Over the Hump

Jan 9, 2025

The Canadian climate is part of our culture but it does take a big bite out of the boating season. Even in BC, the temperature drops and it’s simply not as charming as mid-July. The alternatives include heading south (forever), chartering, fantasizing (see Matt Channer’s article) or simply putting up with it.

This year, so far, I am in that latter category so I welcome the ‘half-way point’ which I put in parenthesis because counting the days, which I inevitably do, it is 82 days since haulout and 98 days until launch, it is not actually half. I delude myself with my faulty math and by pretending the Toronto Boat Show is the midpoint of the winter. Please humour me.

My mid-winter moment

It is a debatable topic: do we appreciate our boats more when we get to enjoy them in the spring and summer or would we prefer to live in a warmer climate where the water doesn’t get so solid for half the year.

I went down to the shore to consider our fate the other day. It was a fairly nice day but really cold. I spoke gently to my boat and assured it that it wouldn’t be long until we were re-united in the warmth again. More likely, I was trying to convince myself of that.

John Morris, Online Editor

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