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Official Captain Dustin’s Guide gear. Every purchase supports this independent cruising resource.
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Captain’s Gear Picks
Gear I’d want aboard for the Trent‑Severn. These are Amazon links — if you buy through them, this guide earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🔒 Lock Transit Essentials
The TSW has 44 locks. You’ll transit most of them in a single trip. Good lines, the right fenders, and a solid boat hook make the difference between a smooth lockage and a gouged hull.
Ehaho EVA Fender Bumpers
Don’t ruin your every day fenders on the rough lock walls. These EVA fender boards spread the load across the concrete and timber, with integrated locking so they stay put through 44 lockages.
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50’ Double Braid Dock Lines
Standard marina lines are too short for deep locks. You need at least 50 feet of 3/4” double braid nylon to reach the bollards at the top of a full chamber. 9,500 lb breaking strength.
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SAN Like Telescopic Boat Hook
Grab the lock cables with ease. Rust-resistant, extends long enough for high lock walls, with a luminous bead for low-light docking. Scratch-resistant pole won’t mark your gelcoat.
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Rapala Fisherman’s Gloves
Wet nylon lines under tension will burn your hands. These give you grip on lock lines and fender boards without losing dexterity. Reinforced palms survive 44 lockages.
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Nitrile Work Gloves (10-Pack)
The disposable option. Non-slip nitrile grip, cheap enough to toss when they’re soaked. Keep a pack in the cockpit locker — hand a pair to your crew at every lock.
View on Amazon.ca ›🛰 Navigation & Electronics
VHF is mandatory for lock calls on the TSW. A good depth sounder is your best friend in the shallow reaches between Rice Lake and Balsam Lake.
Uniden Atlantis 275 VHF Radio
You’ll call every lock on VHF Channel 68. The Atlantis 275 is IPX8 submersible, floats if dropped, and has NOAA weather alerts built in.
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Hooway 7x50 Marine Binoculars
7x50 is the marine standard. These have a built-in rangefinder and illuminated compass — ideal for reading lock signals and spotting channel markers on lake crossings.
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FORTO 10,000 Lumen Spotlight
Channel markers on the Severn River section are unlit. 10,000 lumens, IPX7 waterproof, comes with a tripod and carrying case. Seven light modes including SOS.
View on Amazon.ca ›⚠ Safety Equipment
Transport Canada small vessel regulations apply on the TSW. Carry the required safety gear — and the gear that goes beyond the minimum.
Inflatable PFD Vest
Wear these when working on deck in the locks. Lightweight enough to actually keep on all day, auto-inflate on immersion. Comfortable enough that you’ll stop making excuses not to wear one.
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SurviveX Large First Aid Kit
Comprehensive kit with zip stitch wound closures. Some TSW anchorages are remote — the nearest hospital could be an hour by boat. Keep one aboard and know what’s in it.
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WoodsCan Hornet Sport Electric Horn
121dB rechargeable — no compressed gas cans to replace. 2,000 bursts per charge. Required by TC regulations, and you’ll use it approaching blind bridge openings on the TSW.
View on Amazon.ca ›⛵ Comfort & Cruising
You’ll spend 5–10 days transiting the TSW. These are the things that turn a passage into a cruise.
Inline Water Filter (3-Pack)
Municipal water quality varies along the waterway. NSF-certified carbon filter screws inline on your dock hose — removes chlorine, sediment, and bad taste. Three-pack lasts the whole season.
View on Amazon.ca ›⚡ Shore Power Adapters
TSW marinas run the full range — 15A household outlets at municipal docks, 30A at most marinas, 50A at the bigger facilities. Be prepared for any power combination you come across.
15A to 30A Adapter
Plugs your 30A shore cord into a standard 15A household outlet. You’ll need this at municipal docks and older marinas along the TSW. Run one appliance at a time to avoid tripping the breaker.
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30A to 15/20A Adapter
Goes the other direction — lets you plug a 15A or 20A cord into a 30A pedestal. Swivel plug keeps things tidy at the dock box. Handy when you’re borrowing a neighbour’s outlet.
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50A to 30A Adapter
Larger marinas sometimes only have 50A pedestals. This dogbone adapter steps down to your 30A shore cord. Locking connector, marine-rated, 125V/3750W.
View on Amazon.ca ›🐛 Bug Management
The Kawarthas in July will test your patience. Mosquitoes, deer flies, and black flies are part of the waterway — come prepared or come miserable.
Ben’s 30% DEET Repellent
The gold standard for Canadian bush mosquitoes. 30% DEET handles the Kawarthas in peak season. Pump bottles stow easily in a cockpit locker.
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After Bite Treatment
When the DEET fails — and it will at dusk — this stops the itch fast. Keep one in the cockpit and one below. You’ll use both.
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Electric Bug Zapper Racket
Doubles as a standing UV trap and a handheld swatter. Rechargeable, 4000V. Surprisingly satisfying after a long day in the locks.
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Electric Fly Swatter 2-Pack
Battery-powered, lightweight, and cheap enough to keep one in the cockpit and one below decks. The crew’s favourite toy at anchor.
View on Amazon.ca ›📚 The Captain’s Library
The books that belong aboard. Nigel Calder wrote the bible for cruising boat systems — if you only buy one, make it the Mechanical & Electrical Manual.
Marine Diesel Engines
Calder’s diesel book covers maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair in language a skipper can follow. If your engine is your most important piece of safety equipment — and it is — know how it works.
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Boatowner’s Mechanical & Electrical Manual (4th Ed)
The definitive reference for every system aboard. Engines, electrical, plumbing, rigging, refrigeration — 800+ pages that have saved more boats than the Coast Guard.
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Boatowner’s Mechanical & Electrical Manual (Essential)
The condensed version of Calder’s masterwork. Same practical wisdom, lighter to carry aboard. Good for smaller boats or as a quick-reference companion to the full edition.
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Calder’s Cruising Handbook
A compendium for coastal and offshore sailors. Covers passage planning, weather, anchoring, boat handling, and seamanship — the kind of knowledge that takes decades to accumulate on your own.
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