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There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world. Some of the changes are huge: social distancing, sanitizing and face-masks have become our new norm. Adapting to working from home, and meetings via platforms like Zoom are challenges we’ve accepted and conquered.
Recently, I’ve been asked about my most used reference books and websites – so I thought I’d share my favourites. By no means is this a comprehensive list – and each of these books and website aren’t the authority or final word on the subject.
Wrapping your hull with marine vinyl wrap instead using traditional marine paint seems like a new trend for the West Coast but it has been common in Europe, New Zealand, and Australia for quite some time.
Boats contain several pumps, each serving a unique purpose and positioned in a way that allows it to do its job effectively. Understanding the why and the how can be important in troubleshooting when an issue crops up.
It’s race night and the breeze is strong. Sails are full, the rigging is taught and the crew are working hard. Footfalls hit the deck and bodies move across the cabintop. The boat is tacked and sails are changed. Sheets are tightened and maximum downwind speed is reached.
On May 21 at 1400 EDT, Canadian Yachting Media will present the 2nd webinar in its series on better understanding your boats systems with 12-volt Charging: The Basics.
Canadian Yachting magazine contributor, Rob MacLeod, hosts this webinar series that will looks at various aspects of boating and boat maintenance.
These days, the internet is full of memes with the message of ‘we’re all in this together’. As a marine mechanic, I’ve been partial to the phrases that reference boating. My favourite so far has been ‘We’re not all is the same boat, but we are all in the same storm’.
2020 is a year of change – self-isolation, social distancing, quarantine, and working remotely have become the norm. For many, this has been a bitter pill to swallow. Another bitter pill for boaters is the delay of the season. Provincial laws differ – so terms like ‘essential’ aren’t translating widely across the marine world.
In Parts 1 and 2 we discussed fiberglass and gelcoat. This time, we’ll explore the ways that epoxy can be used aboard.
After a successful R2Ak and regatta season in 2019, I felt that Pitoraq was due for a major maintenance catch-up. I decided to forgoe winter racing and take advantage of an extended haul -out from October to March.
Lifestyle
Burlington Sailing & Boating Club – a successful four-way partnership
By Katherine Stone
It’s always amazing to me how life has degrees of separation that are incredibly small, even when you spend your adult life in another country than the one you grew up in. I grew up sailing on Lake Erie and when my father’s health was on the decline it was decided that I would be appointed to sell his boat. As fate would have it, an older gentleman came to see the boat and decided on the spot to purchase it. Off it sailed, out of Lake Erie, through the canal and into Lake Ontario to reside happily at the Burlington Sailing & Boating Club. Little did I know that many years later, I would be doing their profile for Canadian Yachting.
Read more about Burlington Sailing & Boating Club...............
Katherine Stone
Like many other harbours on Lake Ontario, Cobourg has seen its fair share of changes. Screams used to be heard from kids piled into a toboggan on wheels that went hurtling down a wooden slide into the harbour. Above it all was the bustling din from the waterfront of ship’s whistles, train engines, foghorns and thundering coal cars. It is now a rather serene place for the locals and visitors to enjoy various watercraft. Fortunately, the beautiful beach that lines the waterfront is still a star attraction for the town.
Located 95 kilometres east of Toronto and 62 kilometres east of Oshawa on the north edge of Lake Ontario, United Empire Loyalists first starting arriving in the area as early as the 1780s. The first settlement in 1798 was called Buckville, later renamed Amherst, then called Hamilton (after the township) and also nicknamed Hardscrabble. It wasn’t until 1819 that they finally settled on the name of Cobourg, which was incorporated as a town in 1837. In the late 1820s large schooners with passengers and cargo had to anchor well off shore, as there was only a landing wharf. A group of Toronto businessmen formed the Cobourg Harbour Company which built the wooden Eastern Pier from tolls charged for the use of the harbour.
Boat Reviews
CY Virtual Video Boat Tours
We all love boats and nothing can break us up! So, what better way to spend our time than looking at interesting boats and going aboard in a virtual ride or tour. We have asked our friends at various dealers and manufacturers to help us assemble a one-stop online resource to experience some of the most interesting boats on the market today. Where the CY Team has done a review, we connect you to that expert viewpoint. Our Virtual Show will continue to grow so visit frequently and check it out. If you can’t go boating, you can almost experience the thrill via your screen. Not quite the same, but we hope you enjoy our fine tour collection.
Read more about the CY Virtual Boat Tours....................
Beneteau Oceanis 30.1
As boat builders clamber to create ever-bigger platforms for ever-more generous budgets, the entry-level cruiser has become an elusive animal. Sure, if you want to daysail, there are plenty of small open boats from which to choose, but if you want a freshly built pocket cruiser, you’re in for a long search. Enter French builder Groupe Beneteau, which identified this gap in the market and set about creating the Oceanis 30.1, an adorable little cruiser that resembles her larger siblings in all but length and price. With all she offers, it wouldn’t be a stretch to call her a mini yacht.
Read More about the Beneteau Oceanis 30.1..................
Destinations
Heritage and hip: Kingston as a port destination
By Amy Hogue
Cruise into the city of Kingston, Ontario, and it will quickly become clear that this city and surrounding waterways have something special. Built around the northern shore of Lake Ontario, Kingston is the place to go if you love to explore new waterways, fantastic views, and exceptional boating opportunities.
Sitting at the intersection of three world-class Canadian bodies of water, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal (Cataraqui River from Kingston to Newboro), the water’s influence is deeply woven into Kingston’s culture and history.
Read more about Kingston...........
Marine Products
Planning a Cruise with PORTS Cruising Guide
By Rob MacLeod, the InformedBoater
After decades of perusing charts and guidebooks as part of planning a cruise, it was a totally different experience editing PORTS Cruising Guide Georgian Bay, The North Channel and Lake Huron. My copy of PORTS Lake Ontario and Thousand Islands is dog-eared and well worn. That is how it is supposed to look after a few summers of use. If you have one that is still pristine itÕs time to get off the dock and put your PORTS Guide to good use.
Mary and I have a process for planning a cruise. It actually starts well in advance while the boat is laid up for winter.
Read more about PORTS...............
Blue Guard Introduces Next-Gen Bilge Pump Switch with Integrated Oil and Fuel Detection Sensor
Blue Guard has announced the general availability of the BG-One, a solid-state bilge pump switch, oil and fuel detector. Having no moving parts or mechanical float switches, BG-One will automatically turn off the bilge pump when oil or fuel is detected, preventing potentially costly oil or fuel discharge.
BG-One was designed with boat owners, environment and operational durability in mind, and protects the owners and operators from fines and clean up costs due to unwanted oil discharge from bilges.
Read more about Blue Guard's Bilge Pump Switch........................
