Cruising with kids is one thing; cruising with grandkids is quite another. For one thing, you’re older. For another, the kids seem younger. But for Jim and Lisa Favors, from Traverse City, Michigan, one of the most experienced cruising couples around, the idea of spending time with their grandchildren was a big motivator when they bought their new Ranger Tugs 25, a red-hulled version named Kismet, more than a year ago.
Yes, it was smaller than their previous Rangers, a 27 and a 29 (both also red-hulled and also named Kismet), but they figured it would be easier to handle for watersports with the grandchildren. But basically the Favors are a cruising couple. In the past, they’ve owned a Four Winns 21, a Silverton 32, a Silverton 42, a Fathom Trawler 40, plus the two previous Rangers, and they’ve cruised all over the United States, completing the Great Loop once and most of a second time.
It’s not a surprise that they decided to take their two grandchildren on a cruise on Kismet. Here’s their story from their blog http://trailertrawlerlife.com
Grandkid’s Cruise To Peterborough—First Leg of a 12-day Adventure
The idea for the “Grandkid’s Cruise” came almost a year before we actually set out on the road trip to Ontario, Canada, with the boat in tow. We wanted the cruise to be educational by visiting somewhere, by boat, which had some historical content and some boating features. The Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) immediately came to mind. The kids would learn about how early commerce transportation came to be in Canada and the historical significance of traveling a waterway with a lock system in place.
PROVISIONING AND PLANNING
Our oldest grandson, Silas, has always been interested in how mechanical things work. We knew this trip would pique his interest—all the different types of locks we would encounter. Our granddaughter, Hadley, at six years old, was a little young to know exactly what she’d be experiencing. However, she does love to go on an adventure and was a good sport at finding ways to amuse herself. Jim and I planned by making sure we had activities for them. We took games, drawing paper and pencils, snacks, and food they love. We had to plan a little differently for this cruise than our normal provisioning and packing procedure.
We also had to address the sleeping arrangements. Last summer, we took many overnight trips with the kids, and we came up with a workable sleeping solution to accommodate all four of us on the boat. Silas would sleep on the table, which turns into a bed when we lower the table and add a middle cushion. For the trip, we had to remove some of the stuff we usually store in the “cave” so that Hadley could fit at one end of it. We made a cushion out of foam to make it a little more comfortable.
Other than that, the trip was easy to plan…
SLIGHT CHANGE OF PLANS!
We wanted to launch the boat in Severn, Ontario, at the northern end of the TSW, near Georgian Bay. That way we would start with the Big Chute Marine Railway, one of the most interesting locks on the TSW. However, the Big Chute closed down several times that summer, and as we got close, we found out it would be closed when we got there. What to do?
PLAN–B – Grandkid’s Cruise to Peterborough
With the kids involved in the discussion, we all came up with a PLAN–B. We still wanted to ride the Big Chute, so we decided to drive to the end of where we were to originally go (Peterborough) and go NW instead of SE. After picking up our friend, Mark (another Ranger Tug owner), in Orillia, we drove to Peterborough and launched the boat. Mark then drove our truck and trailer to Orillia, which would be closer to our departure point. Two-and-a-half days after we left home, we were finally on the water. Read more:
https://trailertrawlerlife.com/grandkids-cruise-to-peterborough/
