain-of-lake things you can do. I'd suggest you look at http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/boating/boating.html You can take some virtual tours along with excellent fishing notes if you're into that.

My family was originally from the Quad Cities (moved from there when I was in second grade - 1957). Even now (well, during summer) I see a lot of people with boats beached and camping on sand bars / small islands in the middle of the Mississippi between Minnesota / Iowa and Wisconsin / Illinois.

 

[heman37]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

i live in ontario canada, so going to the states is a little out of the way for me. I would be interested in going on Lake Huron but staying relatively close to shore with a small vessel like mine. It would also be safer if there was more than 1 boat on lake Huron as i know it can get pretty rough when you go out a few miles or more off of shoreline.I have seen what it is like in a 21' Wilker Weekender that my uncle had , we left Port Elgin and went about 5-1o mile out to a Place call Douglas Point close to the nuclear plant up there and at times there was 6 foot rolls, and then the next mile there was water as clear as glass. it is a strange lake and this was on a calm day with slight wind . so this is why i would rather stay a mile or so close to the shore and make my way to other spots that way.

 

[arboldt]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

I figured it'd be a bit much for you to take your boat to the US for a jaunt, but I was trying to give some ideas.

A neighbor by the family cottage has done a week trip or so on the Ottawa River to St Lawrence and back. Sounded like he had fun, but that's a ways from you, too.

I've got a 13.5' jetboat, and although I'm only 30 miles from Lake Michigan, I'm just too chicken to take it out on big water. I've had it in Cheboygan MI within a mile of Lake Huron, and I wouldn't go out there, either. MAYBE if I saw the lake was glass-calm all around with ideal weather forecast, I might venture beyond the breakwater, but I'd still be hesitant. I've always heard you need at least 20' for big water, and I don't want to challenge that wisdom.

There's too many inland lakes I've trailered to the last couple of years that had 3' waves, and I wouldn't do those, either. I turned around and went home. Even if I could do it safely, I don't think it'd be fun -- more like punishing.

I've seen videos of jetboats like mine 'submarining' by making high-speed 180* turns. Supposedly they can do ok even with a cockpit full of water. I'm not that adventurous to try it.

I guess I'd suggest you avoid Lake Huron, Erie, and Ontario unless you're a lot gutsier than I am. You might have to trailer a ways to find water for any kind of a trip. I think there are some nive rivers and lakes a ways north of you on the road to Sudbury.

 

[heman37]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

I was wondering if anyone else has made a trip with a little boat like mine and how far off the shore they went . So if i got a 20' foot boat or close i should be ok with lake Huron ? I like my little 14' but just want to get into the bigger water lakes , I think i might take your advice and stay off the bigger lakes, just wanted to know if i could go out but stay close to the shoreline of the lake.

 

[jarata]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Thats a small boat to take in one of the great lakes even 20ft is small unless its a calm day.

 

[swimwhiz]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Good morning
Have you considered the St Lawrence river down by the thousand islands? It is a very nice strech from Kingston to Brockville. Another alternative maybe doing either the Trent Severn waterway or the Rideau canal. I did a portion of the Rideau canal last August and it was a very nice trip with plenty places to moore and camp etc.. with access to many ammenities.

 

[heman37]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

now that sounds like a good trip. will have to look into the the trent severn trip .

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Good morning
Have you considered the St Lawrence river down by the thousand islands? It is a very nice strech from Kingston to Brockville. Another alternative maybe doing either the Trent Severn waterway or the Rideau canal. I did a portion of the Rideau canal last August and it was a very nice trip with plenty places to moore and camp etc.. with access to many ammenities.

Although I moved from Ontario a few years back I've never done these trips. However I've heard doing the Rideau canal is a pretty great time and trip. As well the Trent-Severn waterway is another very good one. If you go on-line there are probably some great sites showing the route(s) of these choices and the stuff to do along the way. Weather and rough water conditions on these are probably a near non-issue.
If I was still back there...thats what I'd be looking into and doing.
Good Luck.
BP

 

[Rideaur]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Herman:

The Rideau would be a great place for you. There are numerous small lakes and all kinds of lodges for you to stay at. My first suggestion to you would be the Poplars in Newboro. You can launch at the Newboro lock and dock your boat at the Poplars.
Here is a link to my web pages re: the rideau:
http://rideaur.googlepages.com/rideaucanalhomepage

Jerry

 

[SamLin]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

My wife and I did the trent severn waterway two years in a row.
we started out from Hamilton, went across the lake and up the river.
we spent two weeks on our 20' cuddy, it was tight but allot of fun, and very beutiful. I would reccomend it to anyone. If your interested you can e-mail me and I'll give you more info. samfisher@sympatico.ca
It's well worth the trip.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Me and my wife travel the Trent Severn every year as well. ALthough I drop the boat into lake Simcoe then go from there. There are many locks, which is interesting, and many beautiful lakes on the way. There is a wide variety of camping and docking the whole way up, with many other couples, singles, etc... doing the same thing. We met many new friends, and camped together along the way.

It is a nice trip.

 

[rndn]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

One of the posts suggests the St Lawrence around the thousand island area. I just wanted to let people know there are many unmarked rocks along the entire stretch if you venture out of the channel. My uncle went through two props in a matter of 30 minutes. Obviously he should not have been going fast in an area he was not familiar with, but I just wanted to warn people of the problems in the area.

 

[seamegr]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Add my vote for doing parts of the Trent-Severn or the Rideau. We have done several trips on the TS in a 17' FW bowrider, we like to stay at a resort and do day trips.

Google either waterway and you will get loads of information. Pick a spot and email the Chamber of Commerce for the handy things to do booklet. Both waterways have freebee hand books that go from end to end with all the locks and services listed.

PORTS books are really good. Get charts and go!

Greg

 

[Zamboni]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

Trent Sevrn system is a lot closer to him, I'm on Kawartha Lakes which are part of it most summer weekends. Very good boating, lots to see/do, clean-large lakes.

I like Pigeon Lake, we'll boat, swim tube...drop wife in Bobcaygeon to shop while I fish, then dock in town and meet her for late dinner. I've stayed at cottages on these lakes and never got in the car for 3 days. Can take boat to golf courses, restaraunts, towns-lots of fun.

 

[atengnr]

Re: 14 foot runabout boat trips in ontario

I was wondering if anyone else has made a trip with a little boat like mine and how far off the shore they went . So if i got a 20' foot boat or close i should be ok with lake Huron ? I like my little 14' but just want to get into the bigger water lakes , I think i might take your advice and stay off the bigger lakes, just wanted to know if i could go out but stay close to the shoreline of the lake.

Im no boating expert and will not pretend to be, nor am I suggesting what you should do...but I have a 15 ft fiberglass that I have used within a few miles of shore on Lake Huron numerous times over the last 20 yrs. If youre going to do this, pick a day thats reasonably calm and be aware of wave action. Watch out for swells at the mouth of inlets opening to the lake.