Trojan Boat Forum

We take the train, of course!
Here is a photo of Impulsive on it's trip home from Wabushine, last September. After entering the Trent-Severn Canal system at Port Severn, you come to Big Chute tramway, which lifts boats about 60' using a train track and carrier (more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Chute_Marine_Railway) It's the only mechanism of it's kind in the whole world and a really unique ride. It's also a great way to get a look at the bottom of your boat, especially after coming out of the prop-eating waters of Georgian Bay, as the lockmaster may allow one person to get off the boat and view the underside as it traverses the roadway.
[URL=http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/ ... .jpg[/img][/url]


To get a better idea of how this system operates, you can see the whole sequence at photobucket, here
http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/icsyh ... t=3&page=1

Sorry about the low resolution images...my wife insists on "saving memory"...on a 32 gb sd card

Thanks that pretty cool

Original owner of ours made that trip! Very cool.

I have never been through Big Chute yet, but my wife has on her father's runabout years ago. The Peterborough Lift Lock is also pretty cool.

The liftlock is about a 15 minute drive from my house and is featured in my upcoming book, "Over Main Street...In The Kawarthas". It's a collection of aerial images of places in the Kawarthas, accompanied by historical editorial about the people and the places that helped the area become so popular. The liftlock has some great history, especially regarding it's construction superintendent, Richard Birdsall Rogers. It's haunted by some construction workers who died during it's construction, as well!. The whole history of the canal itself is really interesting, too.I could, quite easily, go on for HOURS about it all With luck, that may become the third topic in the Over Main Street series. I'm thinking my wife could cruise the Trent in our tricabin, while I fly overhead, taking shots of each lock...kind of like a visual cruising guide.

Here are some nice photos of it. I think I see 2 Trojans getting a ride

http://edwardintoronto.smugmug.com/Lake ... &k=5JjcP5Q

I see the same photographer also has shots of the lift locks at Peterborough and Kirkfield too : http://edwardintoronto.smugmug.com/Kawartha-Lakes

I showed my wife the pictures and she said "Those Canadians take their boating very seriously." You guys up North certainly don't let a little terrain get in your way.

I looked at the canal on Google maps. That has to be the most meandering canal route I've ever seen. The trip by canal must be several times longer than as the crow flies.

obeejr wrote:I looked at the canal on Google maps. That has to be the most meandering canal route I've ever seen. The trip by canal must be several times longer than as the crow flies.

Yes, but they used whatever existing rivers and lakes they could. There aren't too many 'man made' cuts. Even though it is meandering and the locks can get tedius and tiring, it's an awesome system to cruise and experience. It was built for recreational boating - not commercial.