HPBCANADA.COM

MY HOBBY
The cost of new 4 stroke outboards has really increased.
The resale asking price for 2 stroke 3 cylinder Yamahas has almost tripled...
There are few if any 3 cylinder short shafts.
Very few parts motors...and or parts
EBAY now stops some items going to Canada
The delivered to Canada cost for a Ron Hill prop has increased...Over $600.00 Canadian .

COTTAGE LIFE
Water level is normal!!!
The average size of boats on our lake has gotten larger......SKi Boats are now 24-25 feet.....wakes are much larger.
No sailboats on the lake.
No performance boats......saw one STV all summer so far
More and larger pontoon boats.
Half as many personal watercraft
Fewer kids tubing or boarding etc.
Twice as many fireworks this year
NO BUGS at the cottage
No party boats at night.
Far more dead trees....oaks and even evergreen

ANY CHANGES IN YOUR AREA?

Lots of new boaters on the lakes and rivers, who apparently have not bothered to educate themselves on rules of the waterways. PwC's everywhere, including mere inches off the bow of my boat. Fishermen in the middle of channels. Boats anchored in the middle of channels. I'm so busy at work they are cancelling appointments because I have no time to look at anything for about a month. Lumber shortage for home projects. American licence plates in every parking lot? Grocery pickup service is $5, saves me big time. Theft and violence is on the rise. Swamp ass. Some stuff ships next day, while others take 3 months.

Lots and lots of new boaters. Lots of PWC's. Wednesday is the new Friday at the marina. Can't get parts...everything is backordered. The phone, foot traffic and gas dock are ridiculously busy.

Our lake level has been on the low side of normal all season. Georgian Bay is at an all time high. We had to add 18" to our shoreline to keep the water out of the parking lot.

There are lots of people up here all the time...most people don't have to go home to work so it's constant "weekend" population. I'm getting tired lol. Now that phase 3 is here maybe we'll see more people back in their offices but if it were me I'd be trying to stretch that until at least September lol.

I see more mid week boat traffic. It’s not just me working from ‘home’

With gas cheap, i'm running everything all the time, inboards, outboards, motobike, mower, blower, chainsaw, yeeehaw.
My carbon footprint has never been bigger, I can hear trees in the Amazon gasping from emphysema.
Been at cottage through March, April was shite, May, June, skiing 2x daily.
We developed WhatsApp OPP Watch alert network among ~40 participants across lake near marinas & ramps to ensure every opportunity to be inspected is not wasted, help cops validate their existence busting balls. It's a privilege to enjoy their compliance inspections, our tax $$'s at work, ~$85-100K/cop/yr + $200K for SUV + boat, plus $3-4k on 4-5 props & lower units trashed per season on unfamiliar shoals. Upon OPP alert i'll pull a box of old frozen timbits from freezer, head out & hook'em, troll in Voodoo/Critch til OPP show up, bite, give me the probe; always catch & release to ensure OPP sustainability. They're so prim & proper sweating in 32C sun wearing dark military style uniforms, silly Tilley hats, bullet proof vests under life jackets busting Mom's pulling kids on tubes.
Not racing this summer suits me fine, catching up on years of neglected chores, repairs, new builds, town & country, starting early on Fall/Winter supply hoarding against CV19/20/21/.....oh yeah, need more firewood & ammo.

I've got your wood right here, pal.

Lake level at historical lows, no real rain for months till yesterday, Kawartha Conservation issued Level 2 drought warning last week.

Boat traffic started slowly this year and is still on the low side mid week but normal on weekends. More PWC's, fewer performance boats, fewer fisherman. Those with larger hulls (22'+) are pulling them out for the season due to navigation & docking issues (not all but some).

The local sandbar hangout is busier than ever. Doubt there's social distancing going on as people are becoming careless and cavalier about PPE's.

Hardwood,....or middle aged married with 2 kids, mortgage & truck payments, underpaid, overworked with SRV tarped on trailer softwood?

Probably the latter...but at your advanced age it's gotta be a pretty decent offer

Cooch lake level is normal. At home, Lake St Clair is at record level. On a windy day it floods a park near my house. Lake Erie is also flooding parks.

What is Georgian Bay at?