The Trent Severn Waterway is the most important inland waterway on this planet. Most individuals who navigate it both personal their very own boats or have outrageously priced cottages on the water. However, there’s a enjoyable and reasonably priced approach to pattern a style of the Trent Severn. Le Boat affords self-drive, luxurious houseboats to hire for a few days to a few weeks, permitting you to discover the Trent wherever you need.
About the Trent Severn Waterway
The Trent-Severn Waterway is a National Historic Site that stretches 386 kilometers from Lake Ontario’s Bay of Quinte in Trenton to Georgian Bay in Port Severn. Completed in 1920, the waterway options 44 locks, together with the world’s highest hydraulic raise lock in Peterborough, which raises boats 19.8 meters in buckets. When driving a Le Boat by way of the Trent Severn waterway, you get to move by way of this unimaginable lock.
Summer Savings with Le Boat
2025 Early Booking Offer – Save up to 25%: Take benefit of Le Boat’s Early Booking supply and save up to 25% on finances, consolation, and Comfort Plus boat leases throughout Europe. Get 15% off Le Boat’s Horizon Fleet obtainable for journey in Canada, France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. Book earlier than September 1, 2024, and safe your trip with only a 25% deposit on the time of reserving.
Le Boat’s 2025 Lowest Price Guarantee: Book your 2025 boat rental trip in Europe or Canada with confidence. If the worth drops after you’ve booked, Le Boat will refund the distinction. They assure the bottom worth up to 90 days earlier than departure. Early Booking affords for the 2025 season, go to https://www.leboat.ca/en/new-season or name 1-800-734-5491.
Hire A Captain with Le Boat
To make boating even simpler for first-time cruisers, Le Boat, the chief in non-public boating holidays in Europe and Canada, declares the launch of its modern Skipper for Hire program.
Available solely alongside the picturesque Canal du Midi in France beginning within the 2025 season and priced at simply US$199 per day, vacationers can enlist the experience of a seasoned Le Boat skipper to accompany them on their maiden voyage. On the primary full day of the voyage, the appointed skipper gives visitors with fingers-on instruction on boat operation, navigation methods, and maneuvering by way of locks. This customized steering instills confidence, empowering visitors to navigate independently for the rest of their tour.
For extra details about Le Boat’s Skipper for Hire program go to https://www.leboat.ca/en/new-season or name 1-800-734-5491.
Le Boat’s Horizon 2+ Boat
This was our fifth Le Boat journey so we felt very comfy within the captain’s chair of our Horizon 2+ luxurious houseboat. My brother and sister-in-regulation Jim and Janice joined us for this journey, and the boat comfortably sleeps 4 individuals. There are two bedrooms and two loos, a full kitchen with a full-measurement fridge, oven, range, and barbecue on the highest deck. Dishes and cookware are equipped alongside with washcloths and a brush and mop.
While the boat sleeps 4 individuals, you’ll be able to simply drive this boat with two individuals, however it’s definitely much more enjoyable to have further assist with ropes when going by way of locks and mooring for the night time.
Watch our video to be taught what to pack, how simple it’s to drive the boat, and what to anticipate when renting a Le Boat Houseboat on the Trent.
Trent Severn Waterway With Le Boat
We took a seven-day cruise from the Le Boat marina simply south of Peterborough to Bobcaygeon. During our journey, we went by way of 13 locks and had an unimaginable journey on one of many world’s most stunning waterways.
The boats are very nicely outfitted with sheets, duvets, and pillows. Bath and Hand Towels are equipped, as are all cooking utensils. There is a large water tank on board, and we’ve got hardly ever wanted to refill our tank throughout a Le Boat journey. However, you’ll be able to fill it on the marinas. When taking showers, maintain it brief and candy so that you received’t have to maintain refilling the tank.
We recommend bringing seaside towels, further dish towels, and cleansing towels for a seven-day journey. We additionally packed shampoo, cleaning soap, and additional rest room paper. However, you should utilize the bathrooms on the locks every night time, and they’re very clear. We advocate utilizing the general public bathrooms as a lot as doable, that approach you received’t have to fear about emptying your tanks or filling up water throughout your seven day journey. If you do want a pump out, there’s an additional price, however they’re provided at marinas alongside the waterway.
One factor we extremely advocate packing is a few further hangers on your garments. It is way simpler to set up within the closet with extra hangers.
Day 1-Arrival
We requested an early examine-in for 1 pm and spent an hour loading our boat with all our provides. We packed two coolers filled with meals for the week and garments for each scorching and dry climate and funky and moist climate. Canadian summers see all of it.
Le Boat Marina at Horseshoe Bay
After organizing our boat, we met the workers who walked us by way of every little thing we would have liked to know in regards to the boat after which took us on the water for a lesson on hour to drive and steer the boat, how to use the thrusters, navigate by way of locks and the way to park a ship. By 3pm we have been on the water cruising to our first location.
Peterborough
Locks are open till 6 pm (or 6:30, relying on the time of 12 months), and we had three hours to get to our first vacation spot. This first day is a brief day, so we propose reserving your first night time on the Peterborough Marina. The mooring charges right here will not be included in your Le Boat rental, however staying on the marina permits you to take pleasure in time in Peterborough and to eat at our favorite restaurant The Lightouse Bar And Grill.
Canadian Canoe Museum
Located at Lock 20, the Canadian Canoe Museum is the most recent attraction on the Trent Severn Waterway. This fascinating museum homes the world’s largest assortment of canoes, kayaks, and watercraft. We spent about an hour having fun with its reveals that showcase the Indigenous origins of the canoe, the position of the fur commerce in these waters, and the evolution of leisure paddling. There are interactive shows and fingers-on actions making it enjoyable for all ages.
The Canadian Canoe Museum is open day by day from 10 am to 5pm. We recommend spending the night time within the Peterborough marina after which making your approach again to the lock station within the morning to benefit from the museum earlier than heading up the Trent Severn Waterway.
If you don’t need to pay for an evening on the Peterborough Marina, all Le Boats embrace free docking at any of the locks on the Trent Waterway. You can keep at Lock 20 without spending a dime and stroll the 5 minutes to the Canadian Canoe Museum within the morning, or you can even drive straight to the Peterborough raise lock and keep there. It is a simple taxi or Uber experience into city, or you’ll be able to merely keep on the boat and benefit from the views.
Day 2 – Peterborough to Young’s Point
Peterborough Lift Lock
Day two is a good day to spend 4 or 5 hours on the waterway. There is rather a lot to see on today, starting with your journey by way of the world’s highest raise lock. The Peterborough Lift Lock is a lot enjoyable to undergo. Boats drive into an enormous bucket, and as an alternative of ready for the lock to refill with water to take you to the subsequent stage, boats are lifted by a pully system in a large swimming pool-like bucket, taking boats up 150 toes in a mere 58 seconds.
After getting to the highest it’s a stunning day alongside the canal going by way of farmland, forests, golf programs, and beautiful cottage nation.
Stopping at Youngs Point for the night time makes for a fantastic night. Here, there’s a restaurant, store, and ice cream parlor. It is a scenic spot with waterfalls, fowl life, and beautiful sundown views. We selected to eat on the boat utilizing the barbecue and benefit from the high deck to calm down with cocktails.
Day 3 – Young’s Point to Buckhorn
Today is a protracted, scenic day driving by way of spectacular lakes and the Canadian Shield. The islands of Stony Lake are stunning, with multimillion-greenback cottages spanning its shores.
You can cease for lunch on Love Sick Island, a novel lock situated on an island in the course of the lake. It is a historic vacation spot with mountaineering trails (they’re very rugged, although), picnic tables, and hearth pits. Some individuals select to keep in a single day on this island for a quieter night.
Once you attain Buckhorn, it’s a big dock with a number of parking spots on the lock. You should purchase energy for round $10 if you’d like to use the air-con, kitchen, or another electronics. There is a liquor retailer, waterfront restaurant, and native retailer to buy any provides, ice, and water. This is a very good selection to spend the night time.
Day 4 – Buckhorn to Bobcaygeon
Today, you need to get going as early as doable as a result of parking is proscribed in Bobcaygeon. However, you don’t need to miss spending the night time on this well-known Canadian city. The Tragically Hip wrote about Bobcaygeon, and so they took benefit of their fame by promoting T-shirts with the lyrics on them. Yes, we purchased the T-shirt.
This is the place to buy groceries with a number of shops promoting clothes, footwear, and souvenirs. There are loads of eating places to select from and there are bars, patios and microbreweries.
We ate at Gaz, which had a unbelievable ambiance and scrumptious meals. It was only a brief stroll from the dock overlooking the canal.
Day 5 – Bobcaygeon to Burleigh Falls
If you’ve gotten longer, you’ll be able to go to Fenlan Falls, however with solely two days left in our itinerary, we started the journey again. After having breakfast and ice cream in Bobcaygeon, we made our approach slowly south to Burleigh Falls. Burleigh Falls is a fantastic waterfall the place locals swim within the waves of the speeding water.
This is extra of a wild tenting night with not a number of facilities, however that’s the smartest thing about taking a Le Boat trip. The boat is absolutely stocked with every little thing you want. Tonight is an efficient night time to have a barbecue on deck, play some playing cards or sit across the picnic desk. If you need to stroll to the Burleigh Inn, you’ll be able to go there for dinner. It is only a 5 minute stroll and there’s a nation retailer close to there as nicely.
Day 6 – Burleigh Falls to Lakefield
The rivers run on this course, so the journey dwelling was a lot sooner. With solely two stops on the best way again, we made a good time from Bobcaygeon to Lakefield close to Burleigh Falls.
This is a captivating city to spend the night time in, with a stunning downtown filled with eating places, pubs, and retailers. Make certain to cease within the Chocolate Rabbit to decide up artisanal candies. If you’ve gotten bicycles or paddle boards (two items of drugs that you would be able to hire from Le Boat), it is a good place to attempt them out. The water is calm, and there are biking trails close by.
Day 7 Lakefield to Le Boat
Today is your remaining day on the Trent Severn Waterway, so take your time and cease in any respect the locks and locations you missed between right here and Horseshoe Bay at Le Boat. Stop and have a picnic lunch, pop into Peterborough, lay on the seaside at lock 20 or just calm down on the waters.
You will want to be by way of the final lock by 6 pm so you will get to the Le Boat marina to keep in a single day because the 9 am try comes early. But you’ve gotten the night to pack up and cargo your automotive, make your remaining meal on the barbecue, and discuss with different Le Boaters to see how their journeys went. It actually is an incredible week on the water.
How Difficult Are Le Boats to Drive?
The Horizon boats by Le Boat are extraordinarily simple houseboats to drive.
You have two choices for the place to steer the boat. You can steer it both from the highest flybridge or beneath within the cabin. It’s a simple shift to flip the steering from beneath to above, and the Le Boat workers will present you the way to do this.
Up high provides you the perfect view and management. So when you can drive from there, more often than not, until it’s inclement climate,
The precise management of the boat is tremendous simple. The boats come with each bow and stern hydraulic thrusters, which permit you to maneuver the entrance of the boat and the again of the boat, mainly facet to facet, which actually helps in docking and even going into the locks themselves.
One factor about renting with Le Boat is that y you do not want a ship license to drive certainly one of these. Before leaving the dock, you’ll have an concerned lesson to study how to deal with the boat. They train you to flip the boat, steer it, park it and run you thru all the security options.
There are limiters on the boat as nicely, so you’ll be able to solely go 10 km an hour (perhaps 11 or 12 in case you have the wind and present behind you. So, when you observe the buoys and markers, it’s simple to keep in management.
Planning your Trent Severn Waterway Itinerary
From the Le Boat docks, you’ll be able to select to go south to Trenton or north to Peterborough and past. When you might be planning out your route, simply keep in mind that you’re solely doing 10 kilometers an hour at full pace. So once you’re planning the place to go from in the future to the subsequent, you want to take into consideration the timing.
During the excessive season, you’ll be able to spend an hour or so on the lock ready for boats to undergo. So our greatest recommendation is to ask the lock masters how busy the locks are forward of you and the way far they suppose it is possible for you to to get. They know these waters nicely.
Lock Etiquette
Boating the Trent Severn Waterway is a novel expertise. All locks are operated by Parks Canada, so there’s at all times somebody on the lock stations to ask for recommendation. They carry a wealth of details about the historical past of the locks and the native space and waters.
So, how does going by way of the locks work? It’s simple, and if you’re not sure, be sure that to ask the workers earlier than leaving the marina. However, we’re right here to assist. Here are the steps of what to do when approaching a lock.
Drive up to the blue line and await the crimson gentle to flip inexperienced.
They lock workers will name you in if there isn’t a crimson gentle or if the lock is already open. When driving in, use your thrusters to preserve management.
These boats are tremendous simple to deal with to go into the lock. Just drive sluggish, use your thrusters and ensure to flip it into reverse to cease.
With 4 individuals on the boat, there can be one individual dealing with the ropes on the again and one other on the entrance. When the boat will get into place, all they’ve to do is loop the ropes on the lengthy cables hooked up to the lock that can assist to maintain the boat regular because the water rushes in.
You can be within the lock with different boats, so be respectful of their area and enter and go away in an orderly trend. Whoever is within the entrance will go away first, after which that facet will observe earlier than the opposite facet exits.
If you’ve gotten any questions, ask the lock grasp; they are going to be in a position to let you know the place to go.
Cruising the Trent Severn Water is among the biggest boat journeys on earth. It is a large portion of the Great Loop Tour that boaters placed on their bucket lists to take a 12 months cruising from Florida. We advocate anybody (whether or not you’re a boater or not) spend seven days cruising this stunning a part of Canada. As Dave mentioned, phrases and images can not seize the great thing about the Trent. It is by seeing it with your personal eyes that you simply actually admire how particular the Trent Severn and Kawarthas actually are. So, begin planning your journey as we speak!