Calling All Ontario Members

[Grandad]

Well it’s been one hot summer in this neighbourhood. I was late as usual getting the boat out of storage. Then it sat tarped in the driveway for weeks waiting for a good day when it wasn’t too hot or too windy or family wasn’t too busy working too much. During that time I built a raised platform for the sleeper seats to help me get up off my butt that’s becoming more difficult due to muscle issues. Enough of that talk.

We put her in to Lake Simcoe at the narrows on Sunday Aug 28 and had a fun day with kids and grand kids. I was surprised to find “No Parking by Police Order” signs all along the road leading to the public launch, even through-out the turn circle. That left about 8 parking spots for boat trailers immediately next to the ramp. Fortunately, someone pulled out just as we arrived and left a spot available. I heard a rumour that some of the signs near the turn circle have now been removed again. I’m sure that local residents pressed for the signs, but the real problem is that there’s just not enough parking. The irony is that there’s additional land beyond the turn circle that could be developed into parking.

Somewhere in Lake Simcoe is a rock with some black paint on it now. I don’t know when it happened, but the prop and skeg looked a little ragged when we pulled out. So, on Monday I drove from Barrie to Orillia to purchase a rebuilt prop and got it installed for 2 days of adventures this past Labour Day weekend. On Sunday, we launched at Couchiching Beach Park. We got about 500’ from the launch when I found out the rebuilt prop has a spun hub. We limped along to find a shallow spot in one of the bays where my grandson got his first marine mechanic’s lesson. I knelt on the stern and gave instructions on how to install the spare prop. It’s also spun, but not so bad as to be unusable.



I don’t understand why a major prop rebuilding company would try to sell customers a prop with a spun hub. I think doing a torque test would be the first step before even attempting a rebuild. It cost me $135 including taxes plus my travel to buy this thing that could have ruined what turned out to be a great weekend. I hope they have a good replacement when I return it today. So here’s a pic of the Cormorants perched on that burned out little island on Lake Couchiching. Does anyone know what happened here? Was it lightning or a careless campfire?



Yesterday, the admiral and I trailered the boat up to Big Chute where we launched with other family and other grand kids. We had a great day starting with a trip down on the marine railway. Here’s a picture below of the car at the upper side taken from the observation deck above the control room.



Here’s some of the gang looking forward on the way down. There was a 35 footer’s butt blocking the view.



We cruised a short way to Gloucester Pool where we ate lunch and pulled the kids on a tube. The spare spun prop was no problem for pulling the tube if I only gradually increased the throttle. We weren’t sure what to expect for return trip traffic on the last day of summer and last of the long weekend, so we returned early about 4:00 pm. 3 boats unloaded as we arrived and we were the only boat upward bound. We didn’t even need to tie up at the blue line. They took us uphill as soon as we were loaded.



The picture below is of our otherwise empty rail car as we headed up. The port side aft stainless steel scoop was a casualty to the tubing fun. I’ll get that repaired this week. After the prop repair. And for those who might still be debating having children or not - the admiral and I are glad there's more than water in our wake. - Grandad

 

[rcmpvet]

So here’s a pic of the Cormorants perched on that burned out little island on Lake Couchiching. Does anyone know what happened here? Was it lightning or a careless campfire?

That "burned-out" area is from the birds themselves. They tend to destroy the vegetation.

 

[canuckmark]

Hey grandad, great to see you got out! Where did you launch at Big Chute?

That island is damned creepy. Yup, all that white is just from the birds. There is very little green left there. It's official name is "Ship Island" but most people around here change one letter and call it by it's more appropriate name.

Did you get the prop from the "relocated" place? I called them once to price a new aluminum prop for my Evinrude and they were higher than Leatherdales. How did your return trip go?

As for our story, same as you for waiting for wind. Cooch can get choppy quickly which is rough with a tri hull. Plus we have had a very challenging year within our family (sickness and loss). We (wife/I/brother/his wife) finally managed to get out to the same area as you with our two boats on August 17 then moored at a quiet area off Chief Island until all the crazies appeared after 2pm or so. Up til then it was the best day of the summer for sure. Weekdays are so much better up here than the weekends - the water is so busy on the weekends.

On Tuesday we launched at Bass Lake Provincial Park (a wonderful launch for small/medium sized boats) and floated around there for the day. It is amazing how empty the park was considering how nice the weather was. It is a small lake but still nice to float around on.

 

[Grandad]

Hi canuckmark. We launched at Big Chute Marina right beside the upper side of the chute. We have used a natural bald rock launch ramp that's directly at the railway property, but there's really not enough maneuvering length between the ramp and the road and it slopes sideways too. Most free parking for trailers is an awkward distance away from there too. So, for $35 we were able to launch and park much more conveniently at the marina. Yes I got the prop from the "relocated" place. I've bought there before as they seem to be the only prop specialists around. They gave me another prop, but there's still no guarantee its not spun too. I strongly suggested that they do some torque testing before they even start to rebuild a prop. I'm just hoping I'll have an opportunity to check it out before the season ends in a couple of weeks. - Grandad

 

[Grandad]

Thanks rcmpvet and canuckmark for your response to my questions about cormorants on Ship Island. The first time I saw a cormorant was in Japan on a business trip in the late 1990's. They weren't evident anywhere around here at that time, but they sure are making a comeback from apparent near extinction. Here's an article I found about Bill 205's progress through current legislation to allow individuals unrestricted hunting of cormorants. - Grandad
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/com...lante-justice-in-new-ontario-bill-walkom.html

 

[canuckmark]

Good call on the Big Chute Marina, their ramp is quite nice. We gotta do your trip next year, looks like it was a blast.

Here's a (now) funny story about that marina. We bought our first boat (the current one) from a guy at that marina with no trailer, it was in the water. We bought a trailer then showed up to load up the boat (end of season, basically no-one around). Had never done it before, had no idea what we were doing, didn't even know if the boat would fit the trailer. So we tried to load up at that flat rock ramp. After about 30 minutes (seemed like hours) of futzing trying to line things up and failing miserably, the owner of the marina had sympathy for us and came over and offered up his ramp. That was the day I understood the difference between a good ramp and a bad one! And also what a good guy is.

 

[Grandad]

Here's a pic taken several years ago using that public ramp. The ramp is hidden by a curve in the main roadway and the road is so close as to make it kinda dangerous, especially when pulling out with a load on. - Grandad

 

[canuckmark]

Roger, that's it. We were trying to load up nearer to the dock than you are there. We've since learned to be prepared to "get wet" when launching or loading.

 

[wrench 3]

I'm glad to hear that you guys are getting out to enjoy the water. The water down here in Scugog is so low that we haven't been able to get out of our bay since late in July. At normal water levels I have to trim up halfway into the red and keep the revs below 1,000. With the water as low as it is now, I don't want to try it.
There just hasn't been hardly any water coming into the lake with the dry weather and they say that we can loose up to a centimeter of water on a hot windy day just from evaporation.
I'm just hoping that the level gets back up a bit before I have to get the boat to the boat launch. Or I might be out there digging a channel! :facepalm:

 

[Wolfe64]

Hey Grandad
I showed the pics of Big Chute to my wife and they brought back some great memories of her and her Grandparents riding that.
They had a cottage on Lake Muskoka and have done part of the Trent/Severn when she was a kid.
She remembers riding on the chute and somewhere there are pictures of that.
Her Grandfather worked for CKOC radio way back in the day and did have his own boat but would often have the CKOC boat up there running around the neighbourhood.
She says thanks for the memories !!!!

Mark

 

[Grandad]

Her Grandfather worked for CKOC radio way back in the day and did have his own boat but would often have the CKOC boat up there running around the neighbourhood. She says thanks for the memories !!!! Mark

CKOC ! Well, I thank you and her for some memories. The admiral and I grew up in Hamilton and listened to 1150 CKOC more than any other station. Was her grandfather a radio personality? I remember things like black socks flying at half mast on car aerials when Dave Mickey got canned. - Grandad

 

[Wolfe64]

Hi Grandad
He wasn't a radio personality but worked behind the scenes. She can remember riding in the CKOC boat and handing out CKOC t shirts

Mark

 

[Grandad]

I'm glad to hear that you guys are getting out to enjoy the water. The water down here in Scugog is so low that we haven't been able to get out of our bay since late in July. At normal water levels I have to trim up halfway into the red and keep the revs below 1,000. With the water as low as it is now, I don't want to try it.
There just hasn't been hardly any water coming into the lake with the dry weather and they say that we can loose up to a centimeter of water on a hot windy day just from evaporation.
I'm just hoping that the level gets back up a bit before I have to get the boat to the boat launch. Or I might be out there digging a channel! :facepalm:

Hi wrench3. How did you make out with getting your boat to the ramp? - Grandad

 

[wrench 3]

Hi grandad
It was quite a site. I had a neighbor with a 12' aluminum tow me out to deeper water. He had trouble with weeds twice and had to row for 100' or so. Picture a guy rowing a 12' fishing boat towing a 26' cruiser. I wish someone had been taking a video.
He did a pretty good job of moving both boats though.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Hi grandad
It was quite a site. I had a neighbor with a 12' aluminum tow me out to deeper water. He had trouble with weeds twice and had to row for 100' or so. Picture a guy rowing a 12' fishing boat towing a 26' cruiser. I wish someone had been taking a video.
He did a pretty good job of moving both boats though.

I was surfing around the site and just found this thread. Now that would have been something to see. Did you offer to get off the big boat and row the "TUG BOAT" for a bit?

I too grew up in Hamilton and live an hour or less away on Lake Erie. CKOC is still on the air but I only listen to AM radio if it's talk radio. Last I heard it was Country. Dave (Micky) Marsden, haven't heard that name in years. He married Jeanie Petty from Fashion Televsion City TV. I knew her. My wife says all guys must start listening to AM talk radio when they turn 50. Not all but some.

My boating is off of Nanticoke washing spoons and plugs looking for Walleye.

 

[wrench 3]

It was only a couple of short distances and and then he was able to use his outboard motor again. He was doing such a good job that I didn't want to disturb him.

 

[Grandad]

My boating is off of Nanticoke washing spoons and plugs looking for Walleye.

Ah, Nanticoke. I worked for about 18 months at the refinery there in the late 70's, at that time being built by Arthur G. McKee for Texaco. An interesting project in my career history. - Grandad

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Ah, Nanticoke. I worked for about 18 months at the refinery there in the late 70's, at that time being built by Arthur G. McKee for Texaco. An interesting project in my career history. - Grandad

Did you ever work down at Hilton Works on the Blast Furnaces Grand Dad? I was GF there until 2000.

 

[Grandad]

Not directly. Every family in Hamilton has relatives though with a history in steel making. My father-in-law retired from Hilton Works as a crane operator, my brother-in-law worked there, my brother held a senior management position at the blast and coke ovens at Lake Erie Works. As an electrical construction superintendent I had a crew of electricians at Lake Erie's Heckett slag recovery development in the late 70's. We also had another small project somewhere at Hilton Works, but I can't remember just where now. An uncle was a GF at Dofasco. Steel town. (Was, anyway!) - Grandad

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Not directly. Every family in Hamilton has relatives though with a history in steel making. My father-in-law retired from Hilton Works as a crane operator, my brother-in-law worked there, my brother held a senior management position at the blast and coke ovens at Lake Erie Works. As an electrical construction superintendent I had a crew of electricians at Lake Erie's Heckett slag recovery development in the late 70's. We also had another small project somewhere at Hilton Works, but I can't remember just where now. An uncle was a GF at Dofasco. Steel town. (Was, anyway!) - Grandad

I also worked the Blast Furnace at the Lake. Then when I went back to Hamilton we worked closely with the Lake and I spend at lot of time there off and on. I most likely know your brother.