Finally

Apr 23, 2024

Yes, friends and boating neighbours, it’s Launch Day.  It should be a national holiday and I am hoping you will treat it as one.  Launch Day literally means the day you launch the boat but, in this context, it means more.  The boats may already be in the water. A friend tells me they launched two weeks ago and it snowed the next day.

Launch Day in this case means the Launch of the Boating Season. The celebration of everything about water, the salute to the boat builders, the invitation to the crew, the warm hugs with dock mates. Yes, this is the day.

I needn’t rale on about Canadian weather; we all know that it blows for months then suddenly becomes glorious. We have all experienced the whiplash change in our mood as the boat is fired up and the festivities begin.

Photo courtesy the Victoria Cruising Club.  This is officially what starts today!

Chance to Win a $50 Gift Card! Share Your Local Boating Events

Being so early in the boating season, the staff at Canadian Boating know that there are many events at local marinas and yacht clubs coming to fruition for 2024. We are betting a $50 gift card that there are many more.

If you are aware of a public boating event in your area of Canada, please send us the link or details to jillsnider@kerrwil.com . We will enter your name into a draw for one of two $50 gift cards from a local-to-you marine chandlery. This can be anything available from public fishing tournaments to boat shows or entertainment at your favourite pier. We want to share your events. And go!

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Starcraft SV 16 OB

By Craig Ritchie

Photos by Starcraft Marine

Building great boats has always come down to a mix of art and science, and that’s particularly true when it comes to meeting the biggest challenge of all—creating an appealing yet affordable family runabout. Buyers want a boat that is affordable but not stripped to the bare bones.

Enter Starcraft and its delightful SV 16 OB, an all-new-for-2025 family deck boat that elegantly balances comfort, amenities and affordability.

Read More

Destinations

The Erie Canal – An Extraordinary Waterway

By Mark Stevens

Photos by Sharon Matthews-Stevens

As I shift our chartered canal boat into neutral, I’m soothed by the soundtrack of bird calls, the occasional plaintive horn of a distant train and the hum of our engine.

I reach for the VHF to radio the lockmaster in charge of Erie Canal’s Lock 32 dead ahead. Our boat spins gently in the current like a maple key in a mud puddle.

“This is Onondaga,” I say. “Headed westbound and requesting passage.”

Read More

Lifestyle