Kismet Arriving for the Rendezvous in Orillia – Ontario’s “Sunshine City”

Orillia, Ontario – Location of the 2018 Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats Great Lakes Area Rendezvous –

Our friend, Mark Renshaw is the one who suggested Orillia as the location for this year’s rendezvous. Mark is a Ranger Tug owner, and he’s from Orillia. Jim was looking for a location on the Trent-Severn Waterway because it is one of our favorite canal systems. Boaters could cruise the beautiful Trent-Severn after the event.

Fifty-five percent of attendees were Canadian, 45% Americans

It was a surprise to us how many local Ranger Tug owners signed up for the rendezvous. Due to Lefroy Harbor selling all those Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats in the area, no doubt. Several tug owners came from far reaches of the United States and Canada. Owners from Victoria, British Columbia came the farthest. Followed by attendees from Seattle, Washington, Texas, and Florida. About 40% of the attendees have been to a prior rendezvous at least once if not all four.

Orillia is on the shores of two attached lakes: Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. Both lakes are part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Jim and I have plans to depart Orillia after the rendezvous and head southeast on the Trent-Severn, then cruise the Rideau up to Montreal.

Ranger Tug and Cutwater owners attend rendezvous for several reasons. The most important one is to reconnect with a special community of boaters. We have similar vessels, but different models and sizes. The factory brand and philosophy, of helping people to get out on the water to boat, in these amazing boats, is the glue that binds us together.

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Catching up with friends Mark and Jodi, (above) on the cockpit of Kismet after docking at Port of Orillia a few days before the rendezvous. Orillia is their hometown, however, at the moment they are living on their Ranger Tug, Irish Mist, in Victoria, British Columbia. They flew home to attend and help at the rendezvous.

Local Knowledge…

Mark is the one who suggested to Jim that we hold the 2018 rendezvous in Orillia. With their wealth of local knowledge of the area, planning the event was a piece of cake. Mark assured us that the marina could handle the boats and that the city would be an asset to our event. Whenever Jim had a question about logistics, he gave Mark a call. Kudos and a big thanks to Mark and Jodi for helping to make this event a reality!

  

Good thing we had help moving all those rendezvous registration bags, from our truck at Lefroy Harbour to Mark’s truck to take them to the marina in Orillia. Thanks again, Mark and Jodi!