As boaters we all have a very unique connection to the water and all the opportunities it presents. And for most taking care of our lakes and waterways is very important, both for our own use and future generations.
This past decade has been a real up-and-down ride for the companies who make boating equipment. When the recession hit in 2008/2009, new product development for most manufacturers ground to a sharp halt as they focused on more pressing issues, like simply keeping the lights on.
While the basics of boat hull design hasn’t changed that much over the years, the same cannot be said for marine electronics. Indeed, the explosive growth in this market has changed the way we go boating and it continues to do so at an accelerated pace.
We are all looking to gain a little more time these days, and technology is often the route we pursue to find solution that will grant us more time for other things, even if that is just sunning on the bow or getting in the next chapter of that book you can’t put down.
Last year when this column launched a good deal of time was spent understanding global satellite navigation systems and which systems Apple and Android devices were able to connect to.
For a gloomy February we look not only at how an app that works within your phone can be of benefit to mariners but take a look at an interesting ‘pocket gadget’ that connects...
I am fortunate to have the ability to work from just about anywhere. A cellular signal and a Wi-Fi connection is about all I really need to put in a full day’s work.
In the last edition of this column we took a close look at iRegatta and the advantages it can bring while racing. This week we move beyond an app that aids during your race to one that can provide in depth analysis of your boat post-race.
While many boat owners simply choose not to venture out after dark, there are occasions when you may need to “see” under adverse circumstances like mist, fog or heavy rain and of course, at night.
For fans of burpees, lunges, squats and planks who want the added motivation of individual coaching while listening to music, the world's first wireless cross-training audio solution has arrived...
Read more: Wireless Sport Coach App Offers Real-time In-ear...
Lifestyle
Sarah Douglas - From volunteer to Pan American Gold Medalist
I cross the finish line, heart pumping and barely able to breath from the grueling conditions. I can’t believe that I have just become the 2019 Pan American Champion in the Women’s Dinghy (Laser Radial). I’ve just won the medal race in a windy 25 knots in Paracas, Peru.
I go hug my coach (Ken Dool), hug my competitors and hold the Canadian Flag high as I make my way to shore. My teammates come running into the water to celebrate and I’m overwhelmed. It doesn’t feel real that I’ve won a Gold Medal. Shortly after I’m at the Medal Ceremony, standing on the podium and the Canadian national anthem starts to play.
Read more about Sarah Douglas...............
DIY & How to
Could you lease your new yacht?
By Andy Adams
When I first saw the display at the Toronto International Boat Show saying that you could lease a new yacht, it stopped me dead in my tracks. While I had never considered leasing boats, we are certainly seeing growth in boat rental organizations, so leasing didn’t seem out of line. In fact, I wondered why it had taken this long to see boat leasing come to the market.
However, I have a reasonable understanding of how leasing works compared to financing a purchase and I wondered how the numbers could work for something like a yacht. The sign was in front of a 60 foot Princess Express Cruiser – about $3,000,000
Read more about Leasing a Yacht............
Boat Reviews
J99 - Offshore Shorthanded Speedster
By Katherine Stone
All set to pull out the Code 0 before dousing the jib.
It was a very cold and wet beginning to the summer and we never thought it would arrive in Southern Ontario. Doing a 100 miler race on Lake Ontario (billed as the COOLEST race on the lake) with my 8 layers of thermal clothing, woolen ski toque and ski mittens, along with a neck warmer kept me on the edge all night, just out of frostbite reach. I shouldn’t have complained, as we also had wind!
July and August arrived, and it has certainly warmed up, in fact, its too warm, AND we don’t have wind. We are now counting 5 Wednesday nights in a row without wind to race.
Read more about the J99 Offshore Shorthand Speeder.....................
Wellcraft 242 Fisherman
By Andy Adams
Boat buyers are gravitating to the latest centre console boats for a wide range of reasons but for the Wellcraft 242 Fisherman, you can sum it up by saying it’s about features, style and value.
This great-looking boat is just as capable on a family picnic cruise as it is doing serious blue water fishing. A wide range of options let the buyer tailor the boat for their specific interests, but it’s all there to choose from. Our test boat was well-equipped for that comfortable cruise with easy access via the swim platform and through the transom gate into the cockpit.
Read More about the Wellcraft 242 Fisherman..................
Destinations
Port Severn’s historic Lock 45 presents an idyllic boating experience
Blake Marchand
As the final link between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay, Port Severn’s Lock 45 is the gateway to the beautiful Trent-Severn Waterway. The first and smallest lock to be constructed on the Severn portion, Lock 45 is entrenched in Canadian History and is worth the trip in itself. However, it is the waterway and its idyllic surroundings that will keep you coming back.
The canal connects Lake Ontario and Lake Huron with an eastern terminus in Trenton and a western terminus in Port Severn. Its amazing natural waterways include the Trent River, Otonabee River, The Kawartha Lakes, Lake Simcoe, Lake Couchiching and Severn River.
Read more about Vancouver...........
Kingston Anchors
By Rob MacLeod
In the April 2015 edition of CY magazine, I published an article on anchors and anchoring – Staying Put: I See Myself Anchoring Off …). Much of the article was about upgrading the anchor you currently have on your boat – you know – the one that was there when you bought the boat. What wasn’t covered was the probable need to upgrade the bow roller to accommodate your new anchor.
Read more about the Big Bumper........
