ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST ON THE WATER
Boating with friends and family can’t be beat for wellness, relaxation and recreation
Imagine the pleasure of being out on the water on a beautiful day with nothing around but nature and no one to disturb the peace and tranquility.
For thousands of Ontarians, relaxing on the water with friends and loved ones is a coveted pastime, for many thousands of others, it’s a dream that can easily become a reality.
“The Toronto International Boat Show introduces people to the boating lifestyle,” says show manager Cynthia Hare. “There are so many benefits to being on the water. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors, and enjoy quality time with family and friends. People’s lives are busier than ever and leisure time is limited. Being outdoors and on the water helps improve our wellness and happiness.”
Now in its 61st year, North America’s largest indoor boat show takes place Jan. 18-27 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place. The Toronto International Boat Show is the premiere event in Canada for the boating industry, featuring more than 1,200 boats on display, from six to 60 feet, in every boating category and budget range.
“The Toronto Boat Show is where the majority of new boaters and firsttime boat buyers go for information and resources, to learn about boating and cost-efficient ways to get out on the water,” explains Hare.
With more than 550 exhibitors and more than 250 seminars and workshops, prospective and dedicated boaters get all the information they need under one roof.
Boating Ontario Association chief executive officer Rick Layzell has spent his entire life and career around boats and boating. “We have a secondhand boat and we make the most of it with our five kids,” says Layzell. “The happiest days we’ve spent together as a family have been on that boat in the water.” The family enjoys everything from wakeboarding, knee boarding, tubing and wake surfing. “And nothing can beat watching the day melt away, enjoying a sunset on the boat. Talk about a destresser.”
Like Hare, Layzell stresses that the Boat Show offers so much for all interested boaters, even those who have never stepped off shore. There are opportunities to enjoy free boat rides, canoeing, kayaking, pedal boating and more. For those who have a keen interest, buying is just one option: you can also rent, lease or buy time-share use of a boat.
Talk to experts at the New Boater Welcome Centre, who are there to provide an unbiased approach to everything you need to know about getting started.
“It’s worth it to come to the show just to experience the enthusiasm and meet the professionals,” says Greg Nicoll, publisher of Canadian Yachting
Magazine (which also features a story on different options for getting into boating in its February issue). “When the show doors open, people entering the exhibit halls transform: slowing down their pace, turning their smiles on full, feeling the wind on their backs and visualizing crystal-clear blue water,” enthuses Nicoll, who met his wife sailing. Their two children grew up on boats and they have years of family memories tied into boating.
And for those who aren’t ready to buy? Howie Colt, owner of Gone Sailing Adventures, is passionate about sailing and his “goal is to inspire others and launch them into a lifetime of adventure. Sailing is an opportunity to socialize, create family memories and adventures and just unplug from your daily routine.”
Colt offers a host of options for those who aren’t yet ready to make a commitment to full boat ownership.
“From time-sharing or renting for a set number of days over the summer to just heading out on a day charter, a big benefit is the use of a boat as little or as often as you want, with us taking care of maintenance and service.”
Gone Sailing Adventures operates out of Toronto Harbour and all sails take place on Lake Ontario.
Connecting boating and wellness
“More and more people are coming to understand and appreciate the benefits of being on the water — reducing stress, promoting good mental health and offering a fun way to positively connect with family and friends,” says Hare. And that’s not just an educated opinion; there is research to back up the connection between wellness and being out on the water.
In his Discover Boating report “Your Brain On A Boat,” research scientist and author Dr. Wallace J. Nichols was able to make a number of emotional and intellectual connections with being on the water, including: • Water is one of the best sources of awe and wonder, and boats are the vessels we use most to explore it. • A boat can serve as a reminder to prioritize water time, detaching from the “tether of technology” and allowing our brains to reset and connect to something bigger than ourselves. • The mere sight of water can induce a flood of neurochemicals that promote wellness, and among other things, the sound of water has been found to increase blood flow to the brain, inducing relaxation. • A lifelong relationship to water, facilitated through boating, brings cognitive, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual health benefits to people of all ages.
Get show details and more at TorontoBoatShow.com and follow it on social media @TorontoBoatShow for the latest updates. For boating trips, including a beginner’s guide, visit DiscoverBoating.ca.