Carver Owners Forum

Fraser, is the new owner keeping the boat at Starport Simcoe?

Fraser, is the new owner keeping the boat at Starport?

The broker bought my 41, Crates Lake Country, I would like to see it back at Starport Simcoe, it is a 9.5 out of 10 boat

Sounds good, I'm not splashing until first week of May and then I'm having Starport polish it. I'm on my 3rd "big boat" and 13 years and nobody anywhere from Oakville to Trenton to GBay even comes close to the job Chris at Starport does.....

When you are coming under the bridge and making your right turn into Starports private channel -hug the Port Bouy....there is some serious rocks about 2 feet below the surface and not marked on the starboard side of the channel.

I would be very happy to get in the first week of May this year. I just need a short stretch of nice weather to get my bottom painted and my new battery charger installed then I am good to go.

Fraser

I'm heading up tomorrow to put underwater lights on my buddy's 355. I just finished assembling two new wing doors for Foxy Joe so hope to install them on Monday. Beyond that I have a new ice maker to install and want to polish my hull. I'm not doing any of that until it's tshirt weather. The locks aren't open until the 16th so as long as I'm in and good to go for that weekend I'm happy.

Thanks for the info Lyndon, I have never boated in Georgian Bay, part of the deal with Crates is that one of their staff come with us when we move the boat

If you have never done this yourself - hand the helm over to Crates before you get to the 400 bridge. Your beam is within a couple of inches of mine and I have about 16" clearance on either side of my boat for the markers. I actually aim for the starboard marker and when it disappears under my starboard bow flare I know I'm good.

You are running upstream and the downstream current runs between 4 and 5 knots so you need to use power. It's not something you want to do on your new boat for the first time having never done it.

Check out this video, the couple left Starport Lower and headed into the Bay. They are travelling downstream but it's a good video of how treacherous it is. It's knick named "Hells Gates" and is the main reason Starport purchased the facility there....they make a pile of money fixing prop strikes.

https://youtu.be/qgREvgoSUDU

In the video, there is a green marker missing just at the point under the bridge where you start to see the aluminum boat coming upstream. That marker is there now and is the one you almost need to clip. You will see it below the water line in the video as they pass it.

If you need anything, I have done the trip from the Bay to Simcoe a hundred times. You will have to pop over for a drink when you get in.

Lyndon, where was Starport blasting, at the marina? Upper or Lower?

They actually blasted both. The lower location was blasted in 2011 to the extent that it sits currently. Upper was blasted in the winter of 13/14 to allow for the installation of the new dock systems.

They are trying to sell lower I hear as it didn't have the success that they were looking for. It's more of a commercial marina, no potable water, susceptible to the winds in the "canyon", currents from the dam, and Highway noise from the 400. But, it's great to pull into and stay at if you miss the last lock.