Launch into Spring Canadian Boating April

Canadian Boating Magazine April 2024

Mar 14, 2024

The April 2024 issue of Canadian Boating magazine is our first spring issue since our re-branding! In our new marriage of boats and yachts, we have something old, something new and an amazing view of the future too!

First, let’s get practical. Among today’s most affordable boats and the ones that are favoured by entry-level purchasers, are personal watercraft (PWCs). Could a PWC be the best start into boating for you? We look at watercraft from Sea-Doo, Yamaha’s Waverunners, the latest from Kawasaki and also, Canada’s all-electric PWC by Taiga. With prices ranging from $10,000 to almost $30,000, performance from fast to blazing fast, and in sizes that are easy to trailer and store, no wonder PWC sales are booming!

Speaking of trailering, far more people have boats on a trailer than have a boat in the comparative convenience of a marina and better yet, their own boathouse. Starting in this April 2024 issue of Canadian Boating, we will be delving into the convenience of having a trailer, knowing how to use it safely and how the right boat on a proper trailer can open up the joys of boating in beautiful areas at affordable prices.

Our cover boat is the Pursuit S 268 with twin Yamaha 200’s. You would need a big 4×4 to trailer it but this centre console with 50 mph performance is super versatile – a blue water fish-raiser, capable offshore boat and with great all-day passenger comfort.

Our sail review is the big, powerful and elegant Hanse 460. It’s the kind of boat that can take friends and family out for a day or that can set sail for the Caribbean with equal ease. The accommodations are elegant, and the performance is impressive!

For the reader who takes an interest in things technical, we have a special feature on propellors and how to select the best prop for your boating activities and your expectations. What looks like a simple device with no moving parts, is actually highly scientific, complex and widely variable. So, what is the best prop for your boat? We will try to guide you to make the best decision.

Bombardier introduced the first Sea-Doo way back in 1968. It’s our “something old” while the Pursuit S 268 and the Hanse 460 are something new. But we have a stunning view of the future too and it’s John Morris’ four-and-a-half-page feature on Canada’s SailGP team, their incredible foiling “boat” and the ultimate SailGP racing event that is coming to Atlantic Canada this summer.

Our usual columnists are all there of course. And as always, the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons offers great boating articles in The Port Hole, their featured supplement.

We hope you enjoy the April 2024 edition of Canadian Boating and we welcome your comments and input!

Andy Adams – Editor

Related Articles


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