The Liveaboard Life - Introduction

Ken Goodings and Lynn Kaak moved aboard their Niagara 35, moored in Toronto Harbour, in the fall of 2003, after "selling up" and committing to the liveaboard life. With reports from Ken and Lynn, we shall follow their adjustment to this lifestyle and their continuing adventures. First, we meet Ken and learn something of his sailing background.
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I first learned to sail in the late '50s at the Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club with one of my older brothers. We sailed dinghies such as Snipe, Lightning, Albacore and Wayfarer. I sailed infrequently until in 1968, I moved to Toronto to study electronics at Ryerson. Bob bought a C&C 25 Redline in 1975 and then a C&C 27 in '77. I crewed in his C&C 27 for a few years and in 1984 I bought a used Laser… it’s a good teacher of sailing skills! It's fast and responsive...just the thing for a beginner but really wet & cold in Lake Ontario without a wet suit. I realized that I was interested in being dry and warm as I cruised along the shoreline of this big lake.

After four years I sold the Laser and bought a '74 Sandpiper 565.
I needed a safe dry boat that I could haul, launch and sail in most every condition without assistance. Having been a licensed amateur radio operator (VE3MVN) since 1981...hence the reason for naming my first boat "ShortWave"

In 1998 I trailed her to Honey Harbour for two weeks in Southern Georgian Bay. I single-handed Shortwave in the protected waters of Beausoleil Island. In 2000 I hauled it to Killarney..."Gateway to the North Channel" and spent two weeks sailing from Killarney to Little Current and back. Many days were spent exploring the hidden anchorages and climbing the magnificent white quartzite Cloche Mountains. The area is mostly well protected and only occasionally do you have to sail out in the open waters.
With a crank-up keel, ShortWave could be tucked into overnight places along Fraser Bay and Baie Fine that bigger boats wouldn't even notice.

In 2001 I sailed with a friend in his C&C 27 from Meaford on southern Georgian Bay to Tobermory, Killarney, Little Current and the islands beyond for two weeks. Too much motoring on a glassy sea all the way to Killarney. The GPS was handy as we were out of sight of land for many hours during the crossing from Cabot Head at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula to Killarney.

Last summer (2002) Lynn and I sailed the Sandpiper on a 22 day cruise along the north shore of Lake Ontario to the protected sailing areas in Prince Edward County...just west of Kingston. The hardest part was the long open water leg From Humber Bay in Toronto to Presquile Point. ShortWave handled the big water conditions admirably...she's a dry boat in these conditions but weighing only 900kg she is easily knocked off course by wakes or bigger waves...dumping the wind from the sails and slowing her down considerably.

Lynn and I wanted to buy something in the 32-39 foot range...Ontario 32, Aloha 32-34, Niagara 35...and I liked the Corbin 39 too. In August 2003, we purchased our 24-year-old Niagara 35 Mk I “Silverheels III”.

In September we sold or gave away almost everything and moved permanently aboard.

Someday, when I retire from working as a video media systems technologist at Ryerson's Rogers Communications Centre (now in my 33rd year), we plan to cruise south "Until the butter melts"...taking either the ICW or perhaps the Missouri-Mississippi ditch.

I’m actively teaching and taking courses in the Canadian Power and Sailing Squadron. I've taken CP&SS courses in Boating, Seamanship, Seamanship-Sail, Weather, Piloting (Coastal navigation) and radio communications.

Ken Goodings Silverheels III

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