Trent Severn Waterway: Everything you need to know with Le Boat

The Trent Severn Waterway, the largest inland waterway on the planet, is located in Canada. Most people who use it own their own boats, or own expensive cottages on the water.  There is a way to experience the Trent Severn in a fun, affordable manner. Le Boat rents luxury houseboats that you can drive yourself for a few days or a few weeks. This allows you to explore Trent wherever you want. 

Trent Severn Waterway

The Trent-Severn Waterway is a National Historic Site that stretches 386 kilometers from Lake Ontario’s Bay of Quinte in Trenton to Georgian Bay in Port Severn. Completed in 1920, the waterway features 44 locks, including the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock in Peterborough, which raises boats 19.8 meters in buckets. This lock is a must-see when driving a Le Boat along the Trent Severn Waterway.

Le Boat: Summer Savings

• 2025 Early Booking Offer – Save up to 25%: Take advantage of Le Boat’s Early Booking offer and save up to 25% on budget, comfort, and Comfort Plus boat rentals across Europe. Get 15% off Le Boat’s Horizon Fleet available for travel in Canada, France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. Book before September 1, 2020 and pay only 25% at the time of booking to secure your vacation.
• Le Boat’s 2025 Lowest Price GuaranteeBook your boat rental vacations in Europe or Canada for 2025 with confidence. If the price drops after you’ve booked, Le Boat will refund the difference. Le Boat guarantees the lowest price for up to 90 calendar days before departure. Visit to find out about early booking offers for the 2025 Season. https://www.leboat.ca/en/new-season or call 1-800-734-5491.

Le Boat offers Captains for Hire

Le Boat, a leader in private yachting vacations throughout Europe and Canada, has launched its innovative Skipper For Hire program to make boating more accessible for first-time cruisers.

Starting in 2025, travelers can hire a Le Boat skipper for a day-rate of US$199 to accompany them on a first-time voyage along the picturesque Canal du Midi. The appointed skipper gives guests a hands-on introduction to boat operation, navigation and how to maneuver through locks on the first full day. This personalized guidance gives guests the confidence to navigate independently throughout their entire excursion.

For more information about Le Boat’s Skipper for Hire program visit https://www.leboat.ca/en/new-season or call 1-800-734-5491.

Le Boat’s Horizon 2+ Boat

This was our fifth Le Boat trip so we felt very comfortable in the captain’s chair of our Horizon 2+ luxury houseboat. The boat can comfortably accommodate four people, including my brother and sister in law Jim and Janice. The boat has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, as well as a kitchen on the top deck with a full size refrigerator, oven, stove and barbecue. There are dishes and cookware, along with a mop and broom.

The boat can be driven by two people. However, it is much more fun with extra help when going through locks or mooring at night.

Watch our video for tips on what to pack, driving the boat and what to expect if you rent a Le Boat Houseboat.

Trent Severn Waterway with Le Boat

We took a seven day cruise from Le Boat marina, just south of Peterborough, to Bobcaygeon. During our trip, we went through 13 locks and had an incredible adventure on one of the world’s most beautiful waterways.

The boats come with plenty of bedding, including sheets, duvets and pillows. All cooking utensils and bath towels are provided. We have never had to refill the water tank during a Le Boat journey. You can fill up at the marinas. When taking showers, keep it short and sweet so you won’t have to keep refilling the tank.

We recommend bringing beach towels and extra dish towels. Also, cleaning towels are a good idea for a 7-day trip. We also packed shampoo and extra toilet papers. The toilets are clean and you can use them each night. We recommend using the public toilets as much as possible, that way you won’t have to worry about emptying your tanks or filling up water during your seven day trip. If you need to pump out your boat, there is a fee. However, they are available at marinas along waterways.

We highly recommend packing extra hangers to organize your clothes. With more hangers, it is easier to organize the closet.

Day 1 Arrival

We asked for an early check-in at 1 pm, and spent an entire hour loading up our boat with our supplies. We packed food for a week in two coolers and clothes for hot and humid weather as well. Canadian summers have it all.

Le Boat Marina Horseshoe Bay

After organizing our boats, we met staff who took us through everything we need to know about the vessel. We then went on the water and received a lesson to learn how to drive, steer, use the thrusters, navigate locks, and park a boat. By 3pm we had reached our first location.

Peterborough

We had three hours before we reached our first destination. Locks are only open until 6pm (or 6:30pm, depending on when you’re visiting). The first day is short, so we recommend staying at the Peterborough Marina for your first night. The mooring charges are not included with your Le Boat rental. However staying at the marina will allow you to explore Peterborough and eat in our favourite restaurant, The Lightouse Bar And Grill.

Canadian Canoe Museum

The Canadian Canoe Museum at Lock 20 is the latest attraction on the Trent Severn Waterway. This fascinating museum houses the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks, and watercraft. We spent an hour admiring the exhibits, which showcased the Indigenous origins and history of the canoe. They also highlighted the fur trade, and the evolution in recreational paddling. It is a fun place for all ages with interactive displays and activities.

The Canadian Canoe Museum opens daily from 10am to 5pm. We recommend spending the night at the Peterborough Marina and then returning to the lock station the next morning to visit the museum before continuing up the Trent Severn Waterway.

If you don’t want to pay for a night at the Peterborough Marina, all Le Boats include free docking at any of the locks on the Trent Waterway. You can stay for free at Lock 20 in the morning and walk the five-minutes to the Canadian Canoe Museum, or you can drive straight to the Peterborough Lift Lock and stay there. Uber or a taxi will take you into town. Or, you can stay on the boat to enjoy the views.

Day 2 – Peterborough to Young’s Point

Peterborough Lift Lock

Spending four to five hours on the waterway is a great way to spend day two. There is a lot to see on this day, beginning with your trip through the world’s highest lift lock. It is a blast to go through the Peterborough Lift Lock. Boats drive in to a large bucket. Instead of waiting for water to fill the lock, the boats are raised by a system that uses a giant swimming-pool-like bucket. They can go up 150 feet in just 58 seconds.

After you reach the top, it’s a beautiful day to walk along the canal through farmland. You will also pass golf courses, cottages, and forests.

Youngs Point is a great place to spend the evening. A restaurant, shop and ice-cream parlor are all located here. This is a beautiful spot with waterfalls and birdlife. It also has a stunning sunset view. We chose to use the barbecue on the boat and relax on the top deck with cocktails.

Day 3 – Young’s Point to Buckhorn

Today is a long scenic drive through the Canadian Shield. The islands of Stony Lake have beautiful multi-million dollar cottages that line its shores.

Love Sick Island has a unique lock in the middle a lake. It is the perfect place to stop for lunch. This is a historical destination with hiking paths (which are rugged), picnic tables and fire pits. Some people choose to spend the night on this island in order to have a quieter evening.

Once you reach Buckhorn, it’s a large dock with several parking spots on the lock. If you need to use your air conditioning, kitchen or other electronics, you can purchase power at around $10. You can buy supplies, ice and water at the local store, liquor store and waterfront restaurant. This is an excellent place to spend the evening.

Day 4 – Buckhorn to Bobcaygeon

Bobcaygeon has limited parking. You want to leave as soon as possible. However, you don’t want to miss spending the night in this famous Canadian town. The Tragically Hip wrote a song about Bobcaygeon and took advantage of the fame to sell T-shirts that had the lyrics. We did indeed buy the T shirt.

You can find clothing, footwear, and souvenirs in the many shops. There are a variety of restaurants and bars, patios and breweries.

We ate at Gaz which had a fantastic ambience and delicious food. It was only a short walk to the dock overlooking canal.

Day 5 – Bobcaygeon to Burleigh Falls

Fenlan Falls is a great place to visit if you have more time, but we only had two days left on our itinerary so we started the journey back. After enjoying ice cream and breakfast in Bobcaygeon we slowly made our way south to Burleigh falls. Burleigh falls is a beautiful waterfall, where locals enjoy swimming in the waves.

Le Boat is a great way to experience a wild camping night. The boat is fully equipped with everything you could possibly need. Tonight, you can have a barbecue or play cards on the deck. You can also sit around a picnic table. You can walk to the Burleigh inn for dinner. It’s only a 5-minute walk, and there’s a nearby country store.

Day 6 – Burleigh Falls to Lakefield

The rivers flow in this direction so the trip back was much quicker. We made great time on the return trip from Bobcaygeon near Burleigh Falls to Lakefield with only two stops.

This is a charming place to spend a night, with a downtown full of restaurants and pubs. Be sure to stop at the Chocolate Rabbit and pick up some artisanal chocolats. Le Boat rents paddle boards and bicycles, so this is the perfect place to try out either. The water is calm and there are nearby cycling trails.

Day 7 Lakefield to Le Boat

Take your time today, as this is your last day on the Trent Severn Waterway. Stop at all the places and locks you missed between now and Horseshoe Bay in Le Boat. Stop for a lunch picnic, go to Peterborough or lay on the sand at lock 20.

The check-out time is 9 am, so you will need to arrive at the Le Boat marina by 6 pm. The evening is yours to pack and load your car. Cook your final meal and chat with fellow Le Boaters. It’s been an amazing week out on the water.

How difficult is it to drive a Le Boat?

The Horizon boats from Le Boat are easy to drive houseboats.

You have two options when it comes to steering the boat. You can choose to steer the boat from the cabin or the top flybridge. It’s an easy shift to flip the steering from below to above, and the Le Boat staff will show you how to do that.

You can see and control the world from up top. So if you can drive from there, most of the time, unless it’s inclement weather,

The boat’s control is very simple. The boats are equipped with bow and stern hydraulic propellers, which allows you to maneuver both the front and back of the boat, essentially side to side. This really helps when docking and going into locks themselves.

Le Boat rents boats that do not require a license. Before you leave the dock, a comprehensive lesson will be given on how to drive the boat. You will be taught how to turn, steer, park and use all the safety features.

You can also set a limiter on the boat so that you are only allowed to go 10 km/h (or maybe 11 or 12, if you’re facing the wind/current). It is easy to keep control if you simply follow the buoys and markers.

Planning your Trent Severn Waterway Itinerary

You can choose to travel south to Trenton from the Le Boat docks or north to Peterborough. When you are planning out your route, just remember that you’re only doing 10 kilometers an hour at full speed. So when you’re planning where to go from one day to the next, you will want to think about the timing.

During the peak season, you might have to wait an hour at the lock for boats to pass. Ask the lock masters about the number of boats in the locks ahead and how far you can get. They know the waters well.

Lock Etiquette

The Trent Severn Waterway offers a unique experience. All locks are operated by Parks Canada, so there’s always someone at the lock stations to ask for advice. They have a wealth information about the history and local waters and area of the locks.

How do the locks work? It’s easy, and if you are unsure, make sure to ask the staff before leaving the marina. We are here to assist you. Here are some steps to take when approaching a locking system.

Wait for the red light turn green before driving up to the blue line.

If there is no red signal or the lock is already opened, they will call you. Use your thrusters while driving to maintain control.

These boats are easy to maneuver into the lock. Use your thrusters, drive slowly and flip the boat into reverse to stop.

When there are four people on a boat, one person will handle the ropes in the back while another will do so in the front. The boat will be in the right position when the ropes are looped on the long cables attached the lock. These cables will help the boat stay steady as water rushes through.

Respect the space of other boats and enter and exit in an orderly manner. The boat in front will exit first, followed by the side that is behind.

Ask the lock master if you have any questions. They will tell you where you should go.

One of the most memorable boat trips is cruising the Trent Severn Water. Boaters have put a large portion of the Great Loop Tour on their bucket list to cruise for a year from Florida. We recommend everyone (whether or not you are a boater) spend seven nights cruising this beautiful area of Canada. Dave said that photos and words cannot capture the beauty the Trent. You can only truly appreciate the Trent Severn & Kawarthas if you see it for yourself. So, plan your trip today!