1. weren’t expecting—that it was within their ability to
ease new owners into the cruising dream, preparing
couples for a future of successful and safe cruising.
This year, the company repeated the springtime
flotilla to Annapolis, and eight boats joined the
11-day, 715-mile trip. It was also the introduction of
a two-day PDQ University, with demonstrations
and seminars to explain maintenance, address any
questions and concerns, and empower new owners
before they jump off on their first major trip on their
new boats. (For more information on PDQ U, see
the News & Notes section of this issue.)
With this trend showing such promise, it was no
surprise when PDQ’s vice president of sales and
marketing, Rob Poirier, called this spring to discuss
another event they had in mind. This time, it would
be closer to home, and Rob got me really excited as
he walked through the plan of a five-day journey up
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L
ast year, PDQ Yachts took a flotilla of six
boats from its yard in Whitby, Ontario, to
Annapolis, Maryland, and it was an eye-
opening experience for everyone involved.
Initially a boatbuilder’s effort to deliver six new
catamarans south after the ice and snow of winter
cleared, it took on all the characteristics of a major
sponsored adventure. Those who took part did it
all—crossing the open water of Lake Ontario,
locking through New York’s Erie Canal system, and
running down the Hudson River and the New
Jersey coast with occasional heavy pleasure boat
and commercial traffic.
The trip was a success and proved an outstanding
introduction to cruising for the new boat owners, with
sufficient company support and the friendly fellowship
of other like-minded boaters. At its conclusion, the
sharp managers at PDQ Yachts saw something they
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Riding The
The Oldest
Hand-Operated
Canal System
In North America
Rideau By Bill Parlatore
The lock master and his willing assistant
lock us through in a beautiful park setting.
Salwa Farah
The Oldest
Hand-Operated
Canal System
In North America

2. Four boats, eight hulls. And
best of all, we had no real
deadline or schedule. This was to
be not a diehard delivery, but a
leisurely cruise, mixing wilderness
camping with small town
exploration, on a canal waterway
that has been open since 1832. It
is a recreational wonderland
enjoyed by thousands of boaters.
Unfortunately, I had little
time to explore Kingston, as we
planned to depart the next
morning. Last-minute engine
maintenance on one of the cats
gave me a two-hour window to
walk the streets of downtown
Kingston with Salwa. I was
impressed with the limestone
architecture and the interesting
mix of old and new. The city is
the largest of the Thousand
Islands region, according to the
Rideau Boating and Road Guide,
a book I bought when I first learned of this
upcoming adventure. (Unfortunately, I did not find
the book very helpful along the trip—maybe it was
because the order of the information wasn’t the
same as our route.) Kingston has enough museums,
shops and restaurants, plus an interesting market
area, to keep my interest, so I plan to return.
LET THE LOCKING BEGIN
As we got under way and past
the icebreaker Alexander Henry,
now a popular bed & breakfast
and museum, we had only a
short distance to Kingston Mills
Locks, our first four of the 49
locks that connect the canals,
rivers and lakes that comprise the
Rideau waterway. Traveling
upstream from Kingston to
Newboro is about 39 miles, and
the navigation is the conventional
red, right, returning. At Newboro,
the navigation aids reverse, as
Newboro is the highest point of
the system, and it is therefore
considered downstream from
Newboro to Ottawa, which
explains the change.
The Rideau Canal was
designed to accommodate
watercraft up to 90 feet LOA
with a maximum beam of 28 feet,
a draft of 5 feet and a fixed air draft of about 20 feet. It
is ideal for motorboat travel, and just about any vessel
can explore its length in comfort and safety.
Unlike the larger locks in the Erie Canal system,
we found the Rideau locks able to fit only two of
the 17-foot-wide PDQs at a time, so our lock transit
was done in pairs. As lead boat, Tumbleweed II
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 PassageMaker Magazine, Inc. (888.487.2953)
the Rideau Canal
Waterway, the
oldest hand-
operated canal
system in North
America. Unlike
deliveries to distant
home ports, this
trip would offer a
chance for new
owners to enjoy
and learn their boats within a historic and
wonderfully picturesque waterway that runs from
Kingston, Ontario, to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa.
Maintained and operated by Parks Canada, the
Rideau waterway is a popular side trip for those
doing the fascinating Great Circle Route that
circumnavigates the eastern third of North America.
I was eager to join this flotilla of four cats as crew,
as it would be an ideal way to see an area I plan to
visit one day on my own boat. Rob’s enthusiasm is
particularly infectious, as he is from Ottawa and loves
to share his native region’s history, beauty and charm.
On the three-hour drive from Toronto to Kingston,
Salwa Farah, a sharp lady who does much of PDQ’s
creative work and photography, explained how the
company staff finds it very satisfying to host these
trips, helping even timid new owners to become
successful veterans as a result. Salwa told me a
highlight of PDQ University was the
women-only boat-handling training.
We quickly found the four new PDQ
MV/34s at the outer slips when we drove into
Kingston’s waterfront that evening. The crews
had scattered for the evening, but we caught
up with Rob and PDQ boss man Simon Slater
at the nearby yacht club, watching the tail end
of a hockey game in which Tampa Bay
trounced Calgary, to no one’s delight.
Stepping aboard Tumbleweed II, the cat
on which I would spend the week, I was
reminded how much I like the boarding
access on these cats. Recessed steps in each
stern make it a breeze, even with luggage and
camera gear, or a dog or groceries. Limited
boarding access is a pet peeve of mine, and
the PDQ cat gets high marks in this respect.
The boat is owned by a delightful Ottawa couple,
Roger Boe and Erika Boukamp Bosch, ex-sailors
who discovered the benefits of powerboating after a
recent experience with a 28-foot Carver. The PDQ
fits their needs perfectly. Ottawa residents, Roger and
Erika were to be our Rideau veteran guides, as they’d
been cruising this waterway for years. They had just
taken delivery of Tumbleweed II and were looking
forward to making the trip on the power cat.
The other boats included Kama Kat, owned
by Frank Farago and Dianne MacDonald, whose
home port is Cobourg, Ontario. This is their first
powerboat; in fact, their only previous boating
experience was on a small sailboat. Dianne quickly
became an accomplished skipper, running the boat
from the flybridge for most of the Rideau trip. Frank
handled the lines and did the mechanical checks.
Migration’s owners, Bill and Jennifer Evans, live in
Calgary, Alberta. It’s a long way from Ontario, and
so for them, this trip begins a summer-long
adventure of cruising before they head south for
Florida and the Bahamas. This also is their first
powerboat, their previous experience having been
on a 36-foot sailboat. Eventually, the couple will
take the cat to Ft. Lauderdale, where it will go
aboard a yacht transport to make the passage to
Vancouver, British Columbia. Bill and Jennifer intend
to keep the boat in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
The only American in the fleet, besides me, was
Gene Winchester, aboard his new Folly. Gene lives
in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, although Folly’s hailing port is
his other residence in Holladay, Utah. Rob Poirier
crewed with Gene, although Gene’s single-handing
ability was evident from the beginning.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 PassageMaker Magazine, Inc. (888.487.2953)
We have the waterway
mostly to ourselves at the
Narrows.
An open market in Kingston
is filled with local produce.
PhotosbyBillParlatore
Left: Limestone
architecture in
Kingston adds a
charming element to
the old city.
CraigConsultingGroup,LLC

3. the heavier traffic during the summer season. For
us, it was still early in the year, so we met few
other boats. We had the waterway mostly to
ourselves, which imparted a special feeling to our
passage. We stayed together and were always
expected as we approached each new lock, as the
lockmasters talk frequently to each other.
At Jones Falls locks, our lead two boats were
able to make it through the five locks before the
lock closed for the day, but the other two boats
had to tie up to the “blue line” dock, so painted
to offer a temporary dock for vessels wanting to
enter the lock. Thus, we had two cats on each
end of Jones Falls, and soon Simon and Rob set
up the barbecue and cooked a marvelous dinner
of marinated steaks with roasted potatoes and
onions. Each boat contributed something to
drink, and we had a grand time in the parklike
setting. Salwa surprised us by producing Bombay
Sapphire martinis, complete with a shaker and
martini glasses. It was a special evening in what
turned out to be my favorite set of locks in the
most beautiful of settings.
Parks Canada maintains washrooms with
showers at each lock station, and although there
is no shorepower on the docks, motorboats have
generators and self-sufficient systems, so the
minimalist camping factor is low.
There were two small boats along with our
flotilla, and none of us were in any hurry to leave or
disturb the evening peace of the wilderness, so the
sounds of the woods prevailed. No screeching
boomboxes for miles. After dinner, Erika walked us
over to the 1831-vintage retaining wall erected as
part of the canal project. The Rideau is truly an
amazing feat of engineering.
Returning to the lead cats at the upper end of Jones
Falls, Erika, Frank, Roger and I donned swimsuits and
jumped into very cold, fresh water. Erika lasted the
longest, swimming around the boats for almost
20 minutes. After climbing out of the water, Roger,
Frank and I sat on the stern of the cat, watching
Erika do laps in the dark waters of the lock entrance
in the fading light. Our body temperatures lowered
and all the mental and physical soils of the day rinsed
clean. It was a delicious moment captured by Salwa
on her digital camera from the foredeck of Kama Kat.
“Canals are a way of working into the heartland,”
Frank commented to Roger, observing the magic of
Canada’s water resources. It is the same in our
country, as much of civilization’s history weaves its
threads through the waters of a nation. To enjoy it on
one’s own boat is
indeed very special.
Hotel Kenney,
which proudly
proclaims being
open since 1877, is
at the bottom of the
Jones Falls, so the
four crews met
there for breakfast
before getting under way. As cruising goes, we retired
early but were up at dawn, so even with the delays of
a short-handed kitchen staff unprepared for the
breakfast requirements of four boatloads of hungry
sailors, we helped Migration and Folly enter the locks
when the Parks Canada lock staff opened at 0830.
TIME SLOWS DOWN
Our day was to be a light run, with only four
single locks to our planned destination. As all boats
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entered first, going to the port side of the lock, while
Kama Kat locked in behind us on the starboard side
of the lock. Migration and Folly locked through after
us. Although this may sound somewhat time-
consuming, it really wasn’t, as there are frequently
several locks in succession, and the entire process
doesn’t take very long.
I noted one fantastic element of the Rideau
immediately, when I pulled out the work gloves I’d
brought from Annapolis to handle the lock lines.
Along the Erie Canal last year, I grew tired of
handling yucky, filthy lines and cables with cotton
gardening gloves, so this time I came armed with
rubber-lined gloves that promised to keep my hands
dry and clean. When I pulled the gloves out, however,
Erika began to laugh at the silly American. She told
me the water of the Rideau system, including the lock
walls and cables, is clean and fresh and I would never
need to use gloves. She was correct, as the new, white
lines aboard Tumbleweed II remained white and clean
after 41 locks. I never did use my rubber gloves!
Locking through the four locks brought us into
Colonel By Lake, named after British engineer John
By, who surveyed and directed the canal’s
construction in the early 1800s. Out now on open
water, I noted once again the minimal wake
produced by these power cats at speed. The hull
shape just does not create disturbance, and although
we observed the often-posted speed limits of 10kph,
it was hardly necessary, as even four cats in close
proximity don’t ruffle anyone’s feathers.
The important thing about traveling the Rideau is
that it is not about the boat. Sure, a catamaran, with
its wide footprint and wonderful handling ease
owing to its two widely-spaced propellers, is a joy,
but anyone can do this trip on a motorboat of any
type. It’s all about fun and adventure in a protected,
well maintained setting, and cruising’s typical
wildcards, the ones that remain out of our control,
are notched down considerably. Weather, navigation,
commercial traffic, rogue waves, redundant systems
for failsafe operation—all are gone from the equation.
Which is precisely the point of why PDQ is doing
these events.
“Of course, I’m selling product,” Rob Poirier told
me over a beer that first evening. “But with the
experience of the last two events, what I’ve come to
see is that I’m really marketing and selling cruising
under power.” It’s all about setting realistic goals and
undertaking the kind of adventure on a boat that
people can afford and handle. Most women,
especially, tend to want their adventure in comfort
and smaller doses.
I saw proof of that claim on the first day, when I
observed three cats with the wives at the helm and
handling the locks with care and confidence. As if to
highlight the purposeful, low-stress character of this
kind of cruising, Simon Slater would end each day
by declaring loudly that death had been cheated for
another day. (This was usually announced after a
beer at a local pub, all crews relaxed and happy from
another great day on the water in nice weather.)
The lack of underway pressure on the Rideau
waterway was further exemplified as we passed from
one end of Colonel By Lake into River Styx, where
the four boats had to slow down so that a large
group of Canada geese and their young could
paddle right across the narrow channel. The lack of
tidal flow—or current of any consequence—accounts
for the calm waters, so even goose bow waves are
visible from some distance.
The 49 locks in the Rideau do not lend
themselves to fender boards, and one would be wise
to leave them at home. Fender boards will catch the
inset cables that stream down each lock wall. It is a
much better choice to have lots of big fenders on
both sides, especially if boats must raft together in
Riding The Rideau
PP
I am always amazed at the ingenious engineering simplicity
of a freshwater lock. Note the clean walls and lock doors.
BillParlatore
Above: The retaining
wall at Jones Falls.
Right: Refreshed from
a dip, we are four
happy campers at
Jones Falls.
SalwaFarah
BillParlatore

4. owner and boat owner.” The owners now had things
in common, as experienced boat owners and
cruisers with miles under their keels on the Rideau
waterway. Simon, Rob, Salwa and I were now just
along for the ride. Perfect—and precisely the point.
Anyone planning this trip would be wise to
consider taking more than five days, as it would have
been great to break up the trip with some rest days to
explore the local scene, or even to sit idle on the boat
and read a good book. We were now above the
Newboro lock, heading steadily downstream to
Ottawa, but the pace, as relaxed as it was, was still
tiring, and I would have preferred to slow the pace to
savor the experience. I suppose a couple of weeks or a
month would be ideal, as there is so much to see, do
and experience. The fishing is reportedly legendary in
the larger lakes. We saw lots of fish in the clear water.
BIG RIDEAU LAKE
The daily engine checks are surprisingly simple on
the PDQ, with no need to disassemble the berth
over top of the engine. Just remove the step up to
the berth, and all visual and fluid checks, including
the raw-water strainer, are right there, with full
standing headroom. It is very civilized and a snap to
do each day before starting out.
As Tumbleweed II circled, waiting for Migration and
Folly on the Ottawa side of the Narrows Lock (No.
35), which separates Upper Rideau Lake and Big
Rideau Lake, Roger told me the area is notorious for
high winds. Soberly, we recalled that this is precisely
where we would have been approaching when the
previous day’s storm swept into our lives. As we
spun lazy circles in the clear water, I went down and
sat at the lower helm in the saloon, enjoying the
great view from the comfort of the expansive saloon.
Large windows and a sliding door offer outstanding
visibility, and I think running the boat from the
lower helm is great and feels protected.
Our track across Big Rideau Lake followed its
north shore, and as we motored along, Erika and
Roger spoke of the diverse and interesting cruising
in these waters. Gunkholing possibilities are endless.
Numerous islands in the lake break up the scenery,
and even with dozens of boats around, it never
gets crowded.
We ran the twin, never-say-die Yanmar diesels at
3000 rpm, and the combined 150hp gave us 11.5
knots into head winds across the lake in flat water.
The reliable Yanmar engines really push the light cat
along, and we quickly passed the few displacement
boats we saw. There is a huge difference between
making 6 knots and this cat’s speed potential in an
enclosed waterway.
The most tedious locks on our trip occurred at
Smith Falls, where there are several locks (the final
one dropped us 26 feet). We stopped downtown
traffic with a swing bridge, all the while smelling the
intoxicating chocolate aroma from the nearby
Hershey Chocolate factory. It took some time to get
through, but Roger told the other skippers that after
Smith Falls, we would be in river country until we
reached Ottawa. Our miles of open water on the
lakes were behind us.
We hoped to reach Merrickville by late afternoon.
The town was named Canada’s Prettiest Village
some years back, worth a visit for sure. When we
arrived, we had no trouble finding slips for four
catamarans in the heart of the downtown area. After
getting lines secured, most crews walked through
the town, getting a feel for what it must have been
like living in this industrial center from the 1800s,
now a popular shopping center and festival location.
Our group travels would soon reach a conclusion,
and in Ottawa, Kama Kat would depart, while the
remaining three cats would continue on down the
Ottawa River to Montreal or head on to the Trent-
Severn Waterway.
ON TO OTTAWA
We got through the three locks in Merrickville
midmorning, and the lead boats went on to the
remaining locks downstream, while Migration and
Folly followed as they could. At Burritt’s Rapids
Lock (No. 17), our last lock before a 30-plus mile
run downriver, we saw the Canadian flag at half
mast, in memory of the recent passing of Ronald
Reagan. It was a sign that we were coming back
into civilization and the rest of the world.
The compressed, intense nature of this five-day
passage, while low key at so many levels, definitely
put skills and judgment constantly to the test—the
best way, I believe, to achieve competence in short
order. The couples who went on their own after
Ottawa would continue to refine their boating skills
better and faster than would someone who simply
picks up a new boat, then putters about on the water
during the season. There is a big difference between
being in local waters and participating in extended
cruising in new, unknown areas, and the satisfaction
of doing just that is priceless. Those who sit at the
dock will never know that sense of well-being.
The numbered buoys were now in the 100s, as we
entered a developed area of waterfront homes,
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Riding The Rideau
PP
reunited at the upper end of the locks, a
thunderstorm arrived in advance of a new front.
Temperatures quickly dropped, creating a fog-like
haze low into the forest-lined shoreline. As we
slowly poked our way through the Narrows, the
combination of a narrow channel and eerie weather
lent a spooky, magical tone to the scene. Photos
couldn’t quite capture the moment.
Later that morning, we cleared the Davis Lock
(No. 38). When the rain showers returned, the
setting was again very hushed, interrupted only by
the lockmaster’s golden retriever barking support for
each boat as it made its way through the lock. This
is, indeed, why we call this pleasure boating.
On Roger’s recommendation, we stopped to visit
Westport, on the western shore of Upper Rideau
Lake. It is a sleepy little town with a municipal dock
large enough for all four boats. Roger told us it
would be the most civilization we’d see between
Kingston and Ottawa, and perhaps we might
explore it for a bit before heading on to Portland for
the night. As so often happens, four sets of
independent people immediately scattered in all
directions, looking for photo opportunities, ice
cream cones, cold beer or a chance to stretch legs.
Soon, there weren’t enough bodies on hand to
decide whether we should just stay in Westport or
proceed on to Portland. It is a classic situation when
buddy boating.
Our fleet’s indecision proved a good thing and
served as a reminder to me to stay flexible when
cruising. The fact that we remained in Westport by
default meant we were safely tied to the dock when
the culmination of the day’s weather system, a
horrific thunderstorm, came down on top of us,
with 40-knot winds, hail and torrential rain. Had we
gone on to Portland, we would have been caught
out during this awful event. Instead, all boats and
crews were safely tucked in for the evening. Those
on the boats when it hit felt very happy to be
inside…at the dock. Sometimes you just luck out
that way. But the fact that we couldn’t decide what
to do probably meant we needed to stay put until
clear decision making prevailed. It’s another element
of Condition Yellow that I’ve mentioned before,
keeping that sixth sense turned on.
In any case, reveling in the success of our
indecision, our mood grew light, and the rest of the
day, as it became evening, was a blend of swapping
boat stories and talking politics, finally ending in a
multi-hour appetizer extravaganza as crew members
drifted into Remy’s Pub. By now, the four sets of
PDQ owners had become friends and were able to
converse about their boats and experiences with
each other. Gone was the trepidation and newness
of Kingston, and Simon later commented to Rob,
Salwa and me that the relationship “mood” had
indeed shifted from “customer and builder” to “boat
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 PassageMaker Magazine, Inc. (888.487.2953)
Tied up for the night in downtown Merrickville.
Bill Parlatore

5. If you want to take it slow, bring books and
enjoy. The parks allow you to stay overnight for a
minimal fee. Plan to be self-sufficient. All lock stations
have washrooms, so even couples in canoes can do
the trip.
The PDQ MV/34 is a great inland waterway boat,
and my experience always leaves me feeling happy to
be aboard. There a couple of nits I have with the
boat, such as its lack of a serious rubrail, which
always seems to be the case on catamarans. A slotted
toerail is no substitute for a big, beefy rubber rail.
I would also like to replace the portside settee that
is opposite from the lower helm with some kind of
sit-down chart table or desk. Perhaps if the saloon
seating were raised up a bit to allow better visibility
under way, that could work instead, and that option
would increase storage under the seating as well.
But overall, this power cat works exceedingly well
and inspires confidence.
PDQ—PUSHING DREAMS WITH QUALITY
I’ve got to hand it to PDQ Yachts. I am impressed
with a company that really loves its boats and
enjoys showing new owners how to do more with
them. With Simon Slater at the helm, this builder
really gets what it takes to move people into their
dream…affordably, realistically and safely. It is a
business model for others to emulate, and I hope
PDQ’s example inspires more builders to do the
same. Teaching people how to have fun has its
rewards on several levels.
PDQ Yachts is all about empowering nice people
to shape a dream and make it come true. The
company plans a Bahamas adventure next year, and
the future looks bright on all fronts. There’s even
talk of a larger sistership.
Plan your own adventure today, perhaps with a
little help from PDQ Yachts. They know how to
have fun.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 PassageMaker Magazine, Inc. (888.487.2953)
tennis courts and swimming pools. I knew that the
wilderness swimming memory of Jones Falls was a
long way away.
At Black Rapids Lock (No. 13), we saw ShoeBox,
a liveaboard cruising boat that had been trucked up
from Ft. Lauderdale to explore this area. Owners
Janet and Bob Bunnell have been out cruising for
many years and are still having a great time. They
are PMM readers really out there doing it. It was
fun talking to them while we waited for the lock to
open in our direction.
As we then entered the lock, a family of ducks
paddled in with the two boats. The lockmaster must
have seen the concern in my face, because he told
me they go up and down all the time—apparently,
it is a duck form of extreme adventure, locking up
and down. It was very cute, and we all got a laugh
from them.
We made it to Ottawa by early evening, and Roger
and Erika kept up a nonstop commentary of every
building, structure and road we passed. The couple is
quite proud of their capital city. As we
tied up at Dow’s Lake Pavilion for the
night, I felt content, but at the same
time, experienced a twinge of end-of-
the-trip letdown. Yes, I was away from
home and missed my life in Annapolis,
but I had just had a marvelous time with
some great people doing something we
all loved. The Rideau Canal is one of
the better places I’ve been to, and I
thoroughly recommend it.
As for touring Ottawa, let me say
that it is an impressive city that seems
almost empty. It is Canada’s fourth
largest city, yet the 1.1 million people
who call it home get swallowed up in
its vast real estate. I never got a sense
of crowds, almost as if some official
declared a holiday and everyone left
the city, such as happens in Barcelona,
Spain, at Christmas.
Ottawa is green and lush, with rich
architecture, and the Rideau waterway
goes right through its heart. The city
seems more like a park than a country’s
center. I hope to return soon for a
longer visit.
If you want to make this trip, by all
means, fire up your diesel and get going.
Let me tell you, it is easily within your
grasp. Bring lots of fenders, and don’t
use fender boards. Bring two 20-foot lines for locking.
Locking is easy: Just do everything slow, slow, slow.
The two excellent Canadian charts you’ll need are
1512 (Ottawa to Smith Falls) and 1513 (Smith Falls
to Kingston). Provisioning is not a big issue, but
expect a balance between in-town dining and
barbecues at the locks or at anchor. Plan for picnics,
and take advantage of the manicured lawns and
picnic areas at the locks, most of which are close to
small towns or villages within walking distance.
Diesel fuel is not as available as gasoline, but there
are least five marinas where it is available along the
125-mile canal waterway, so with any range, you’ll
not have a problem. Because of the PDQ cat’s
miserly fuel consumption, we never needed fuel.
Deeper water is generally present earlier in the
season, so deeper-draft boats should plan to visit at
the start of the season. Passes for using the Parks
Canada system for a 34-footer are about $220 for
the season. Daily and weekly passes are available
also, but don’t rush the trip. Chill out and enjoy it.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2004 PassageMaker Magazine, Inc. (888.487.2953)
The majestic final locks lead
down to Ottawa River.
PhotosbyBillParlatore
In winter, the section of the Rideau Canal that runs through the heart of
downtown Ottawa becomes the world’s largest skating rink.