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

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