Toronto Trip
 

I am looking at taking my boat to Toronto to see a Blue Jays game.
Just wondering what marina is close to the Rogers Center. I see a few different ones on line. Looking for one with showers, gas dock.
Looking for some advise.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, Marina Quay West is the nearest facility to the Rogers Center. They accept vessels up to 50 foot long. You can walk to the game from this location. http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/th...ourmarinas.cfm

Where are you coming in from? When do you plan on making this trip?

There are lots of marinas down there. The cab ride to the Rogers Centre from any of them is minimal.

Try looking online for Ontario Place. See whats there.
Little bit further away but quieter and not subject to ferry traffic and boat slop as at Harbourfront.

If you pick the right day at Harbourfront you could have about 3000 people watching you try to dock in a place filled with lots of in and out traffic.

Heavy police traffic in that area so have everything you need on board.

Lots to look at down there. Enjoy !!!


http://www.ontarioplace.com/en/08_marina/marina.html

I boat out of Buffalo NY, Lake Erie, so my plan was to trailer the boat to Wilson and go across Lake Ontario. The games I want to go to are in June.

Toronto's waterfront is a zoo around the city centre on a nice day on the weekend.

Just be mindful of that. What size is your boat ??

AND is it noisey ??? The police are not nice downtown with loud boats.

You are in Blowboater territory.

I have a 388 Hustler Slingshot. I have heard that about the noise, I guess the silent choice will have to be used.
Would I be better off leaving on Friday to avoid the marina madness?
Also the one marine I looked at said they do not take reservation.
With all the traffic I would hate to get there with no place to stay!

Thanks,
Chris

Call Ontario Place. Get a reservation.

Once you get in the area known as inner harbour ( between downtown core and Toronto Islands....entered by Eastern Gap or Western Gap) the police are very active.

There is fuel there and no where near as busy.

And DONT cross without GPS. You can see CN Tower easily to get there EXCEPT that lake is always cold and I've been there numerous times when its so foggy you cant see 100 ft.

There is lots to see and enjoy at the waterfront though.

Ontario Place......4 minute cab ride to downtown....walk to stadium.

Have a great time !!!!!

Thanks for all your help. At the rate the spring is going I will be able to skate to Toronto. I would save on gas!

Thanks again,

Chris

Tell me about it:lolhit:

They announcing on TV this morning that the ski hills 1 hour north of the city are open on this long weekend.:eek:

The weekend you come, PM me and I'll give you some tips for when you get over here by boat.

Happy Easter

Sounds good. I get in contact with you before I leave.

Chris

When you land and tie up you have to make a phone call.

Promise them you will buy a bottle of Maple Syrup and its a short call.:lolhit:

http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/...eboat-eng.html

I applied for a nexus pass so hopefully that will make it a little easier. The pain is getting to the video phone back here in the Erie Canal to report back in.

when you get into Toronto inner harbour make sure you arent on plane. If you idle in you will have way less chance of being bothered in a noisy boat. I know this for a fact. :party-smiley-004:

I have boated there many times and been pulled over many times. The cops arent too bad as long as you arent drinking and you have proper safety equipment.

Also, listen to Catastrophe he knows his stuff.

Let me know when you come maybe I will come out to play in the Pantera we can run out to hamilton there is a wicked little bar/restaurant on the beach there.

If you have any problems or need any help there are a few of us here.

Lots of good spots downtown; Toronto is an amazing city.

Thanks for the info. I will have to take you up on the offer, would like to spent some time up there getting to know the good spots.
Besides I'm a Red Sox fan so I will probably be leaving after the 3rd inning when the Jays are up by ten runs.

Just a simple sugestion to make your border and customs dealings easier. Trailer the boat across at the Queenstown/ Lewiston bridge or at fort Erie and launch at Niagra on the lake or Port Dalhousie. No customs calls to make as you'll already be here. No hassle when you go home either.
That way, if the lake blows up from the east which happens often in June, you can always get a lift around and pick up the trailer.


Its not uncommon to get 10 plus footers out there in June and Wilson is a very long trip in those beam sea conditions. BTDT and it wasn't fun.

One other thing I just thought of. I heard you should not bring a flare gun on the boat in Canada because it is considered a concealed weapon on Canadian waters.
Urban legend or true?

As long as it is NOT capable of firing a real 12 gauge round, it would be ok. You must have flares onboard by law. The guns they sell here have plastic barrels so its not a real gun.

Toronto Visit
 

Going to Toronto has another requirement. In order to operate a powered vessel in this area you require a "Power Vessel Operators Permit". If you plan on visiting on a regular basis, the best thing to do is to take the 2 hour course, pass the test and show proficiency in a 16 lund on the water. This includes man overboard drills. All this is done the same day. However, if you are only visiting once per year, you can obtain a 14 day visitors permit for $20 by contacting the Toronto Port Authority in advance of your visit at 416-778-1230

Please note, we Canadians require this as well as our new Pleasure Craft Operator Card. I do not know what the Federal expectation is regarding this license on visitors. Perhaps ar15meister of Catastrophe can shed more light in this area.

Another rule we have is related to noise. Here you "must" have mufflers. I don't know how visitors are treated. However, run silents or switchable exhaust isn't allowed. Certainly not instead of real mufflers.

Hopefully all our regulations don't keep you from visiting our wonderful city.

I currently have my boat in the Oakville area, pm me once you have your plans and I would also be happy to come and play if available.

I can't help you with docking or anything (my brother might be able to) but, if you want to go to some bangin' bars or clubs after, I'm your man! :coolcowboy:

Man you Canadians are a friendly bunch. I may have to take back all those things I say about you guys at the Sabres Leaf games.

Just to chime in here...My wife and I have traveled from Alex Bay to Toronto. We have seen the Yankees play the Jays (Yanks Won!) and have seen the 12+ footers on Ontario! It's NO joke.

Nothing like a 20 minute escort from the CCG... We ducked into the Murray Canal and rode around the Bay of Quinte to Kingston to get off the lake it was so bad. My wife still hates the lake, but manages to tolerate the trips we have taken since. (Sandy Pond, Sodus Point...)

I think the trailer idea works real well if you don't have a flexible schedule. Might be a blessing if the Lake kicks up. Leave a couple of days in between just in case.

We stayed at Ontario Place on the weekend, lots of foot traffic going by the boat. You are in an amusment park! Showers were nice and clean, everyone was real friendly!

We stayed across the Bay for a couple of nights and took a tender to the mainland too. Can't remember the name of the Marina, but they had newer docks and it was real clean. Seemed real cheap for the tender ride. Much more relaxed and quiet on the Island, just no night life...

Good Luck, and be safe!

Dave

I have to boat in that area also in the near future... G Bay is on schedule this year... maybe next year!

I captain a 60 ft cruiser out of ontario place. As far as marina's it is reasonable, they have all the facilities and they are very close to the rogers center. I am on a boat called Kozy 1, we are in north marina Slip 19, we go out almost every day during july and august.

Shoot me a pm before you come, and I will let you know if I am around. There is a no wake zone a mile out from the outside of center island, so anywhere you can see land around Toronto harbour, don't be on plane unless you are farther then 1 mile from land, they will get you.

It is usually not bad inside the inner harbour except on wed and thurs nights when they have sailboat races, then it is a sh*t show. Marina Quay West is closer to the rogers center, and you can also park in front of the restaurant just to the east of the marina entrance, I am not certain what it is called, but you can dock over night there.

Also, depending on when you come, there are concerts at Molson Amp which is essentially inside Ontario Place, and you can hear all the music from the marina.

Thanks for the info. I hope the weather is good the weekend I am going, it sounds like it will be a good time.

Dont worry about that happening. The only team up here thats worse than the Maple Leafs is the Jays.:lolhit::lolhit:

You have a 75% chance that they will lose in honour of your visit.:evilb:

At least you can AFFORD to go to Sabres games! Try pricing tickets to a Leaf game, $1000 a pair [to watch them lose?] Sabres are looking good this year AND long term as well with the new owner who actually seems to give a crap about the team, Go Sabres!

I have been to Toronto for the "Night of Fire" or whatever its called [big fireworks display] LOTS of really nice marina's there, and all kinds of places to eat, drink or shop within walking distance. Come on over and have a blast, Jays tickets even for "big games" [Red Sox, Yankee's, etc] are still pretty reasonable. Enjoy!

Michael

Maple syrup ! LMFAO ! gotta try that one

How many hours run is it from A bay to The big smoke ?

Hey Fearless,
Is the PVOP that you made mention of in your post a Toronto By-law???
Just curious as I have never heard of it and have boated in Lake Ontario (Ontario Place ) area a few times????

The card is the pleasure craft operators card given out by the Canadian power and sail squadron. When I took it is was $35, regular questions about navigation and safety. The card is mandatory but depending on your age you may not need one yet since they had different dates for when you were required to get it depending on age. However, they may have fully implemented it for everyone by now. It is not a Toronto law, it is Ontario, the only Toronto license you need is your harbor license.

The harbor license is quick, I went last June, wrote a test in 5 minutes and took a quick spin in a 30ft hunter sailboat, maybe 30 minutes total, I did not have to sit through a 2 hour class. But I paid $25 extra to go at my convenience.

Pleasure Craft Operators card is a FEDERAL thing. Out of country visitors are not required to have one.

A Toronto Harbour licence is required by the Toronto Port Authority BUT, I have never heard of a visitor from ther US being hassled for one.

Toronto Harbour License
 

As I understand it, our American friends are not being hassled for the new federal operators license. I'm curious though, so I might call about this tomorrow. I don't know if Ontario Place is considered part of the Toronto Harbour, I'll call and check tomorrow for sure. What I do know, is that once you enter the eastern or western gap into Toronto, you are required to have a Toronto Harbour "power vessel operators permit". As I mentioned, you can call in advance 416-778-1230 and get a 14 day temporary pass if you are visiting. However, as mentioned earlier, our friendly enforcement group can get difficult if they want to if your don't have it. Like all things, those that are less pleasant when dealing with our enforcement get a rougher ride.

As far as I know Ontario place is not considered part of the inner harbour, but is inside the limits of the outer harbour that goes all the way to the entrance to the humber river. Toronto harbour is from the humber river to a point on the lake 1 mile south of Gibralter point then out east to victoria park. And that whole area has a max 10mph speed limit.

I am going to have all my bases covered when I make the voyage to Toronto this summer. I am glad I put this out there the info has been great.

I have got the Pleasure Craft Operator Card,have had it for 4 or 5 years... Just making sure the feds haven't brought out something else (another card) with out letting the public know so they can grab a few more $$$$ from us on the water....
It has been known to happen,if ya know what I mean....:eek:

Temper,
The "Power vessel operators permit" has been a requirement for anyone operating a motorboat in Toronto Harbour for many years. This has nothing to do with the new pleasure craft operators card. In fact, the Toronto Harbour operators permit was a requirement long before the new federal program went into effect.

Thanks Fearless
I was starting to think that I had missed something.
So d@m many hoops to jump through anymore, seems funny though I worked the Air show last year ( taking the pilots back and forth from Ontario Place to Island airport) by boat and nobody ever asked me about anything other than asking me if I had all my safety equipment....

Thanks for clarifying things
Stan

And thats all you will probably ever be ever asked for, if anything. Worst case picture is being painted here.

Been inside that harbour many many times and have never been approached.

Most important thing to watch for is no wake, so you dont disturb the kayakers and mini sailboaters as they make their way to the island to hug a tree.

I once heard it called the Korean rowboater slalom course lol.

But thats exactly true if you arent on plane and you wave to the cops chances are they wont bother you.

A friend of mine from up North was in Toronto with his old boat (35 Cigarette) back in the mid/late 90's and took my Dad out for a ride on Lake Ontario.

Not knowing the rules aout no wake they came into Toronto harbour from the East and blasted right through at about 80mph.

The cops caught up with them later that day and were not impressed but they let them off with a warning since they honestly didnt know the rule and werent really close to anyone.

I wouldnt bet on cops being that easy going anymore, most of the old school guys (like my uncle) are retired now and it is more of a united nations boys and girls club that is less than friendly to affluent white guys in flashy boats lol.

Alright, I think I got it. Slow down a mile away from harbor, no wake, watch out for tree-huggers, make sure the boat is not loud,
when I call in tell them about my love for maple syrup.
Got it!
:lolhit: