Boating season is finally here—after a chilly start to spring, warmer temps have arrived. Water levels across the province are at normal levels, and there are plenty of sunny days ahead. For those of you who like to socialize and be part of the “in” crowd, picking the right events to trailer your boat to can make the difference between an OK weekend, and a truly great one.
August 11, 2018, Port Carling, ON
One thing the Muskoka region is known for is rich people with fabulous antique boats—although we’ll never own a boat made of cedar, we can still appreciate these amazing specimens, and it’s great to see them in their natural habitat, where many of them originally rode when they were new. Throw in a visit to the Muskoka Discovery Centre—home of the Murray Walker Grave and Speed Boathouse—and you’ve got a wonderfully well-rounded boating visit. For the ambitious, we suggest riding a PWC from the event in Port Carling to the Heritage Centre on the lake in Gravenhurst. They even have docks out front.
Check out Martin Lortz and Dustin Woods’ trip here to see some boating options in the area. And if you can't wait till August, you can take in the Antique and Classic Boat Society of Toronto's 38th Annual Summer Vintage Boat Show on July 7 at Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst.
4. the Great Canadian Kayak Challenge
August 24-26, 2018 - Timmins, ON
While not really a powerboating event, we felt that this one was worth mentioning, as boaters will enjoy the friendly competitive nature of the Kayak Challenge, in which dozens of paddlers compete in different classes of events on a river right in the heart of downtown Timmins. The river is great for lazy cruises any other weekend, and the festival is more than just kayaking.