Tops On Kip's Christmas Wish List

[J.O.]

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/12127?source=EMQ00513&cm_ven=WC&cm_cat=20111103_EMQ005&cm_pla=BYR2&cm_ite=LearnMoreBoat

[Seeker]

• PT-728, a surviving Vosper boat built under license at the Annapolis Boat Yard in Maryland, was restored by in Key West, Florida. Her deck house was reconfigured to partially resemble an 80-foot (24 m) Elco instead of its original Vosper 70-foot (21 m) configuration. PT-728 was acquired by Fleet Obsolete and moved to Kingston. There PT-728 allows up to 49 tourists the chance to ride on a "PT boat". This boat is the only U.S. Coast Guard regulation-approved PT boat licensed to take passengers for hire, and the only surviving U.S.-built Vosper design. As of 7 Feb. 2012, PT-728 is for sale via the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog for $1 million.

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT_boat}

[Kip Powick]

If I had that boat my first target would be Parks Canada....I know a lot of you are not involved in boating. but hear me out... Parks Canada had their budget cut by approx 20M so the bean counters and pencil pushers have decided to change a few things in all the Parks in Canada and naturally if it relates to the marine world it is important to power boaters, especially retirees who spend their summer on their boats on fixed incomes.....

In 2012--------- my boat went up Rideau Canal Kingston to Ottawa and back....lock and mooring, (also allows docking on 1000 Island docks) fees = $744.00

In 2012.......... I spent 60 days in the canal and on the canal docks. The rest of the time was in 1000 islands on docks and on anchor

Power on docks,(only in canal) = $10.00/night = $600.00

So two months up and down the canal was approximately $1350.00 in Park Fees

2014 the same route, the same time in the canal would cost me. $1400 for locking only

the same route in the canal for 60 days mooring would cost me $4800

Power on the docks would cost me $780

So two months up and down the canal would cost me approximately $6980.00 in Park Fees

In 2012 that mooring pass that we paid for that allowed us to stay on a canal dock,(2 days max) ,also allowed us to dock in 1000 Islands Park Docks, (max 3 days).

The present plan calls for all boats to pay $2.00/foot or in my case $80.00 a night so a three day stay at one of the islands would cost me $240.00. ( The only facility on any island is a composting toilet///no power-no water)

If I was lucky enough to snag a dock 30 times in the 90 days (the docks do get crowded and their is a limit of time on each island) it would cost me an additional $2400.00

2013/2014 ....What it boils down to is that a trip up and down the Rideau canal and spending 60 days on the anchor and 30 days on a dock in 1000 Islands would cost approximately $9500.00 vs $ 800.00 (an increase of approx $8700.00)

The only way I found out about this 'plan' was when an inner circle friend sent me a link and the first line in the link says.............

Public Consultations on Proposed User Fees

Parks Canada is consulting on proposed changes to its national and local fees for services such as entry and camping starting in 2013. These consultations will run from January 11 until February 18. Your views are important to us!

Because all of us purchase seasonal passes, Parks Canada has our mailing addresses and email addresses....not one of us received any prior notification of the future government gouging.

Needless to say, I will not be doing any canal trips nor will I be using any island docks..thank goodness I have a good anchor and a slip in Gananoque.

Lot of PO boaters out here and I understand Facebook has a petition going and a good friend says he will go to the IDLE NO MORE movement and get tips on how we can bring the Canadian economy to its knees!!

[mo32a]

^Look at the bright side Kip, if you do choose to go up the canal you will be able to find docking spots really easy, no one else will be there.

[Mitch Cronin]

Hmmmmm.... there's something a little odd about a large pigboat skipper squawking about costs.... Not that I can't understand the complaint... I do.... but it still somehow seems pale when compared to something like the intense mortification I feel upon learning that a "PT Boat" has been outfitted with diesels!

Good God!...Is there no sanity left on this world!!?!!

[Kip Powick]

Hmmmmm.... there's something a little odd about a large pigboat skipper squawking about costs.... .............................

I hear you Mitch unfortunately you just posted one of the biggest misconceptions that land-lubbers have about people that have, what some might think are, "large" vessels. Large boat = unlimited funds...NOT true.

Yes, I do own my vessel, it is paid for but there are many people out there that have dreamt about a retirement on a boat, did their homework as far as finance was concerned, felt they could do what they had dreamed about, perhaps, all their life, and purchased a vessel when they retired that would be affordable to operate based on "normal" ups and downs in the economywith their fixed pensions

You have to admit that the 'proposed ' increases in fees are outrageous, particularily since there has not been, and there are not forecast to be one single improvement in the Rideau Canal locks or the canal facilities. The locks have been there since Colonel By was in charge of building the canal in 1826, All locks are original stone, the only thing that has changed are the lock gates as the wood does rot after about 20-25 years but I have only seen about two or three gates replaced since I started boating on the canal in 2002. There was electrical power put in at some locks but the rate is $10.00/day. Realistically, do you think a single boat would use $10.00 worth of power for a night when all they are running are lights and a TV?? We all used power for convenience so that onboard gensets were not turned on and many locks do not allow any external power, (honda portable gensets), or onboard gensets to be operated...save the batteries and use the $10.00 power, which is now going to over $13.00 day.

If these rates are approved, all the small towns and villages are going to suffer as well. Boaters spend a lot of money in these towns for provisions, entertainment, meals, gas etc..

Something not in the Public Consultations is the fact that canal operating hours have been drastically reduced for the 2013 season, the government already has that in place so the time for any boat to transit the canal will take longer which equals more expense for those that attempt to make it a short run due to vacation time allocation...gonna be rough for those people.

The Rideau Canal is designated as a National Heritage Site................Maybe Harpo and his clowns don't want it used by Canadian taxpayers ....just want it to be there as a pretty site.

[fleet canuck]

Mitch, it is an outrage. My father was on the HSLs during the war. But look on the bright side: it makes two more Merlins available to fly.

[st27]

Kip,maybe some videos of the T-Rex will take your mind off the gov't insanity for a bit:

google - "nordair tribute"

[i tried copying the link but it doesn't come through]

[Kip Powick]

.

Kip,maybe some videos of the T-Rex will take your mind off the gov't insanity for a bit:

google - "nordair tribute"

[i tried copying the link but it doesn't come through]

Thanks guys, a fellow sent it to me a few days ago and I teared up looking at the videos about the T-Rex. I sent the video link for the tribute to another T-Rex, (retired), driver in the US, (ex Nordair/CP/AC), and he was thrilled.

[st27]

Believe it or not Kip, the Park islands were free use up until 1975!!

[Kip Powick]

That would be nice and I can see "User" fees but "User" fees of this magnitude should be phased in, not just thrown out there. A 500% increase in fees is obscene

I do have emails out to my PC contacts and am attempting to ascertain who came up with the fees and I would suspect that I will have to use the "Freedom of Information Act " to get that data...Any bets that not one of them owns a boat or has ever been through the 1000 Islands???

A tid-bit of information..

Transient boaters wanting to stay a few nights in the Gananoque marina , probably the best marina in the 1000 Islands, has to pay $1.60/ft per night and that gives them...power/water/washrooms/toilets/showers/laundry and free coffee in the office. I have had a slip there for about 5 years now.

Parks Canada wants $2.00/ft per night and that gives you, in some cases, a dock that sinks underwater if 4 or more people stand on it, and a composting toilet.

[conehead]

So... I take it you will now take part in the "public consultations"?

[Kip Powick]

So... I take it you will now take part in the "public consultations"?

Oh, I have sent out emails to many "Brass Hats" in PC attempting to find out how this all came about.

I guess I am wrong.....I thought Public Consultations took place before final positions were posted. Based on one reply I have, nothing is going to change from what has already been decreed as PC's new rate structure.

I also thought that public notices were supposed to be posted in local and National papers and media realeases when PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS were to take place...not just a link if you happen to go to a website...if you have a computer.

Now, only persons with computers have access to the `comment`section of the PUBLIC CONSULTATION process

It will take an amazing amount of public distain to overturn what PC is already touting as a 'fait accompli'.

[DEFCON]

The government refers to fees & taxes as 'revenue'. What a crock!

The other side; the Feds obviously want to transform and support the canal and many other things we do through user pay systems. That is, unless you're a so-called Native.

[st27]

Maybe you are aware of this group:

http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/save/fees-proposed.html

[Kip Powick]

Maybe you are aware of this group:

http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/save/fees-proposed.html

Thank you. I do have that link.

I know Ken Watson personally and he does extremely good work as far as information goes re the Rideau Canal. He has run his non-profit website for years and I, as well as many other boaters, send him info when we see a change on the Rideau during our travels.

[DEFCON]

What will this mean to the commercial houseboat operators?

Seriously; will the new fees be applied 'equally' to Native boat traffic?

[Kip Powick]

What will this mean to the commercial houseboat operators?

Seriously; will the new fees be applied 'equally' to Native boat traffic?

The commercial vessels are very few on the Rideau. The Kawartha Voyageur does operate between Kingston and Ottawa. Their trip for passengers is normally only one way and then the pax take a bus back to where they started. The boat then picks up another load and heads the other way.

Their rates are doubled with respect to the new rates for pleasure boaters. I know the owner/builder of the KV and he has a bit of a quandry as to whether he will continue up and down the canal. I believe a one way trip was about $1700.00 per person which included all meals and overnight accom on the boat. The trip normally took about 5 to 6 days. The rates will really have a heavy impact on his business both in the Rideau and the Trent canal.

There is one other little vessel that takes about 9 or 10 people from Chaffees lock through Davis lock to the top of Jones Falls lock on a daily tour, I think twice a day. His fees will also be impacted.

I have never seen a FN vessel in the canal (Rideau) and I am not sure if they do the Trent Canal.

There was a thriving houseboat rental business up at Big Rideau but they went bankrupt and the only place I have seen little houseboat rentals now is at Smiths Falls and naturally his rates will go up because houseboat rentals normally buy a seasonal pass for their vessels so renters do not have to pay anything to the Locks. The cost of rental takes the fees into account but with fees going up almost 500% in some cases I would imagine renters can do the canals but will have to pay the fees out of their own pockets.

The same will apply to House Boat Holidays which runs out of Clarkes Marina near Gananoque. I would imagine you can rent a boat but you will have to pay for each night you stay on an island, out of your own pocket whereas again, the season pass was paid for by the company and part of that cost was recouped by the rental company with its own fees. Their boats were rented out pretty near all summer.

**************** I was just advised that to stay on an island in 1000 Islands is now $3.00/ft...............$1.00/ft for daylight hours and $2.00/ft for overnight so in my case I would be paying $120.00/night for a dock on an island that has a composdting toilet....................I will not be staying on any islands.

[UpperDeck]

Just a note----compare these Parks Canada charges, both proposed and actual, with the ErieBargecanal seasonal fees (very reasonable) and better yet, the Illinois River and Mississippi and Tenn-Tom waterways with their multitude of locks-----FREE!!

Silly Americans---they seem to believe there is some economic benefit generated by the thousands of recreational boaters plying the inland waterways.

$9000.!!-----it didn't cost me that in dockage and fuel to go from Canada to Miami in my tug----and she guzzles fuel .

[Kip Powick]

Just a note----compare these Parks Canada charges, both proposed and actual, with the ErieBargecanal seasonal fees (very reasonable) and better yet, the Illinois River and Mississippi and Tenn-Tom waterways with their multitude of locks-----FREE!!

Silly Americans---they seem to believe there is some economic benefit generated by the thousands of recreational boaters plying the inland waterways.

$9000.!!-----it didn't cost me that in dockage and fuel to go from Canada to Miami in my tug----and she guzzles fuel .

Agree.. a few years ago.I went from Trenton to Montreal, The Richelieu River to Lake Champlain and my St Lawrence Lock fees, (20.00/lock) and the Chambly lock(40.00 total) fees were reasonable. My fees for the Champlain Canal, to Waterford,(junction of Erie and Champlain canal and Hudson River), to NYC and then back to Waterford, which has 1000 feet of free dock with power, (free) .down the Erie Canal to the Osweego canal and into Lake Ontario was $100.00USD !!!

On the Champlain and the Erie, and Osweego canals many docks were free and there was even free pump-outs and free power at some locations....the alongshore towns wanted the business.

[DEFCON]

Thanks Kip

[Kip Powick]

In the USA these services are provided by the State, that is the passage through the locks. Docks/power/water/pumpout were normally provided by the small towns along the canal system...with the States blessing.

I don't know what the ramifications would be if towns on the Rideau wanted to put in docks etc. I would suspect it is a big No-No as the Rideau Canal is a National Heritage site and as such putting anything in the water requires an act of God.

They, (the goivernment), actually has small boats that traverse the canal and take photos to compare the shoreline and see if anyone is putting in unauthorized docks.

[Moon The Loon]

Just how much commercial traffic uses the Rideau Canal, i.e. the stretches with locks as opposed to the navigable portions of the Rideau River?

Is it possible the Feds simply want the Canal to exist as is, unused by anyone? Locks would then only needed to be opened and closed during change of season.

Sad commentary on all of Parks Canada if that is the case...

[Kip Powick]

Very little commercial traffic, it is mainly pleasure boaters. I have done the counterclockwise trip from TR to UL to OW and then down the canel as well as the clockwise trip from TR to OW to UL and back to 1000 Islands.

The Rideau route is extremely busy during the summer July and August as many boaters from the OW and UL area use it to come down to the 1000 Islands for their summer holidays

Often they will go back and forth on the canal and some come down the canal and then go back to UL via the St Lawrence if they are in a hurry but that route is not very appealing.

When gas was very expensive the traffic on the Rideau dropped to less than 50% of the normal flow. Many of the smaller boats opted to trailer their boats to the 1000 Island area.

Dock space is at a premium in the Islands during July and August but with the rate increase many will opt for marinas or just won't bother coming. Many boat owners are very reluctant to throw out the "hook" for a night. It is a well known fact that many women do not want to be on an anchor at night....and I can understand that fear as many of the smaller boats carry the wrong anchor for the area and many skippers don't really know how to anchor safely because they have never had to do so. One of my friends has a 32 footer and he has not been on the hook in the 6 years he has owned his boat.

The Trent has a lot of 'visitor' traffic on it as well and as far as commercail traffic, just the odd canal cruise liner The Trent is a mandatory route for boaters that want to be in that group known as "loopers". Loopers come in from the USA go up the Trent, down Lake Michigan and then inland waterways to the the Gulf of Mexico and acroos Florida and back to where they started their 'loop' adventure. Many of thiose boats can take up to a year or more to complete the trip and get their "Looper" flag. The majority of those boats are in the 36-50 foot range. Many pile into TR near the end of May to start their trip up the Trent.

Another change in the Rideau will be the personnel. All the operating hours have been cut back and many of the very experienced men/women running the locks, and having a wealth of local information as well as skill doing the job, have quit due to the lack of hours. They used to be guaranteed enough hours to qualify for EI but not anymore so as we understand it, we will have pencil pushers from PC doing the job after a brief trainig period on how to operate the locks.

[Kip Powick]

This notice just appeared this morning at the top of the NEW RATE sheet.....It appears as if PC does not want any more negative comments........or they want to cast their new rates in stone before all hell breaks lose

Following the launch of consultations on fee adjustments, Parks Canada is pleased to have already received

a significant number of comments related to its new proposed model for fees associated with canals.

Parks Canada will determine by Friday which adjustments or new products need to be added

to the consultation package on canals.

The consultation process was supposed to extend to February 18th

Friday.......typical government organization ploy...give out the news just prior to the weekend so no one has to take all the nasty calls ...or will it be good news