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Membership will increase your comfort level while boating on SE Georgian Bay . . . And it costs just $69 a Season! And it covers anyone operating your boat, even when you are not onboard. I.e. friend or relative. There's no limit on the number of service calls either. Here's the fine print about how we do it . . . just cover the gas--something you would spend anyway!
So Go ahead and Explore, get away from the crowd this season. Find yourself a secluded anchorage , and relax . . . If your boat gives you any trouble . . . we'll be right there!
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We can help . . . Beyond Membership Benefits;
Dave Holding (shown above at the helm of OBL Service Craft, Highlander) will most likely be your service-call technician. Regarding breakdowns at sea, oftentimes a minor adjustment will remedy the situation on the spot. (A licensed tradesman with more than 20 years experience, Dave's a pretty good trouble-shooter). Or maybe your boat is just stuck in shallow water, simply needs a strong pull. Once free, you can carry on under your own steam. If there's prop damage, he'll tow you back to your home port. Get you running, or provide a tow back to port; as a Member you just cover the gas!
OBL can help in the event of serious incidents too (not a member benefit); pictured at right, Chris gives a "thumbs up" as Highlanders' pump de-waters his boat, with fish in it too! (the previous day, while a skier was down, a passing cruiser snagged the ski rope, capsizing the ski boat). OBL received a call about moving the mostly submerged craft out of the channel. Cottager, Mark Dymond (shown below with his son) offered use of his cottage beach for the recovery. We righted the vessel and beached it there. The next day we de-watered the boat and towed it to Beausoleil I, loaded up the family & camping gear, then towed all to Honey Harbour Boat Club for haul out. There was outstanding help by other cottagers too - all helped recover the victims from the water, and provided warmth & comfort ashore. We have more pictures, but in truth, most boaters have less serious problems. Out of the many thousands of boaters that visit SE Georgian Bay's Thirty Thousand Islands each year, less than 100 need help from the OBL during any given year. That's not bad for such a tricky & busy area!
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Caution GPS Chart-Plotters (Global Positioning System), its Secret Pitfall:
The images displayed on chart-plotters are transcribed precisely from official Nautical Charts. However, surveys creating most nautical charts were performed at a time long before GPS positioning was available. Errors of up to 0.3 miles are therefore possible and frequent. Oftentimes vessels that are transiting a small craft route, on course (in the channel) will appear to be off-course, outside the channel, even on land - according to the Chart-Plotter display. If a navigator is positioning his or her vessel, only in accordance with the Chart-plotters display, he or she may run-aground in an area where it appears deep on the display. Positioning methods such as ranges and bearings should therefore also be used.
(D.E.H)
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