How Many Rinker Cruisers on Lake Simcoe?

YYZRC

The Admiral is stuck working!  Just a little boys trip.  We will make it to Simcoe next summer for sure.

There was no traffic at 45.  Heading to 44 shortly and will advise.

YYZRC

Zero wait at 44. I cleated to the wall and 30 seconds later was instructed to load up. 

Dream_Inn

Wow!  First off, I'm really fascinated by all the cool locks & big chute!  There is so much you have to go thru to get from Georgian bay to Lake Simcoe.   Does lake Simcoe have a lot of neat things and great to explore that make that trip worthwhile?  How long does it typically take to get thru all that from Georgian bay to the Lake?  Looks like a lot of narrow areas as well.  Is depth pretty good thru all of them?  Like Lauley island and Gloucester passage?  Is there several different entrances from Georgian bay to get to the big chute?

I used to snow ski several different winters up at Blue Mountain near Collingwood and stayed at a buddy's family cottage off Wasaga beach (almost 40 years ago).  Never went in the summer, but I imagine that would be a pretty awesome place in the summer!  Your son makes it look like riding that big chute is no big deal, been there done that.  Man, that looks so cool!!  I can't believe he is riding on the bow.  Must be a smooth ride.  Is there a charge to get thru it?

YYZRC

The train ride was quite smooth.  Probably the exact same as it would be to ride on your bow on a Travelift.   Big Chute is really just a Travelift on tracks that carries more than one boat.

@Grahamu how long did it take you to get through to GB last week?

I learned to ski at Blue, my parents live about 40 minutes from there.

Grahamu

I didn't do it in one day as we did not leave Lefroy untill the afternoon. From lock 42 to 45 can take 5 to 7 hours depending on traffic and the locks all working. From lock 42 across Lake Couchiching to the north end of lake Simcoe an hour, all depending on your cruise speed

I also learned to ski at Blue mountain in 78

YYZRC

Big line at 44 to head to Georgian Bay tomorrow morning. I didn’t realize that you can dock on the wall - I thought that was forbidden. 

Grahamu

After the last lockage you can stay on the blue line but must leave before 9 am if you're not locking thru. The last 2 boats there tonight are out of Lefroy trying to catch up to us.

YYZRC

Wish I had asked. We are at Big Chute Marina and I would never recommend this place to anyone. 

Willhound

Seemed like the best place to post this. If it isn't staff issues it's mechanical. Lock 44 hasn't operated since late last week. 

YYZRC

Obviously not all mechanical issues are preventable but based on what I saw going through big chute I have to say that a reasonable investment into the Trent would go a long way. Shameful how Parks Canada has let it deteriorate. 

SimcoeRinker400

Yes, my wife told me that it is down again this summer...  pretty shameful ... it sucked getting stuck for over a week last time.  I'll stick the Lake Simcoe for the rest of the boating season..

SimcoeRinker400

@YYZRC Who did you use to do your gelcoat work filling the Cable TV Hole and Plugs on the Starboard side plugs??   I need someone good to repair stuff on my hardtop and a few stress cracks?  

YYZRC

Bay Port has a great guy named Chris who has done all the gel work on my 330 and 350.  He also did a bunch of work on the arch of the 330 for the new owners.



Very expensive, though.

Grahamu

SimcoeRinker400 said:

Yes, my wife told me that it is down again this summer...  pretty shameful ... it sucked getting stuck for over a week last time.  I'll stick the Lake Simcoe for the rest of the boating season..

Just spent 9 days on the Trent going east from Simcoe, went as far as McKracken Landing. 160 miles return and 580 litres of gas. No problem with any of the locks (12), weather wasn't great lot of rain.