POTW: Ahoy, there be pirates

June 10, 2021

Pirate Ship Jordan Stuart Hendrie, a pro photographer sent along this photo of the pirate ship in Jordan Ontario. Many of us have seen it from the Lake and many more have seen it from the highway.

According to the Niagara Greenbelt website:

"La Grande Hermine" (The Big Weasel) is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Niagara stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way. The 140-foot ship was created as a replica of the largest of 3 ships French Explorer Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River. It was originally built in Quebec in 1914 and began its life as a ferry on the St. Lawrence and later became a cargo ship, a floating restaurant, and in 1991 converted to a replica ship.

At one time the vessel was turned into a haunted pirate ship at Halloween to raise money for a hot lunch program for students. The derelict ship's final resting place is the Jordan Harbour just off the western shore of Lake Ontario, between the cities of Hamilton and St. Catharines. This abandoned shipwreck came to the Jordan Harbour in 1997, and was the victim of an arson fire in January of 2003, causing this piece of history to go up in smoke. What's left of the ship remains rusting, damaged and run down, but is still an interesting site to see.

Your Photo of the Week? Yes, we want it and now that boating is ramping up across the country it’s a good opportunity to share some shots.

Our email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and please send us your photo. Just put POTW in the subject line. Thanks in advance.

POTW: A Monk and a Pup

Wednesday, 08 November 2017 10:01

This Photo of the Week sequence from Chris Chahley and Kathy Coyle explains the whole boat thing. If you don’t love these shots, the time has come for you to switch to bowling!!!

Ooooh baby - First time on a boat ever!

Tuesday, 25 July 2017 05:54

A dear friend brought her 8 month old daughter aboard my 25 foot keelboat...and baby was right at home! Next...figuring out how to rig up a jolly-jumper!

POTW July 13

Tuesday, 11 July 2017 07:29

This shot came from our ace reporter Johnny G out in Stoney Creek, ON, taken at the Newport YC Canada Day festivities. It says it all!! That’s what a Photo of the Week should...

Photo of the Week goes International!

Tuesday, 20 June 2017 08:20

This week’s POTW comes from across the pond. Who knew we had a European audience

CY Snapshot: 2016 Jeanneau Leader 40 Sea Trial

Monday, 11 July 2016 00:57

Canadian Yachting’s John Armstrong visited Jeanneau Americas office in Annapolis Maryland

CY Snapshots

Sunday, 19 June 2016 22:38

John Armstrong from Canadian Yachting along with Mickey Baratz and John Kozak at the Port Credit Yacht Club's annual Sail Past

CY Virtual Video Boat Tours

Virtual 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. 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....................

WORLD CAT 280 DC-X

By Andy Adams

Last September, we had our first encounter with a World Cat 280 DC – X and it was quite impressive!

We know of no other comparable Performance Offshore Luxury Catamaran in the Ontario market, but we expect to see more World Cats in the coming seasons. The test boat was supplied by Central Marine Midland, in Midland, Ontario and they report that they are doing quite well with the World Cat line. Built with vacuum-infused hull construction in North Carolina, the World Cat was designed as a big water boat.

Dufour 430 Grand Large

By Peter A. Robson

Without the optional bow thruster, getting the new Dufour 430 out of the impossibly crowded docks at Vancouver’s Granville Island was a challenge, but long-time broker Richard Hargreaves got us out without mishap.

Also aboard was Richard Carrier from One4 Yachts. We’d been watching the Windy app for weeks, waiting for enough wind to put the new Dufour 430 through its paces. Finally, today’s winds were forecast at 15 to 20 knots.

Salt Spring Island with Gourmet Food and Drink

Text and Photos by Marianne Scott

Salt Spring Island, the largest among the Gulf Islands, has a certain mystique—much of it having to do with locally produced food. It started thousands of years ago when the Coast Salish First Nations used the Island as a summer camp, collecting wild foods while also processing the abundant sea food for winter sustenance.

In the 19th century, five main groups settled here and began farming: Northern Europeans—some of whom had abandoned gold rush dreams; Hawaiians brought here by Vancouver Island’s second governor, James Douglas...

By Katherine Stone

In my lifetime I have been a member of 5 yacht clubs. There were big differences. The one that I grew up at, is where I learned to sail and to drive a motorboat. The second one didn’t have a clubhouse. All we did was race off the beach. The third one was a self-help club, with a clubhouse.

The fourth one has a clubhouse, pool and wonderful winter activities. Finally, the fifth one only has a pavilion, but access to great cruising. The one thing that they all have in common is camaraderie. They were places where I could socialize, learn from other boaters and make life-long friends who shared the same passion for being out on the water.

This week, Feb. 22-26, is National Invasive Species Awareness Week and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) released an animated video to raise awareness about the threat Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose to the boating industry and what manufacturers can do to limit the spread.

AIS can damage ecosystems and negatively impact fishing and the future of the boating lifestyle. Boat access to many aquatic resources has been limited due to AIS concerns and AIS infestation can result in serious damage to boats and their components. Invasive plant life can foul propellers,

A Freedom Boat Club Staffer As a life-long marine journalist, it has often occurred to me, that it’s a big leap to lay out the cash, (especially for those with no previous boating experience), to try it out. How does someone even know that they will like boating it if they haven’t tried it?

Well, joining a boat club, or a yacht club that has boats available for members to use, can get you started without the big financial commitment and with the support of the club’s education and resources. Try before you buy.

Longer Battery Life Pt1 - How to get more years from your boat batteries

By John Connell, Vice President of SLI Products Group, Crown Battery Manufacturing

Your family is onboard and eager to cast off. What happens if your battery doesn’t start?

Early battery failure is costly and frustrating enough. But with a short boating season and unpredictable weather... if you lose a weekend, it hurts. Worse, battery problems can leave you stranded on the water -- a safety hazard and a leading cause of tows. Fortunately, anyone can extend their battery life. And it’s easier than you might think.

Ask Andrew: Replacing and Installing Transducers

A Transducer is a device that is installed below the waterline that provides underwater data to a display at the helm. This data is usually in the form of depth and speed – but in more advanced systems can also provide sonar, fish-finding and side or forward views.

Tips and Tricks: Prep in pandemic times - Part 1

Marc's Boat Aquaholic Spring has finally sprung! At least it has weather wise here in Montreal, so it is with great anticipation and boyish giddiness that I loaded the car with all the “things” I will need for this special day - the first of many pre-launch readiness days!

The club property is abuzz with members who, while social distancing from each other and wearing masks when required, are busy removing the winter blankets off their beloved boats and assessing the needed TLC and projects they hope to accomplish prior to be put in the drink.

Orca Thinking of a knock-out big gift for the boaters you love? Now you can also make an environmental statement by giving the gift of a Canadian Taiga electric personal watercraft (PWC). Their Orca models start at $15,000 USD.

For now, just give a card – the Orca Sport and Performance model deliveries are targeted to begin summer 2021 through Taiga dealers and can now be pre-ordered online with a $100 USD deposit. A 5-year no maintenance electric powertrain warranty is included.

Boating Regulation Let’s make it very clear – everyone is feeling the pain of the never-endemic but the authorities – health officers and legislators – should really take another look at boating. While the rules vary from BC to the Maritimes, basically no-one is allowed to do much with their boats.

If you follow the rules in Ontario right now, you cannot even go see your boat on land, let alone launch it unless there’s an ‘essential’ reason. While big cruisers are obviously only available to some of the population, the same could be said of cottages and chalets; those vacation facilities are full of people. Cottage rentals are booked solid for months. But propose taking your boat for a trip to a remote island and you’re breaking the law.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer pushing for reopening the Canada-US border

Photo copyright shutterstock

The CBC reported on May 6th that the top member of the U.S. Senate, Chuck Schumer from New York, has written a letter to members of the Biden administration making several demands regarding the border. According to the CBC story, Schumer has asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for four things.

The first is a detailed Canada-U.S. plan — to be released as soon as possible — explaining what rules and health-related benchmarks will guide the return to non-essential travel.

Why Should My Squadron Offer Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks (RVCCs)?

By John Gullick, Manager of Government and Special Programs, April 21 2021

Finally after a few years without funding I can talk about why Squadrons should offer Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks (RVCCs). We have now received funding from Transport Canada for the next three years.

Many Squadron Officers continue to talk about how their Squadron’s course participation, and hence membership, is down and continuing to drop. Well the opportunity is back to be able to talk directly with boaters, especially new boaters who have come o recreational boating in very large numbers over last season and the current season.