Gulfcoast John
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2012
- Messages
- 1,185
- Reaction score
- 50
- C Dory Year
- 2010
- C Dory Model
- 255 Tomcat
- Vessel Name
- CAT 'O MINE
Cruising the Canadian section of the Triangle Loop into Canada is our Number One summer recommendation for a CD 19 and up! We’re doing it again this year and having a blast! We’re on NEBO and AIS so stop by. We finally got our gold AGLCA flag after only ten years, 9,000 water miles and 30,000 trailer miles. Yes, we know we’re rushing it.
Find Penguins blog key is here:
findpenguins.com
The Rideau Canal section starts at Kingston, ON, leading up to Ottawa, then the Ottawa river to Montreal. Take the Lachine canal right through downtown Old Montreal since your air draft is under 8 feet…take down the radar if you have to. Credit Pat Clause for this find. Take the train to the ancient walled Quebec City. The St L River has huge tides not worth fighting and the QC marina requires a lock to enter, if that gives you an idea. From Montreal take the St L to Sorel and hang a right to enter the Richelau system down to Lake Champlain for a few weeks. Don’t miss the Inland Sea and Burton Island state park (only reachable by ferry for ordinary folks). Burlington, VT is a fine place to take out (easy transportation back to Kingston) or proceed on down through the Chambly canal system to the eastern end of the Erie canal at Waterford. If you’re up for crossing 55 miles of a Great Lake (Lake Ontario) take the Oswego Canal and cross back to Kingsford as a loop if you have a CD25 or bigger. We don’t think it’s wise to try that in a CD 22, although it is the Swiss Army Knife of pocket yachts. Pick your weather days carefully with at least three sources and ensure they are not based on the same global model (so you’re looking at truly different opinions).
Buy a Parks Canada Seasonal Locking and Mooring pass to cover all your stays at lock station ‘walls’. All are in park-like scenic settings, 99% with restrooms for ‘basin baths’ (very few with showers). Many have 30A shore power for $12C extra. You’ll need a sweater for July/Aug <60 degree mornings and the very low humidity (under 40%) makes even 85 degree days feel delightful. There are many free or very low cost town walls on the eastern Erie Canal system, but the water is not the clear pristine water of Canada. Kayak campers are jumping in the canal for their AM bath. The locks (over 100) are easy (grab plastic covered cables or pass a line around them from the helm and cockpit). The lock workers left the climate-controlled bathrooms unlocked overnight since there are boaters staying here. Can you imagine that anywhere in the US?
If you have room, get an Airhead since pumpouts are always ‘broke’ and expensive. We empty it every six months whether it’s full or not (dump the 2 gallon liquids container in the toilet and add some vinegar for no smell, ever). Get a power station that can run your coffee maker, induction skillet, fans and heater. You can plug it into your boat AC panel with an adapter or use the outlets on it for a silent night on the wall. The cheaper option is propane (a $20 2-burner camp stove and heater) but we love the Pecron. Right now it’s powering the toaster oven in the cockpit, so we can keep the AC on in this heat wave with another 4,200 watts to play with.
There’s no need to join the AGLCA. Get the Great Lakes Vol 1 Waterway Guide, which includes the NY Canals, Canada waterways Triangle and Down East Loops. We’ve thought about that last one but not up for it.
. For your Winter adventure, nothing beats the 5-star Pink Shell Resort Marina in Ft Myers Beach for $31/night including power. Call dockmaster Dave today, no charge for cancelling or changing. See my March 15, 2026 review here:
https://www.waterwayguide.com/reviews/1-3612/pink-shell-beach-resort-and-spa
We hope something here is helpful in planning your Adventures! We can’t know how many ‘good days’ we have left, but for sure there is one less every single day that goes by.
John
Find Penguins blog key is here:
AICW Great Loop Segment | FindPenguins
AICW Great Loop Segment traveled in 5 countries. Explore the travels of AICW Great Loop Segment on FindPenguins.
findpenguins.com
The Rideau Canal section starts at Kingston, ON, leading up to Ottawa, then the Ottawa river to Montreal. Take the Lachine canal right through downtown Old Montreal since your air draft is under 8 feet…take down the radar if you have to. Credit Pat Clause for this find. Take the train to the ancient walled Quebec City. The St L River has huge tides not worth fighting and the QC marina requires a lock to enter, if that gives you an idea. From Montreal take the St L to Sorel and hang a right to enter the Richelau system down to Lake Champlain for a few weeks. Don’t miss the Inland Sea and Burton Island state park (only reachable by ferry for ordinary folks). Burlington, VT is a fine place to take out (easy transportation back to Kingston) or proceed on down through the Chambly canal system to the eastern end of the Erie canal at Waterford. If you’re up for crossing 55 miles of a Great Lake (Lake Ontario) take the Oswego Canal and cross back to Kingsford as a loop if you have a CD25 or bigger. We don’t think it’s wise to try that in a CD 22, although it is the Swiss Army Knife of pocket yachts. Pick your weather days carefully with at least three sources and ensure they are not based on the same global model (so you’re looking at truly different opinions).
Buy a Parks Canada Seasonal Locking and Mooring pass to cover all your stays at lock station ‘walls’. All are in park-like scenic settings, 99% with restrooms for ‘basin baths’ (very few with showers). Many have 30A shore power for $12C extra. You’ll need a sweater for July/Aug <60 degree mornings and the very low humidity (under 40%) makes even 85 degree days feel delightful. There are many free or very low cost town walls on the eastern Erie Canal system, but the water is not the clear pristine water of Canada. Kayak campers are jumping in the canal for their AM bath. The locks (over 100) are easy (grab plastic covered cables or pass a line around them from the helm and cockpit). The lock workers left the climate-controlled bathrooms unlocked overnight since there are boaters staying here. Can you imagine that anywhere in the US?
If you have room, get an Airhead since pumpouts are always ‘broke’ and expensive. We empty it every six months whether it’s full or not (dump the 2 gallon liquids container in the toilet and add some vinegar for no smell, ever). Get a power station that can run your coffee maker, induction skillet, fans and heater. You can plug it into your boat AC panel with an adapter or use the outlets on it for a silent night on the wall. The cheaper option is propane (a $20 2-burner camp stove and heater) but we love the Pecron. Right now it’s powering the toaster oven in the cockpit, so we can keep the AC on in this heat wave with another 4,200 watts to play with.
There’s no need to join the AGLCA. Get the Great Lakes Vol 1 Waterway Guide, which includes the NY Canals, Canada waterways Triangle and Down East Loops. We’ve thought about that last one but not up for it.
. For your Winter adventure, nothing beats the 5-star Pink Shell Resort Marina in Ft Myers Beach for $31/night including power. Call dockmaster Dave today, no charge for cancelling or changing. See my March 15, 2026 review here:
https://www.waterwayguide.com/reviews/1-3612/pink-shell-beach-resort-and-spa
We hope something here is helpful in planning your Adventures! We can’t know how many ‘good days’ we have left, but for sure there is one less every single day that goes by.
John
