Happy Days rental, Trent Severn

[Barrie]

My wife and I and another couple have booked a week aboard a ”Happy Days” house boat in Bobcageon to travel some of the Trent Severn system. We have booked for the end of July and assume this would be the warmest weather .
We plan to head in the western direction, the operators tell us there are more communities, closer together in that direction, and locks. To me that sounds like more fun.
We booked a 8 person houseboat so we would have each private bedrooms, not just foldouts in a common area and more elbow room.
We have never done anything like this, and are very excited about it. The couple that are coming with us have been our best friends for 30+ years and he is a marine technician and has boating experience in the north area (small lakes and rivers)
Does anyone have any do’s or don’ts, besides the regular “safe boating practises”.
Any thoughts on what to bring, or leave at home. I was thinking about hauling up my Zodiac with 7.5
Thanks for your thoughts

[prowlersfish]

1 DO ..... Have Fun !!

[P-Dogg]

A dink is always a good idea. Being able to get off the boat when not at a dock greatly increases the mother ship's utility.

[Barrie]

1 DO ..... Have Fun !!

Oh! we will have fun!
I just didn't want to look like all the other newbs on a 40' rented houseboat

[Barrie]

A dink is always a good idea. Being able to get off the boat when not at a dock greatly increases the mother ship's utility.

Good point
I just assumed we would have a dock/wall/slip to always pull into. I guess that would not always be the case.

[rickalan35]

Hi Barrie,

40' Houseboat Rental Follies

Oh yeah, I remember well, the Three Buoys Houseboat rental business that once existed here on the Rideau Lakes in Ontario.

Over the years, the renters managed to smash into all and everything and we used to get a real kick out of watching their adventures in the locks. The fun ended one day though, when I was tasked with driving one back to the marina for a sick friend.

In a nutshell, that four cylinder motor had little or no effect on the very real fact that I was apparently trying to steer an apartment building into a telephone booth.

We want photos of all your mis-adventures, Barrie. And don't worry, no matter what that houseboat ends up doing to your confidence, you will be fine when you eventually get behind the wheel of that tricabin of yours. They handle like a dream.

Great progress on the restoration btw

Rick

[Barrie]

Hi Barrie,

40' Houseboat Rental Follies

Oh yeah, I remember well, the Three Buoys Houseboat rental business that once existed here on the Rideau Lakes in Ontario.

Over the years, the renters managed to smash into all and everything and we used to get a real kick out of watching their adventures in the locks. The fun ended one day though, when I was tasked with driving one back to the marina for a sick friend.

In a nutshell, that four cylinder motor had little or no effect on the very real fact that I was apparently trying to steer an apartment building into a telephone booth.

We want photos of all your mis-adventures, Barrie. And don't worry, no matter what that houseboat ends up doing to your confidence, you will be fine when you eventually get behind the wheel of that tricabin of yours. They handle like a dream.

Great progress on the restoration btw

Rick

Oh man! I bet there are a lot of stories about those house boats, I love your analogy of the apartment building and phone booth, those things are big and ugly!

That brings me to the marina I had a slip at last season for my new to me 25' Cruiser Inc.
The boat launch is on one side of a river that's about 75' across, and on the other side is the marina with a large audience watching every move you make. they would often applaud, hisss, cheer and hold up number signs after most of the launches.
Very nerve racking

Of course there will be photos, but this board will only see the most flattering.
The rest are for another forum

Thanks about the restoration

[mikeandanne]

Picture this.....nice warm day, tied up at the far end of the blue line.......the wind comes up and the lock doors open and you hear the lock master call "bring in the house boat first".. . ...there is lots of shiny glass on both sides with people that have boat hooks ready.......dont ask how I know this, brings back some memories.....you will have a great time... ..Mike

[Barrie]

Picture this.....nice warm day, tied up at the far end of the blue line.......the wind comes up and the lock doors open and you hear the lock master call "bring in the house boat first".. . ...there is lots of shiny glass on both sides with people that have boat hooks ready.......dont ask how I know this, brings back some memories.....you will have a great time... ..Mike

Thanks, I needed the laugh at work...on lunch LOL

[WayWeGo]

If the rental company uses VHF radio to keep track of their boats, be sure to listen in. When we chartered in the Bahamas, my favorite conversations began with:

I ran aground in the middle of the channel. He kept insisting he was in the channel and we thought it was so funny that we had to pull anchor and move 10 miles to investigate. Yup, he was WAY outside of the channel and stayed aground at low tide for a day and a half until the company came to help him get off. He was floating just fine at high tide, but I guess he needed somebody to tell him it was OK to move.

The coffee maker you have on the boat is the wrong type and I brought filters for the type you said you would have. You need to bring me the right type of coffee maker. He whined about this for hours before they finally brought him a different coffee maker to shut him up. I wonder how he gets through daily life.

Have a great time! I have always wanted to visit the Trent Severn and hope to do so in a few years.