Planning First Multi-day Trip

Stodge

Let's hope that's the only "break down" you have.

randy56

You can start cocktails at any time of day, or nite. No time requirements. Hope that's the last of your issues. 

Willhound

What an amazing day. First time locking through ourselves and it went very well. The one we worried about the most, the Big Chute Marine Railway was actually the easiest. No other problems really. Speedo kicked out for a while but started working again. Likely weeds on the drive. Because of the late start from the head issue we got stuck behind the last lock. Fall hours so shut down at 3:30. But just had am amazing meal and found a great slip in Port Severn, so hit the last lock yo Georgian Bay in the morning
 Took lots of pics that will have to wait until later. But here's how the day started and ended.And one from in between.

Willhound

Okay. One more. Cocktails back at the slip. Canadian eh!

LaRea

I see you strategically timed your trip so you'd be back before the Maple Leafs home opener.  

Looking at a map of the area ... I hope you have good charts and electronics.  That place has more water than land!  

Willhound

shawnmjr said:

I like the umbrella setup on your platform

Just the pole from my BBQ with a patio umbrella stuck on it. 

Willhound

LaRea said:

I see you strategically timed your trip so you'd be back before the Maple Leafs home opener.  

Looking at a map of the area ... I hope you have good charts and electronics.  That place has more water than land!  

LOL
 To tell the truth, not a big hockey guy. More NASCAR and football.  Should be south of the 49th I guess. Lots of water but lots of rocks. Went through channels today that were 40 feet wide at 7 feet deep...with rocks breaking on either side. Kept me on my toes all day. Headed to the bunk. Will report more tomorrow. 

randy56

x2 on umbrella 

Stodge

Willhound said:

Okay. One more. Cocktails back at the slip. Canadian eh!

Now THAT'S a great use for the magma grill mount.  

luvinlife

Enjoy!  Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Next summer I may take a multi day trip myself. Was planning Block Island this week for a few days but Mother Nature got in the way 

raybo3

Awesome pictures.......

Willhound

I'll have a bunch more by the time we're done. Will maybe provide a Google Drive link or something rather than clutter up the forum.  Docked for the night in Midland. Having a cold beer in a pub downtown. Another great day. Visited Beausoleil Island today. Swam, bbq'd  and met a couple of other FV270 owners. It was freaky, we pulled in and the folks that helped us dock mentioned their friends were coming soon. Another 270 pulled in. And then another. All my model. A 99, my 2000 and a 2003. Boat is running great. But not a run for the faint of heart. Lots of narrow channels and rocks everywhere. You won't believe some of the pics when I post them. For now, here's the Rinker's.

Michael T

.....Rinkers best boats and owners anywhere in my highly biased opinion!

@Willhound don't you love channels with rocks on both sides. That's a lot of that on the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Big Rideau Lake (where I used to boat) .....and - it doesn't help that the water is so clear and you can see all of them! LOL......however after a day of that "pucker" boating the drinks do taste better!

PLs keep the pictures coming - real great to see!

Willhound

Sorry, no report last night. Did the entire run from Midland to Orillia yesterday.  Very hot and long day. 4 locks and lots of speed control zones. About 7 hours in the boat. By the time we got docked there wasn't enough beer in the country to fill me up. Here's a few shots. As fate would have it, another FV270 beside me last night. The lock shot is from the last lock of the day. They were closing within the hour so crammed 13 boats in. There was a huge raft up off Big Chief Island on Lake Couchiching.  Must have been 200 boats. And a pic of one of the single lane passes that are on the route. I found it tight yet 60 foot cruisers are common in the area. And the Big Chute Marine railway. A highlight in my life for sure. The Rinker ran flawlessly all day.
Home this afternoon and once we get settled I'll set up a link with the rest of the pics. 

rasbury

Sounds like a great trip!

J3ff

200 boat raft up??? Holy cow.. 

Gregg

@willhound we past you in the narrows this morning. Looks like you had fun on your trip. Could not have asked for better weather.

Stodge

Great photos.  Sounds like a great trip.

Willhound

Gregg said:

@willhound we past you in the narrows this morning. Looks like you had fun on your trip. Could not have asked for better weather.

@Gregg, was that you in that good looking EC280? If it was I remember it. Nice boat!

Dream_Inn

Very nice and glad you had a great trip!!  I just love the shot of everyone crammed in the locks!

Stodge

I was just looking at the Welland Canal system.  8 locks, $30 per lock each way.  So a trip to Toronto and back for us would include close to $500 in lock fees.  Ouch!

Might be moving a Georgian Bay trip up the list a bit.

Gregg

@ Willhound yes that was me. Funny I don't keep,my eye on the names of boats. But have been watching your trip. And had cot the name.
@ Stodge our look system was free this year. 150 year anniversary.

Stodge

@gregg Well crud, now I'll have to wait another 50 years to make the Toronto trip by boat.  

Willhound

Might not have mattered @Stodge.
The offer applies to all locks controlled by the National Park and Historic sites. The Trent Severn and Rideau systems qualified but not sure about Welland. I think they are different and run by the St. Lawrence Seaway commission. So would be paid even this year. Sucks but at least you don't have to feel you missed a deal.

Stodge

Well I did get my permit to anchor at Flower Pot Island for free for Canada's 150th so I don't feel too cheated.  

Michael T

@Stodge.....you should be up about 22+% with your USD conversion to CDN? That drops the price of the trip a bit?

Stodge

@Michael T That helped with the price of gas in Canada.  It was fairly consistent at 1.38/liter which after all the common core math should boil down to about $4.12/gal.  More than half our trip was in the Great White North.  But that's OK.

Paying $500 to go the extra 30ish miles to Toronto from the Welland Canal and back is a little tough to swallow.  I have a feeling our next Lake Erie trip (2019) will be to Pelee Island, Cleveland, Kelly's and one or more of the Bass Islands.

MarkB

LOL,  glad you got that problem sorted out.

Good luck on your journey. Keep checking in here, and let us know where you'll be next and when you'll report in. Not only will it serve to keep us folk working in an office entertained, but it will also double as a security precaution.

In future (I know it's too late for your trip), I saw a guy in our marina with 2 fold up bikes. He tide them to his bow rail, but you can get ones that literally fold up to the size of a wheel. It would be fun to land somewhere and then take the bikes around town. Maybe have a big back pack to grab some groceries, etc.

Michael T

As Mark said the fold-up bikes are really cool. Several guys had them at the Gananoque Marina where I used to keep the EC 360. They even had canvas bags that covered the bikes, I assume to protect the gel coat and the bikes and keep the foredeck looking tidy.

Stodge

So where in the world is @Willhound?  Looking for an update on his trip.