Hello from Lake Ontario

Well, time to say hello.

I'm a long-time sailor and sailing/navigation instructor (still active) from Hamilton, ON (Canada). Never actually owned a boat, being fairly successful at spending lots of time on others' boats for fun, teaching, and chartering. The near-term plan is to find an affordable two-cabin trawler suitable for cruising with my family (wife and two kids). This place has been a great resource starting research on that. Since we're both able to work remotely at least some of the time, we're looking at some summer cruising around Lake Ontario, Thousand Islands, Rideau Canal, Trent-Severn, Georgian Bay, and the North Channel.

In addition to lots of sailing boats from dinghies to 50', I've spent time on DeFever 41, Grand Banks 32/36, and Mainship 390, and PDQ 34 power cat. I enjoy teaching coastal navigation (reading/plotting on paper charts, trip planning, compass variation/deviation, GPS, visual pilotage), and am looking forward to filling in gaps in my knowledge around diesel engines and boat maintenance. I'm an electrical engineer and gadget guy so this could get fun & expensive fast.

Also, I have lots of experience (>20 weeks total) cruising the North Channel of Lake Huron on power and sail boats. I'll talk your ear off about it if you let me. So that's either something you're welcome to ask about, or something to avoid - your call.

Cheers,

Jeff

At anchor near Killarney, ON:

Welcome aboard. Lots of great cruising grounds near you.

Jeff
Welcome aboard TF. The cruising area you mention is our "back yard" as well and is the reason we never got serious about doing the Great Loop... why would leave the beautiful, scenic, fresh water NE? The only valid reason in my book is to cruise 12 mos/year.
We have done the TSW twice and at least half of the Rideau about 10X and they are the highlights of our 30+ yrs cruising.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard eh?

Welcome aboard! It's good to see some more people on here from the local area (we're on the south side of Lake Ontario in Rochester).

Welcome aboard. I'm usually close to Ontario in the summer. Lots to see and do, as you know.

Bacchus said:

Jeff
Welcome aboard TF. The cruising area you mention is our "back yard" as well and is the reason we never got serious about doing the Great Loop... why would leave the beautiful, scenic, fresh water NE? The only valid reason in my book is to cruise 12 mos/year.
We have done the TSW twice and at least half of the Rideau about 10X and they are the highlights of our 30+ yrs cruising.

Click to expand...

Sounds amazing!
Given enough time perhaps I'll be able to say something similar. I was born in Ottawa and as a kid could spend hours watching boats lock up and down the flight by the Parliament buildings.

Any advice on a first boat, cruising in the area, or other things you wish you knew when you started out?