Tour Yacht boarding and safety instructions

Boat Boarding location:

Boarding is near the public wharf of the Jacques Cartier Park. The entrance to the park is in front of the Best Western Hotel at 131 Rue Laurier, Gatineau, QC. J8X 3W3. You can consult the map at the bottom of each page of the website for directions. The Public Wharf is on your right when facing the water. We are transient on either the  boat launch or the pump out wooden docks near the Public wharf. No one standing around would know much about us. Call the Captain’s cell phone for assistance. The boat is a white express cruiser with a black Canvas top. It has “Knot Likely” written on it. You will see it docked waiting for you.

There is paid parking for the cars in the Jacques Cartier Park and further down Laurier Street if the Parking Lot is full. Temporarily you can drive your car close to the ramp and stop for a few minutes to drop people and unload your party supplies and personal effects. However stay to the side of the ramp so as not to obstruct anyone.

Depending on the agreed time. You should be at the boarding location between 9:30am and 16:30pm. Please be punctual. The boat must return to dock before dark.

The following optional boarding locations are available and can be agreed upon with the captain:

The bottom of Ottawa Locks at the  foot of the Parliament. The RockCliffe  Boat House at the Bottom of RockCliffe Hights. The RockCliffe Yacht Club facing the Aviation museum. The Casino Lac Leamy Marina.

Safety:

For your safety on board please listen to the crew and captain’s instructions. When the boat is in motion please be seated in the cockpit with your back supported and away from the boat entrance gate. Do not attempt to go to the deck, or to sit on any fiberglass area or stand on the swim platform when the boat is in motion.  Do not sit near or lean on the deck railings. They can not support your weight. Extinguish all cigarettes when the Captain instructs you to do so. All must debark when the boat is stopped for fueling.  Do not attempt to board or debark from the boat unless the Captain and crew are helping you from the dock. All shoes must have a rubber sole and women must not wear heels. Any fiber glass location on the boat is extremely slippery when wet regardless of the shoes you wear or if you are bare foot. Be very careful when moving around a wet floor. Exercise caution when entering the Cabin from the cockpit or when moving off the circular seat near the cabin entry. There are steep steps going down.

Clothes:

Please wear non-skid rubber shoes without marking black soles. Do not wear shoes with heels. You can be barefoot on the boat.

Bring bathing suits and towels if you intend to swim. Bring sun tan lotion and sun protection cream if you intend to Tan. Bring Off insect repellent. If it is windy bring a wind breaker and if it is cold bring a jacket.

There is privacy in the Cabin and the washroom to change.

Using the Toilet:

When you enter the toilet put on the light. The black on/off switch is within the brass light fixture on the ceiling. On the manual flush bring the blue flap to your left when facing the toilet and use the handle to pump some water into the toilet bowl. Once you’ve completed your toilet, pump more water into the bowl. Now turn the blue flap to your right and pump the water out of the bowl to the holding tank. Do not put any paper in the toilet. All paper goes into the waste paper basket. Please switch the light off before leaving and shut the door. Ask the crew for help if you need clarifications.

Food and Drink:

You can bring any food you like or you can order it from your favorite restaurant and have it delivered to the boat a few hours before your scheduled departure. You can also order Meal Ciabatta Sandwiches from us and we will pick them up for you. Most people bring too much food. Snacks such as sandwiches, cheese and crackers, cold cuts, vegetables with dip and fresh fruit work best. You can bring any drinks you like not including any alcohol. Please note alcohol drinking and rowdy behavior will cut your rental short. The River Police will board the vessel if they feel the passengers are behaving unsafely. The drinks should be in boxes. Food can be in bags. There is a huge cooler to store everything. Please do not bring additional coolers. The soft drinks and the ice you will be in the cooler. There is a small fridge to store food. Bring paper plates, plastic cups, utensils, napkins. There are backup items on the boat if you miss anything.

Music:

At anchor the boat has only 12v battery electricity for the sound system and cell phone charging. Bring your phone cable with your favorite music. Any iPone/iPod or Bluetooth or USB device that works on a battery can attach to the boat sound system or the Bluetooth speakers.

Cooking:

There is a Microwave on board. Please precook whatever you need and bring it. The BBQ is not available.

On Board:

You can sit at the back bench or the circular couch in the cockpit. If you are prepared to hand out the soft drinks you may sit on the cooler . You cannot be on the swim platform or on the deck when the boat is moving. You can be there only at anchor. The Captain’s seat and the boat instruments are for the Captain only.

Going onto the front deck:

To go on to the front deck you do so from inside the boat at the back onto the side deck. Leave anything  you wish to take with you with the Captain or crew. It will be handed to you once you crossed the side deck and you are at the windshield. While walking forward you grab onto the handle on the Radar arch then onto the seam of the canvas. Do not grab onto the antenna it flexes. Sit spread out towards the sides of the front deck. Do not all sit in the middle. The center of the deck mau not support the weight of more than 600lbs. Do not sit on or lean against the railings and do not go on the anchor platform they can not support your weight. Do not stand on deck, you may loose your balance if the  boat rocks by waves of other passing boats.

Swimming:

The river has a 2 mile current. You must wait until a safety perimeter is set up with life savers, floating ropes and buoys  before you can get into the water. It is mandatory that you wear the life vest given to you by the crew before you get into the water. Do not swim outside the safety perimeter. If for any reason you can not swim back to the boat hold onto the safety perimeter rope and we will reel you in.

Itinerary:

The boat, the captain and the crew are under your beck and call for your entire rental period. They are there to ensure that you have an amazingly awesome time while playing it safe !

You can ask to cruise around the Parliament bay, stop for a splash by the Rideau falls, say hello to the Prime Minister’s house, check out the French embassy, wave at the US ambassador residence. Dock for a nature break and fuel at the RockCliffe boathouse. Then depending on the weather and your schedule, you can cruise down to Kettle Island or if you rented the boat for the full day, you can go to Petrie Island where you can enjoy music, food, tanning, swimming …. or if the weather is not helping or you have no interest in swimming, then you can do the same thing at the Casino plus perhaps trying your luck at the slots. The boat should return back to the Jacques Cartier Park by the end of your rental period and before sun set.

Notes:

Everyone would need to sign the liability waiver and one would need to sign the rental agreement with the captain and crew service engagement.

Kindly logon and pay the deposit or balance outstanding by bank interac eTransfer at least two days before boarding. The answer to the eTransfer question will be sent by email or by text to your phone.