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SCHAEFERSCHAEFER YACHTS 303YACHTS 303 THE PERFECT ENTRY LEVEL CRUISERTHE PERFECT ENTRY LEVEL CRUISER DDDD DDDDVOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 BIG NEWS:BIG NEWS: ALL NEW SEA-D00 SWITCH PONTOONSALL NEW SEA-D00 SWITCH PONTOONS SYLVAN SYLVAN L-3 DLZ BAR STARCRAFTSTARCRAFT DELTA 188 DC PRO SEA-DOO SEA-DOO SWITCH SPORT 268-44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 2nd Class Registration Number #43638025 www.powerboating.com TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT WITH DOCKS N LOCKS Plus:Plus: NEW ESCALADE NEW ESCALADE TESTTEST SUNBRELLASUNBRELLA HAS YOU HAS YOU COVERED! COVERED! $6.95 Cover 36-3.indd 1Cover 36-3.indd 12021-09-14 3:00 PM2021-09-14 3:00 PM2 www.powerboating.comPower Boating Canada | Volume 36 Number 3 Stop Dreaming AND START BOATING! Cruisers Yachts 54 Cantius www.cruisersyachts.com Contents 36-3.indd 2Contents 36-3.indd 22021-09-14 3:01 PM2021-09-14 3:01 PM3 www.powerboating.comVolume 36 Number 3 | Power Boating Canada Stop Dreaming AND START BOATING! Contents 36-3.indd 3Contents 36-3.indd 32021-09-14 3:01 PM2021-09-14 3:01 PM4 www.powerboating.comPower Boating Canada | Volume 36 Number 3 contentsOn The Cover: Schaefer Yachts 303 SCHAEFERSCHAEFER YACHTS 303YACHTS 303 THE PERFECT ENTRY LEVEL CRUISERTHE PERFECT ENTRY LEVEL CRUISER DDDD DDDD VOLUME 36 NUMBER 3 BIG NEWS:BIG NEWS: ALL NEW SEA-D00 SWITCH PONTOONSALL NEW SEA-D00 SWITCH PONTOONS SYLVAN SYLVAN L-3 DLZ BAR STARCRAFTSTARCRAFT DELTA 188 DC PRO SEA-DOO SEA-DOO SWITCH SPORT 268-44 Crawford Cres., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 2nd Class Registration Number #43638025 www.powerboating.com TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT WITH DOCKS N LOCKS Plus:Plus: NEW ESCALADE NEW ESCALADE TESTTEST SUNBRELLASUNBRELLA HAS YOU HAS YOU COVERED! COVERED! $6.95 Cover 36-3.indd 1Cover 36-3.indd 12021-09-14 3:00 PM2021-09-14 3:00 PM features 8 TECH TALK Your precious boat deserves a safe trip 10 FISHING TALK Reading water in 5 steps 32 SUNBRELLA HAS YOU COVERED Sunbrella/Glen Raven Inc. have been making waves in the industry for 140 years for both RV and Marine applications 42 EASY RIDER EASY HAULER A new king-size Escalade raises the bar for tow vehicle supremacy 48 THE SKY IS THE LIMIT Eagle Canvas Company & Marine Upholstery has been flying high in the marine industry for 40 years 54 ALL-NEW SEA-DOO SWITCH PONTOONS Sea-Doo is switching it up with a new line of pontoons. 60 FROM THE VAULTS: LABOUR OF LOVE Clive Brown, a self-taught Muskoka boatbuilder produced two dozen boats between 1914 and 1959 222630 we test 22 SCHAEFER 303 The perfect entry level cruiser powered by Twin Volvo Penta 28- V6 engines with Dual prop System EVC 54 columns Sea-Doo Switch 6 PUB PAGE 8 TECH TALK 10 FISH TALK 14 LIFELINE 16 HANDLE WITH CARE 18 GEAR GALLERY 62 MAINSTREAM 26 STARCRAFT DELTA 188 DC PRO A spacious fish boat providing incredible performance and stability 30 SYLVAN L-3 DLZ BAR Sylvan impresses time and time again, this time with a unique layout and expert stylingVovlo.indd 1Vovlo.indd 12021-03-03 2:09 PM2021-03-03 2:09 PM6 Power Boating Canada | Volume 36 Number 3 Publisher William E. Taylor bill@powerboating.com Group Publisher Melanie Taylor-Wallis melanie@powerboating.com Editorial Director Norm Rosen nrosen@taylorpublishinggroup.com Assistant Editor Eric Vienneau editor.PBC@taylorpublishinggroup.com Art/Production Manager Giselle Bansal giselle@powerboating.com Design Tamara Taylor ads@powerboating.com Digital Content Paul Wright / Photographer pwright@taylorpublishinggroup.com Web Design Moe Basha mbasha@taylorpublishinggroup.com Contributing Writers Tim Banse Zenon Bilas / Boat Testers Mike Burns Tom Dillion Garth Cane John Gullick Kenny Hohwiesner Bill Jennings Mark King Chris Kourtakis Claude Leonard Gregg Mansfield Timmy McNamee Mark Rotharmel Steve Sansford Todd Taylor ADVERTISING SALES Todd Taylor todd@powerboating.com Tony Scott tscott@taylorpublishinggroup.com Subscription info@powerboating.com Lifestyle Coordinator Todd Taylor todd@powerboating.com Events Co-ordinator Sarah Gregg sgregg@taylorpublishinggroup.com ADMINISTRATION President /CEO William E. Taylor Group Publisher Melanie Taylor-Wallis VP/Special Projects Norm Rosen Accounting Nancy Mueller EXECUTIVE AND EDITORIAL OFFICES Toronto: 268-44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032 Montreal: Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790 Vancouver: Bob and Carole Taylor, 1745 Rufus Drive North Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8 New York: 777 East Park Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14150 Florida: PO Box 530584, Debary, FL 32753 Subscription Inquiries Call: 1-800-354-9145 Power Boating Canada is published seven times a year by Power Boating Canada, Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec, plus Annual Fish Boats Buyers Guide with a subscription price of $30.00 GST included for one year and $45.00 GST including for two years. US $40.00 for one year. Other $70.00. Material in this magazine may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Power Boating Canada reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statement of facts made by its advertisers or independent columnists. PRINTED IN CANADA CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT NUMBER 43638025 MONTREAL, QUEBEC © 2021 POWER BOATING CANADA Attention Post Office: Return all undeliverables to Toronto office only Volume 36 Number 3 New Boaters and the Final Frontier PUBLISHERS PAGE bill taylor PBC STAY SAFE, AND PLEASE VISIT www.powerboating.com TO SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER, IT’S FREE! William E. Taylor Publisher bill@powerboating.com ® RVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINERVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINE ® ® ® RVDealer NEWS CANADA’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINE BOATCANADA Pontoon & Deck s the 2021 boating season gradually draws to an end, I must say that despite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions, I have rarely enjoyed myself as much as this year – logging so many hours on the water! With the sunsets approaching earlier and earlier each night, daylight sav- ings time is now affecting my favorite time on the water – the evenings, when I spend countless hours cruising - but it’s not over yet – the in-water boat shows are back, and we are eager to return to the excitement of new model launches. It seems like yesterday that the 2020 Montreal In-Water boat show set the stage as the only in-person boat show in Canada, and as we go to press, the 2021 event is just around the corner. On the subject of shows, the recent Cannes in-water boat show had record-break- ing attendance with an unbelievable turnout of over 55,000 visitors - and apparently a lot of new boaters have joined this wonderful lifestyle on the Mediterranean. Speaking of new boaters, there seems to be quite a few of them this year in Canada, and we all know this wonderful hobby comes with a learning curve. We at Power Boating Canada would like to recommend that first-time boaters take some seri- ous courses in driving and navigation, as safety is our main concern. This season, I have received several emails from many readers and at the same time I have witness myself quite a few new boaters who display very poor boating etiquette and a lack of proper handling techniques, especially when approaching other boaters and inlets. They often appear out of control - including when docking their boats – sometimes damaging vessels along with their own. Let’s keep our waters safe as this is our last frontier, just like the Wild West was… no red lights, and no stop signs. Talking about our last frontier, next month we will be bringing you an exclu- sive article from our archives - you’ll be able to witness what it takes to run safely at 200 MPH. In this issue, we feature BRP’s latest innovation as we covered the Sea-Doo intro- duction of the all new the Sea-Doo Switch – a unique BRP concept that shows where leadership in the industry, as an affordable pontoon boat for entry level family boaters. Also in this issue, Sunbrella has you covered, and the all-new Schaefer 303 Yacht makes its’ debut in Canada. The team at Power Boating Canada are gearing up to attend the 2021 Montreal In-Water Boat show and we look forward to getting a first glimpse at the 2022 models so we can bring you all the latest reports in our fall issues. ASEA-MY22-Endemic-SWI-PowerBoatingCA-Print-FP-Oct2021-ENCA.indd 01 BRPSea-DooEndemic Print AdsPS254472021-09-13 AR MY22 SwitchENCA Ad Size: Full Page Format: 9” X 10.875” Bleed: 0.125” Safety: 0.5” C M Y K Ad Number: N/A Publication: Power Boating Canada Magazine Insertion Date(s): Oct. 2021 ATTENTION — Trapping to be done by the printer according to the printer’s specs. © 2021 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Carefully read the operator’s guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing for your type of boating use, including a Coast Guard approved life jacket. Riding, alcohol and drugs don’t mix. See your authorized BRP dealer for details. Meet the all-new Sea-Doo Switch® The Sea-Doo family is welcoming something new and exciting! Meet Switch, the configurable pontoon that combines comfort with the fun of a Sea-Doo. Easy to drive, it also adapts to whatever activity you’re doing. It’s time to Switch it up and let the fun begin. Check out our pontoons at Sea-Doo.com8 www.powerboating.comPower Boating Canada | Volume 36 Number 3 TECH TALK power boating canada PBC ust imagine it is the first long weekend of summer, and the annual rally to the cottage has begun. With boat in tow, you enter the back straight to the Northern escape route. You look on in astonishment as you see one of your neighboring cottagers plowing through the summer corn crop on the side of the highway – because a wheel has clearly departed his trailer. You put your mind at ease, however, as you move into the passing lane. You have done some preventative pre-season maintenance on your trailer; you have followed some basic guidelines that everyone should follow. First and foremost, do not exceed the load capacity of your trailer. Make sure the total weight of your trailer, boat, engine, and gear does not exceed the trailer’s gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This includes gas, gear, and motor. Overloading your trailer’s carrying capacity can cause excessive strain on your towing equipment. Proper load distribution is also very important. Light tongue weight, for example, can cause swaying or “fish tailing,” which is not good. Always make sure that your boat is secured properly and safely; be sure the winch is locked, and the safety chains are secure, and that proper tie-down straps are used at the stern in both forward and down-ward directions. These checks will help prevent a grief-stricken trip to your local dealer for excessive lower unit and fiberglass repairs needed because of a premature launch - before you reach the lake. Be sure you have the right size ball to match your trailer’s coupler. Always attach the coupler and bow stop and safety chains before you go anywhere -this will prevent your boat from getting to the cottage before you do. Proper winch maintenance is very important and very simple: keep it clean and lubricate it regularly; grease the gears frequently. Make sure the winch line is running free and not rubbing against any sharp edges that can cause fraying or excessive wear. The tongue jack, like the winch, needs lubrication and maintenance. Regularly grease the drive gear, rack and pinion; oil the caster and wheel bearings. Be sure to fully retract or lock the jack in the up position before towing; it becomes a very effective plough when left in the down position! Since your boat trailer gets a lot more exposure to the elements than your tow vehicle, it requires more attention to the wheels and their components. Check your lug nuts and bolts for tightness before every trip and replace lost ones right away. Proper air pressure is usually indicated on your trailer tires; however, it is a good idea to ask your dealer about the pressure that is recommended for your specific application. Check your trailer tire pressure when the tires are cold. Carry a spare tire, a hub assembly, and a small hydraulic jack for tire changes. These items can be purchased from your local dealer, and they reduce your downtime during unscheduled pit stops. If your trailer is equipped with brakes, they will last longer if you do not get them wet. If they do become submerged, run the trailer awhile before applying the brakes. This will dry out the brakes faster than parking the trailer for a day. Before any trip, do a “circle check” to make sure your trailer lights are working. It is a good idea to trace the wiring system in your tow vehicle to your trailer lights twice a year. Inspect for bare or cracked wires, and corroded terminals. Check to make sure the white ground wire is properly connected to the trailer frame and still making good contact. Repair or replace all worn or damaged components. One of the best habits you can get into is washing your trailer frequently -wash the trailer whenever you wash the boat. The time that your trailer is in storage is a good time to touch up any rust spots, nicks, or chips. Matching spray paint can be obtained from your local dealer. Galvanized trailers can occasionally show small rust spots; touch these up with cold galvanized spray paint available at most paint stores. Following these guidelines will give you the competitive edge and get you to the finish every time in the cottage rally series! h J Keeping your Trailer in Line Your precious boat deserves a safe trip. tech talk 36-3.indd 8tech talk 36-3.indd 82021-09-14 3:37 PM2021-09-14 3:37 PM874, chemin des Patriotes Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu Qc J3L 6A2 mathiasmarine.com Phone : (450) 864-1045 YOUR DEALER Vista 355 Coupe MM_PBC_FullPage_FW_355_Coupe.indd 1MM_PBC_FullPage_FW_355_Coupe.indd 12021-04-30 13:442021-04-30 13:44 Untitled-1 1Untitled-1 12021-09-14 3:40 PM2021-09-14 3:40 PMNext >