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Why TINY CABINS are the next BIG thing
NIRVANA IN NIRIVIA
Does this place really exist? GREAT FOOD! GRILL YOUR GREENS SECRETS TO BETTER BURGERS EASY CURRY
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May 2014 Volume 27 Number 2
On the cover 52 Get rid of biting bugs 13 Mix the best cocktails 84 How to store lumber 56 Tiny cabins are the next big thing 101 New boats 42 Nirvana in Nirivia 66 Great food
Features 42 Dreamlandia Never heard of Nirivia? These cottagers have been going there for years. And it’s spectacular. By Charles Wilkins
52 Bugs Suck! How to deal with blackflies, mosquitoes, horseflies, and other biting insects that we love to hate. By Dan Schneider
56 No Small Sacrifice
COVER PHOTO, PAUL ORENSTEIN. THIS PAGE, JOHN CULLEN
Your cottage doesn’t have to be big to have a big impact. The tiny house movement is bringing back the little cabin by the lake. By Michael Morden
89 Cottage Boating 2014 90 Locking through: novice vs. waterway. By Pat Lynch 101 Trends: more oomph and less work. By Conor Mihell 108 Tech: E-boats are making waves. By Craig Ritchie
May 2014
cottagelife.com 3
WHEN YOU BREW THE BEST COFFEE, WORD GETS AROUND. ™
Windy Isle, Canoe Lake Algonquin Park
TM
1 0 0 % C E RT I F I E D • H A N D C R A F T E D
muskokaroastery.com
May 2014 Volume 27 Number 2
79
29
72 13
Columns 9
33
129
Editor’s Note
In Like Zim
Nature Scrapbook
10 Your Letters
25 Cottage Q&A Smoke detectors; water testing; dock shade; mortgages By Jackie Davis
Hot yoga? Ironman boot camp? Our guy’s unimpressed. By David Zimmer
37 Cabin Pressure Turn wall-to-wall wood into modern rustic style. By Colin McAllister & Justin Ryan
29 Cottage Watch
A grand affair: The showy white trillium, the official flower of Ontario, is slow blooming but worth the wait. By Tim Tiner
130 Weekender Take one hungry chipmunk. Add a peanut. Hilarity ensues.
Waterfront 13 Be a better barkeep with pro tips on tools, garnishes, and more 16 Happy birthday, Victoria; cattails solution for algae 18 Weird weather; Reporter 20 A cabin bought on Kijiji 22 Don’t procrastinate: Read this!
66 Cottage Feast 66 Do up radicchio, arugula, kale, and others on the grill 68 Many ways to make greens; no-cook meals 70 New near-beers 72 Better burgers 74 Easy curry 76 Shake up your condiments; just what does “adjust” mean?
79 Workshop 79 Flexible plumbing piping 80 Coat your deck so it will last longer 82 Simple antler-mount key rack 84 How to stack lumber; deer gate invention 86 Unblock a slow faucet; even up a wobbly chair
The new wildlife corridors are working, with some surprises. By Jim Moodie
82 May 2014
cottagelife.com 5
Tell us yours and you could see it in the pages of Cottage Life
Editor Penny Caldwell Executive Editor Michelle Kelly Special Projects Editor Martin Zibauer Senior Associate Editors Liann Bobechko, Blair Eveleigh
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Cottage Life® is published by Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Partnership President & Chief Executive Officer Al Zikovitz Chief Operating Officer Terry Sellwood VP, Content Strategy & Development Penny Caldwell Assistant to the President Rena Bennett Controller Laureen Chung Senior Accountant Albena Ianakieva Accounts Receivable Administrator Theresa Cressatti Junior Accountant & Office Assistant Patrix Gao Office & Merchandise Manager Dawn Yager
down through Whether it’s been pas sed ently built, rec t the generations or jus story. And que uni a has every cot tage It usually starts so does every cot tager. more time with nd with the desire to spe for family and ce pla a ng ati nature or cre friends to gather. words along with Tell us your story in 300 ld win a full-page any photos and you cou ue of Cottage Life. Iss r article in the Summe Sponsored by Keen fe.com /contests To enter, go to cot tageli
VP, Ad Sales & Marketing Solutions Randy Craig National Account Managers Rosemary Bubanovich, Margot Pengelly, Mylène Tomkin Marketing & Advertising Designer Mike Zikovitz Advertising Coordinator/Classifieds Account Manager Linda Bi Circulation Director Sarah Watt Circulation Manager Nancy Parker Assistant Circulation Manager Amanda Beattie Director, Digital Media Operations Sue Haas Digital Marketing Manager Lora Connor Digital Editor Jebadiah Roberts Show Manager Greg McLeod Assistant Show Manager Erinn Wright Content Development & Marketing Manager Sharon Donaldson
Copyright ©2014 by Cottage Life. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Mail Preference: Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list, please contact us via the subscripton inquiry information. CANADIAN POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Cottage Life Circulation Department, c/o cds Global Inc., Box 734, Stn. Main, Markham ON l3p 7y9. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement number 40050643. Cottage Life, usps 009-615, is published six times a year (Spring, May, June/July, Summer, Fall, and Winter) by Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Partnership. US office of publication: 2421 Hyde Park Blvd., Niagara Falls NY 14305. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls NY. US POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable US addresses to Cottage Life Circulation Department, Box 1071, Niagara Falls NY 14304-0357. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Show Coordinator Jina Newell
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Stop by on your way to the cottage. Up to 20% off Outdoor furniture. Save April 24–July 2, 2014. Includes outdoor pillows. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Some exclusions apply.
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Editor’s Note
Hey, we need to talk
WHAT I’VE LEARNED THIS ISSUE 1. Tiny house guru Jay Shafer used to live in a 98 sq. ft. home. It got Oprah’s attention. p. 64. 2. Coffee is good for more than your morning caffeine fix. Hint: Apply with a brush. p. 40. 3. Separatism is alive and well on Lake Superior. p. 42.
DANIEL EHRENWORTH
Have your say. Leave a comment on our blog at cottagelife.com/ blog/may14
Last weekend, at the Spring Cottage Life Show, I had a heartening chat with a couple about one of the most stressful parenting phases: when teenagers start to drink. Not the occasional glass of wine with family at dinner, but copious amounts of alcohol, sometimes bought for underage kids by their of-age siblings or even their parents. Teenage drinking becomes more complicated when it happens at the cottage. Dark paths, high decks, steep rocks, and cold, deep water add to the risk—not to mention the liability—that parents assume when their children host a party, whether or not adults are there too. At the end of the party, when they don’t stay over, kids tumble into cars or pile into boats and head out into the dark night. Consider these statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving: Young drinking drivers are most likely to be killed or injured in the summer, a large percentage on weekends. In addition, alcohol is a factor in about 40 per cent of recreational boating fatalities that occur in Canada each year. It’s little wonder that parents lie awake waiting to hear the idling engine that means their kids are safely back at the dock. What’s a parent to do when teenagers don’t want to come to the cottage, when they want to stay home to work at summer jobs or to be with their friends? Do you go to the lake and hope that your son or daughter doesn’t destroy your home while you’re away? Or do you opt for peace of mind, sacrifice your precious weekend, and stay home as well? We went to the cottage, trusting our kids to do the right thing. And, I’m glad to report, they did. But when their friends were invited to our off-grid, water-access cottage and we weren’t, we went anyway, and simply stayed out of the way. It’s not easy being a parent. But for some reason, parents are reluctant to share some of our most difficult
experiences with other parents. Even my close friends had such differing and deeply held opinions on whether kids should be allowed to party at home— with or without supervision—that I rarely had the nerve to broach the subject. This is why it was refreshing to have a frank discussion with the parents I met at the show. Naturally, our kids don’t tell us everything. (Did you tell your parents?) And there are some things that, truthfully, I don’t want to know. But we do need to talk about this issue—with our families and our friends. Let’s get it out into the open. The cottage is a social place. We love to entertain our friends, to have a good time, and to enjoy a few drinks. We also need to teach our kids to be safe. My advice to other parents as we head into the first long weekend of summer? Have fun, follow your instincts, and lead by example. It’s called being responsible.
May 2014
cottagelife.com 9
Your Letters Real Estate 2014
@JamesMullins Just finished watching Brojects on @cottagelife TV, awesome show! I’m getting some good ideas for summer brojects @mycdnmags #FridayReads! The new issue of @cottagelife is reminding us that cottage season is just around the corner! @pacearly @colinjustin Great show last night guys! Can’t wait for the designing to begin! :)) Needs to be an hour long tho’ @cottagelife! @marylougeorge2 @colinjustin @cottagelife I’m so looking forward to the next installment. Wish I could binge watch @bigjammyballs Had a fantastic day @cottagelife show All I want to do is BBQ , on a party barge, while I build and renovate my own cottage
10 cottagelife.com
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Spring 2014
LOVE AT FIRST READ We’re hooked on Cottage Life! As newbie cottagers, having purchased our first— and nonwinterized—cottage in late November, we’ve been chomping at the bit to get up there. As a means to whet our whistles, we picked up a copy of the Spring ’14 issue and, boy, are we hooked! It’s totally relatable and the articles are written with such fun and quirky tones; I’m talking Zim’s discussion of treasure hunting (“Message in a Bottle”) and his explanation of “beach whistles” here! Your mag is chock full of awesome (and even easy) reno and decor ideas, along with some really helpful cautionary advice, such as Kim Pittaway’s story “Build It, Scrap It, Fix It.” Thank you so much for helping us city slickers keep hope alive as we eagerly (and I do mean eagerly) await the official onset of the cottage season! —Melissa Hansen, Sharon Lake, Ont. GET OUT OF THE GUTTER I could hardly believe that the editors would include profane and coarse language in the article about the Molega Lake, NS, cottage (“Sorry, Couldn’t Stay,” Spring ’14). I avoid gutter language whenever I have a choice. Cottage Life has never included this type of offensive language before. If this is indicative of the new direction of the magazine’s content, I think that I will have to find my reading elsewhere. —Jim Tomlinson, via e-mail May 2014
cottagelife.com 47
A LOAD OF GARBAGE Normally, I love everything in Cottage Life, but I feel you missed an opportunity to live up to your reputation with the page by Ryan Stuart on pod coffeemakers (“I Am Joe’s Brewer,” Cottage Feast, Spring ’14). It would have been more powerful if he had used the article to call on the manufacturers to clean up the mess that millions of pods are making in landfill sites. Let’s take the opportunity to tell manufacturers that recycling will put them in the forefront of sales with all the environmentally considerate consumers out there. —Susan MacKay, via e-mail GREAT SCOTS! Today I bought my first copy of Cottage Life ever. I am very impressed, mostly because I thought a cottage magazine would be full of older homes for an older market, but I was so surprised by the fun articles, especially “Let in the Light” by Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan (Spring ’14). I have to tell you that even if they wrote a phone directory, I would love every word. I have been a huge fan since I saw them when I lived in the UK. So I have already fallen in love. That little cottage looks really beautiful, and I am so glad they didn’t tear it down or build some crass mansion. I look forward to their next article and congratulate you on the magazine as a whole. Anything that shows us mere mortals how to get cottage style affordably is a good thing, so definitely count me in. —Helen Dawson, via e-mail BABY TALK My first reaction to the photo on p. 114 of the Spring ’14 issue (“Weekender”) was one of horror! There is absolutely nothing adorable or cute about someone’s dear, sweet baby sitting without a personal flotation device on a dock. Ever! The dog makes it all the worse. Baby reaches for dog, or dog knocks baby into water. I cannot believe no one at Cottage Life can see that this is just plain wrong. Case closed. —Laurie McMurray, Ancaster, Ont.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES Three years ago, I became a big fan of Cottage Life, as my husband and I had just become cottage owners. It is still a great joy to find every new issue in my mailbox. I can’t wait to read it over my morning coffee, and then bring my new issue up north to join the collection. My husband, Derek, is always reading over my shoulder. Derek and I purchased our cottage in September 2011. I swear this place is magical, and our love and passion for our getaway hasn’t faded in the slightest. We were 29 when we bought the cottage, and since then we have believed dreams do come true. It’s been a work in progress to make the place ours and to keep it standing! A true labour of love, and we have done the work ourselves, with help from our handy fathers. It’s amazing how much you learn, when you’re in the middle of the country and have to figure something out. —Tatijana Gamble, Tallan Lake, Ont. DOCTOR’S ORDERS I am very disappointed and deeply distressed by the photograph on the lead page of your promotional section in the Spring ’14 issue! The two kayakers have taken the precaution of protecting themselves from the harmful sun’s rays with very colourful and fashionable hats; however, they have neglected to protect themselves from the possibility of drowning by wearing PFDs. As a coroner in Parry Sound since 1980, I have investigated too many completely unanticipated, devastating deaths by drowning, which could have been prevented by wearing a properly fitted and approved PFD. Not sexy? Not comfortable? Not necessary? Not socially acceptable? Not required? Death by drowning sucks! Properly fitted PFDs, when worn, prevent drowning. Please help prevent drowning deaths by promoting the voluntary use of properly fitted PFDs by everyone in your photographs and advertisements while they’re on the water. —Dr. W. Derek George, via e-mail CHILLY RESPONSE TO ICE BAR Just finished reading “How to Set the Night on Fire” from the Winter ’13/’14 issue. So you think that pouring gasoline on the lake { Continued on page 115 } May 2014
cottagelife.com 11
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Waterfront CURRENTS
SERVE THEM RIGHT
ANGUS ROWE MACPHERSON
No Tom Cruise behind the bar? No worries: Our pro tips for drink-making success >>
May 2014
cottagelife.com 13
Waterfront
time to throw an epic party—or at least get together with a few lake neighbours. Why not bust out some bartending tricks of the trade for the occasion? No one’s asking you to juggle flaming bottles of Bacardi or dance, Coyote Ugly–style, on your kitchen counter, but simple tactics— using the right gadgets and garnish—add something special to any dockside drink. “It takes a little more prep, a little more love—but it goes a long way,” says Jeremy LeBlanc, an expert mixologist and the co-author of The Best Craft Cocktails & Bartending With Flair.—Jackie Davis
Be a bar star Keep cool
Stock this
Garnish it
Use pre-chilled, clean glasses. Put them (while wet) in the freezer, until an opaque layer of frost forms. Serving beer in a glass? Residue from soap or other substances can mess with the brew’s taste and appearance. One way to test whether a glass is “beer clean” is to note how foam adheres to the inside. In a clean glass, it’ll form even rings, not a random pattern.
Erick Rosende, the director of The Ultimate Bartending School in Edmonton, says you’ll be covered with the basics: vodka, rye, rum, gin, and tequila. But the right drinks also depend on the age range of your guests and the type of food you’re serving. Pay attention to what’s popular. “I’m selling a lot of Canadian and American whisky these days,” says Jeremy LeBlanc. “Also, Scotch and Kentucky bourbon.” And in case you’ve been living under an alcohol-free rock for the last five years, local craft beer is really hopping. (Get it?)
Match flavours and use common sense. “What’s in the glass should go with what’s on the rim,” says Rosende. White spirits work with lime, and dark spirits with lemon; olives and cocktail onions enhance savoury cocktails; sweet, rum-based drinks go with tropical fruit. And, heck, everybody loves a little umbrella.
Use the right ice The smaller the ice pellets, the faster they’ll melt and dilute your drink. Cubes, the kind you make in a regular old tray, are usually best for cocktails—shaken, stirred, or on the rocks. You can also buy trays for extra-large ice cubes. For perfectly clear ice, make it with distilled water.
14 cottagelife.com
May 2014
Invest in tools The pros recommend a muddler (for mashing fresh fruits, spices, and herbs), a 32 oz shaker, a strainer, an ice scoop, and a jigger, for measuring. Cost: about $30 to $45 for a multi-piece kit.
TOP, ANGUS ROWE MACPHERSON; BOTTOM, LIAM MOGAN
>> It’s May Two-Four. That means it’s
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Waterfront These Ġoating pads allow plants to grow in deep lakes.
two beavers a grove of maple trees
lacrosse sticks
a dozen cans of tuna
a canoe
ENVIRONMENT
A win for the water
16 cottagelife.com
May 2014
7 kg of prawns pra
a box of snail shells ls
an elephant p two giant turtles
TRIVIA VIA
WE GAVE A ZOO Happy B-day, Queen Victoria! During her reign, Her Majesty received a wide variety of presents (above). Royally weird, or longweekend gift for a cottage host? You decide.
PHOTO: MIKE CURRY. ILLUSTRATION: JEANNIE PHAN
Many cottagers already know that native wetland plants such as cattails help to clean the water in ponds and lakes. The plants suck up phosphorus, a culprit behind those dreaded blue-green algae blooms. Adding more cattails can improve water quality but, unfortunately, the plants only grow in water less than a metre deep. Now a Winnipeg company, Curry Industries, is developing a floating pad capable of growing cattails and other plants, even in deep-water lakes. Made of polyethylene foam, the pad holds greenhouse-style trays where cattails can put down roots. The pads won’t be cheap: Costs are expected to range from $12 to $20 per square foot, so the buyers will likely be large companies and municipalities, which could use the cattail pads to naturalize shorelines, reclaim sewage lagoons, or add a green landscape feature to a new development. Lisette Ross, a senior wetlands and uplands specialist for Native Plant Solutions, a division of Ducks Unlimited Canada, tested the cattail pads last summer. She’s currently checking samples to determine just how much phosphorous the pads can take out, but in 2006, University of Saskatchewan researchers reported that cattails removed 40 to 45 per cent of phosphorus in a laboratory simulation. “Year after year, healthy cattail plants will continue to grow and develop and remove phosphorus,” says Ross. Researchers are still checking that the pads can withstand harsh weather. In the test pond, another situation came to light: Muskrats decided the floating cattail pads made an ideal nesting spot. The mammals chewed through rope anchors holding the pads and sailed away on their new mobile homes.—Susan Peters
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Waterfront
REPORTER
Big bill, eco-donors & species spies Crime doesn’t pay But it sure does cost you: Increased fees for OPP services in your cottage community may be on the horizon. A new billing model is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2015. Under the proposed formula, fees to municipalities will be determined largely on a per-household basis (both year-round homes and seasonal cottages). The impact? Depending on the bill to your local government and your latest property assessment, you could get a tax hike (no matter how rarely you call 911). For more on how the new billing model could affect taxes, contact your municipality.
For the present There really is a first time for everything: The Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT) has announced that it has acquired a 10-acre island, bestowed by both American and Canadian donors. According to the GBLT, it’s the first joint US-Canada ecological gift in Canadian history. The island is an important habitat for two species of snake, and it is considered a “priority property” for protection under one of the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Natural Area Conservation Plans. For more info, visit gblt.org or natureconservancy.ca.
But who’s counting? The results of the latest Great Backyard Bird Count are in: Participants from a record-setting 135 countries turned in their checklists and species observations in February. In Canada, birders from Ontario and British Columbia submitted the most checklists; of all states and provinces, California sent in the most lists and recorded the most species (448). But the planet-wide diversity winner was India, where residents aimed their binoculars at 819 species. The four-day count is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Bird Studies Canada. Info: gbbc.birdcount.org.
COTTAGE LOGIC
YOU CAN MAKE THIS STUFF UP
The past year was filled with weird weather phenomena that we didn’t even know existed. Superfloods? Frost quakes? Polar vortices? Here are a few other legit meteorological terms that sound invented— or sound as though they should describe something else entirely.
“ICE FOG”
“SUPERBOLT”
Fog made up of minute ice crystals
Unusually powerful lightning strike
Could mean:
Could mean:
Cold coffee drink from Starbucks
Superman x Usain Bolt
“GUSTNADO”
“GIANT MEGATHRUST”
Small vortex of swirling air
The largest, most powerful type of earthquake on the planet
Could mean: Cable TV movie featuring a plague of geese and a former child star (post-rehab) 18 cottagelife.com
A dance move; like twerking, but to the power of 10 May 2014
LIAM MOGAN
Could mean:
PERFORM ®
AND
TILITY
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Waterfront
$8,000
$45
all logs
$10
5 beehives (without bees)
7 beehives (with bees)
barbecue (free, but “I gave him $10”)
pitchfork
$3
$3,500
antique gardening tools
$300
$900 tractor and implements disker for tractor
$150 the kitchen sink
NUMBER CRUNCH
20 L pails
One-stop shopping
$0
greenhouse
$100
water barrels
20 cottagelife.com
May 2014
snow fence fireplace tools single bed antler chandeliers taps 6 cabin windows
kitchen counter
$25 shower
snowmobile
$1,500
PHOTOS LIAM MOGAN BY GUTTER CREDIT
The “Kijiji Cabin” is what Jeff and Julie Shirley affectionately call their 1,200 sq. ft. cottage. No, they didn’t buy the cabin itself on the classified ads website—they bought about 80 per cent of the building materials and furnishings, one deal at a time. After the Shirleys acquired a 160-acre property near Cudworth, Sask., about 75 km northeast of Saskatoon, in 2009, Jeff surfed Kijiji for a modest house that could be moved to the site. He instead came across a local guy selling some log cabin walls but no roof, so he bought them. Over the next three years he Kijiji’d, well, just about everything else, from a fibreglass septic holding tank ($750) and a high-efficiency woodstove ($1,500) to a planer to refinish the floors ($150), 40 maple seedlings ($20), and a pine bed frame (free). The decision was strictly economic, says Jeff. “In total we’ve spent under $40,000, and about half of that was on the few new elements, such as the poured concrete foundation, the chimney, and the roof.” He and Julie, and various family members and friends, put countless hours into raising the walls, framing the roof, installing the windows, and all the other big and small building jobs, learning as they went. (They did hire a plumber and an electrician.) Now, the cabin is almost complete. “It’s an amazing feeling to wake up, comfortable and warm, on this wonderful piece of land that has nesting blue herons and moose and whooping cranes, and know that we did it all, minus the foundation, for the price of a used truck,” says Jeff. He’s now working on a photo book called, of course, The Kijiji Cabin.—Bonnie Schiedel
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Waterfront
SCIENCE
Gettin’ it done As a Ph.D. student, Tim Pychyl put o draining the cottage plumbing, and the pipes froze. Still, there was a silver lining to the burst copper: Years later, when Pychyl became an expert in the study of procrastination, he knew the topic ďŹ rst-hand. “I owned that one,â€? says the Carleton University professor and the author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle. “Next spring, I spent a lot of time soldering. I learned the cost of procrastination.â€? Cottagers avoid jobs like draining plumbing or ďŹ xing a wobbly step because our brains rank future consequences as less important than the here-and-now. We treat our future self as if he’s a dierent guy: He can get the job done. Later. The good news: A few brain tricks can short-circuit this desire for delay. Time travel: How bad will you feel when your daughter puts her foot through the rotten step? Instead, imagine the hero you’ll be when you grab a hammer and prevent the mishap. Reduce the uncertainty: Cottagers put o ďŹ xes because they’re not sure how to proceed. But “you’re only one YouTube video away from that expertise.â€? Move the job into the present: “Instead of saying, ‘I gotta ďŹ x those steps,’ say, ‘Today, when I go to town to get water, I’ll pick up the lumber for those steps,’ â€? Pychyl says. “When we think of things concretely, they belong to the present.â€? Just get started: “Don’t plan to do everything at once. Instead, get the ladder out, and get the tools together,â€? Pychyl says. “We usually get started and ďŹ nd the job isn’t so bad.â€? Forgive backsliding: Beating yourself up only encourages further avoidance. “We know procrastination is a downward spiral that paralyzes, but we’ve shown that there’s an upward spiral from just a little bit of progress.â€?—Ray Ford
, NO LOOK MAS TAN LINE !
, ese map turtles as crowded. Th w h ac te, be in e Qu th t of ard in the Bay And you though le and Juli Edw e Ky lov s es er rtl ag tu tt co ap w rays. “M spotted by ns spot to catch a fe ia e ib im ph pr a am r of fo r g to are jostlin son, the cura hn Jo b ds Bo ar ys w sa to � n, spring and to bask in the su o. “Especially in Zo o e nt m ro sa To e e th th ten return to and reptiles at .� The turtles of ld n. co su is e r th te w wa llo e fo fall, when th shift position to hot y day, and they love to do on a s er ag log or dock ever tt co t ha w g in do to t ’re ou ey d th et stretche “You might say e paddle-like fe th e ot “N n. so day,� says John �—J.D. get an even tan.
22 cottagelife.com
May 2014
PHOTO: KYLE EDWARD. ILLUSTRATION: JEANNIE PHAN
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Cottage Q
False alarm, foliage fix & buying tip By Jackie Davis
NICHOLAS STEVENSON
WE HAVE hard-wired smoke detectors at our cottage. Every summer, particularly on humid nights, all three units will go off simultaneously. Replacing them, and vacuuming away the dust and bugs, has had no impact. Could the wiring be the problem? —Desperately Seeking Silence It’s possible, but Robert Redford of Robert Redford Electrical Services in New Westminster, BC, doesn’t think so. “In my experience, it’s very seldom faulty wiring.” So, first rule out the other common reasons for nuisance alarms. Since the smoke detectors are going off on humid nights…maybe it’s the humidity. If they’re ionization models, try replacing them with photoelectric alarms (they’re less susceptible to moisture in the air). Another possibility is that the locations of the alarms are causing them to malfunction. Ideally, you should place them on the ceiling, in the centre of the room, away from doors, windows, corners, lights, fans, vents, air registers, or other sources of heat, dust, or steam.
Unfortunately, “without knowing the layout of the cottage, it’s hard to say what the problem might be,” says Ryan Betts of the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management. With the units interconnected, if even one is located improperly—too close to a bathroom, for example—they’re all affected. “If someone has a shower on one floor, that sets off the alarm, and then the rest go off,” explains Redford. But say these smoke detectors are new, humidity-resistant, clean, properly located and maintained, with fresh batteries, and they’re still screeching for no good reason? Call in an electrician or a fire-safety technician.
I AM CONCERNED about the water quality of our lake. Are there test results for lakes in Canada? If not, where can I get our lake water tested? —Water Worrier Environment Canada monitors water quality on waters that straddle provincial or international borders, plus a few other lakes of “national interest” (Lake Winnipeg, for example). For their research, see ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater. Within provinces, provincial governments keep tabs on water quality; in Ontario, the Ministry of the Environment does this; in Alberta, it’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and so on. Or, check with an environmental authority in your area. To have the water analyzed yourself, take a sample to a municipal health lab or a private lab. The key test is for E. coli, May 2014
cottagelife.com 25
which indicates runoff from septic beds, municipal water systems, or animal use. But before you break out the specimen bottle, you should know that a single sample from an open water source is “not always the best measure,” says Chris Sullivan, a senior project specialist with the environmental services laboratory of SGS Canada. Your sample depends on what happens to float by when you collect the water. “Literally, if you put two bottles side by side, you could get two different water samples.” A more accurate analysis involves testing several samples, from different spots on the lake, at different times of the year. Some lake associations do this already; if yours doesn’t, consider getting the project going. The information is probably useful for anyone who uses the water.
WE HAVE tall, prickly plants at our cottage that we can’t seem to kill. Can you tell me what they are and how to get rid of them? They are taking over the other foliage! —in a prickle That’s wild raspberry. (You were likely so frustrated by its pervasiveness that you didn’t recognize it.) And yes, it’s incredibly prolific. If you let it, wild raspberry will simply take over—it’s like a domineering wedding planner. “It will spread within the boundaries of any suitable habitat if it’s not controlled by some means,” explains Jennifer Doubt, the curator of Botany at the Canadian Museum of Nature. The only way to get rid of the stuff for good is to eliminate the entire network of roots. “Dig down and remove everything,” says Hugh Daubeny, a BC-based emeritus research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, who bred raspberries for more than 40 years.
It just keeps growing and growing... 26 cottagelife.com
May 2014
Alternatively, contain the raspberries by surrounding the patch with a metredeep trench, or by building some kind of structure around them (though Daubeny warns that a wooden box would only work temporarily). Instead, you could just accept the plants’ widespread presence on your property—because, hey, free raspberries!—and regularly prune them. In early spring, cut back tall canes to about 1.5 metres. In the summer, remove the new “suckers” that sprout every few weeks. In the winter, cut out any dried, brown canes. If you maintain them, you can live in harmony with the raspberries. And make a ton of jam.
WE NEED SHADE
on our dock. We tried a large umbrella, but the wind destroyed it. Can you suggest a structure to provide shade but allow the wind to go through? —Sick of the Sun The right shading solution depends on your dock’s location, construction, and dimensions (plus how badly and permanently you want to avoid Mr. Sun). Need a solid, free-standing structure to simply break up the blinding rays? Consider a pergola or an arbour. If you’ve got some carpentry skills, you can build this yourself. “It’s pretty simple,” says Dave Anderson of Anderson Contracting in Bracebridge, Ont. In its humblest form, it’s “four posts, with some beams across, but you can dress it up pretty nicely.” (To provide the most shade, the beams should be close together.) Some deck companies sell pergola and gazebo kits. A similar option is a wood sunshade—basically a frame structure draped with removable fabric panels. If a big post-and-beam arrangement—classy and elegant in some situations—would look clunky and weird on your dock, check with marine accessory retailers or awning manufacturers for lighter, removable shade solutions. The Canadian company Davlin–The Awning Factory, for instance, makes customdesigned awnings that can mount to the side of the dock. You can shade part or all of your dock, use them to protect outdoor furniture, and attach side curtains to block the sun as it rises and sets. “The possibilities are limitless,” says company treasurer Linda Spearn. “It really gives you more use of the dock.” Other
companies, such as EZ Dock Okanagan, sell removable “roof” systems that mount to a floating dock. Don’t ditch the wide-brimmed hat and SPF before checking into permit requirements. A small pergola may not need a building permit, but even minor work around water could need an okay from your municipality, your local authority, or a higher level of government.
WHAT ARE
the requirements for obtaining a mortgage on a cottage? —a bewildered borrower In general, they aren’t any different than those for buying a house: good credit, a job, ability to make a down payment, etc. And it’s not necessarily any more difficult than getting a mortgage for a house. “There are lots of financing options,” says Frances Hinojosa, a mortgage agent with Dominion Lending Centres. But it really depends on the type of cottage you want to buy. Most lenders will treat an easy-to-access, four-season, full-service lake house close to the city the same way that they would an ordinary home. But an off-grid, one-room shack five hours away from all civilization? “That would be a completely different financing situation,” says Hinojosa. This probably won’t come as a shock: Banks are cautious about backing major fixeruppers, places that may be hard to resell, or cottages that appear to be prone to future disaster. The more remote, rustic, and ramshackle the cabin, the larger the down payment you’ll likely need—as much as 35 per cent, as opposed to five per cent for a home. Plus, mortgages on seasonal places usually have higher interest rates. But “having a client that’s extremely strong is really a plus,” says Pamela Valent of Mortgage Architects. “The same place could get approved or declined, based on the client.” Find a mortgage professional who is familiar with cottage properties to discuss what you want to buy. Good news: Owning one property already (your home) may give you more standing.a STILL LOOKING FOR ANSWERS? That’s great! (We love to give advice.) Visit cottagelife.com/qa to browse our database of previous Cottage Q&A columns and to submit your questions online.
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Cottage Watch
Wildlife passages over and under the highways are making our roadways safer for animals—and for us
Up, up, and away
BYRON EGGENSCHWILER
By Jim Moodie
It’s elk we came to see at Burwash, but it’s a busted turtle that’s riding back to Sudbury with us. David McGeachy, a grad student at Laurentian University and my guide to this wilderness off Hwy. 69, is more familiar with elk, but he knows enough about reptiles to identify our roadside find as a painted turtle, and enough about backwoods triage to have a realistic view of this guy’s chances. “Doesn’t look good,” he mutters. The plated shell, pretty as any work of pottery, is badly fractured from the weight of a vehicle; something important is oozing from the turtle’s leathery side. Still, we stow the poor creature in a plastic grocery bin, call ahead to the wildlife rehab centre in Lively, Ont., and make haste on the four-lane highway, heading north. In doing so, we are tracing a stretch of Ontario road, from just south of the Killarney turnoff to just shy of Estaire, that has been radically re-engineered in recent years to spare animals like our passenger, not to mention relieve those of us at the wheel, from a major scare or repair bill, or worse. The centrepiece of Ontario’s critter-friendly infrastructure is the 30-metre-wide overpass, landscaped with logs, grass, and shrubs, that traverses Hwy. 69 near the Hwy. 637 exit. As we drive under it, McGeachy—whose studies focus on the spacial May 2014
cottagelife.com 29
behaviour and resource selection of elk—admits that members of the Burwash elk herd have yet to set their hooves on the three-year-old structure, even though the $2.9-million span was designed speciďŹ cally with these lanky ungulates in mind. That doesn’t mean they’ll never use it: In Ban, Alta., elk have taken up to ďŹ ve years to become accustomed to using a new land bridge. Meanwhile, other Burwash ungulates, funnelled to the Hwy. 69 crossing by fencing, have quickly adopted the right-of-way, which was completed in 2011. “Quite a few moose are using it,â€? says Kari Gunson, a Peterborough-based road ecologist who monitors the highway wildlife enhancements for the Ministry of Transportation (MTO). “Lots of deer as well.â€? Infrared motion-sensor cameras have been installed to keep tabs on animal movement, and between those images and winter tracks, Gunson and her team have a pretty good sense of the four-footed traďŹƒc using the bridge. A bobcat has padded across, as well as a bunch of foxes and a rabbit, but wolves mostly prefer an underpass located a couple of clicks north. Bears, as it turns out, use both routes equally. That traces of gore are largely absent may surprise those who picture these corridors as Wild Kingdom combat zones, but “wolves aren’t ambush predators,â€? notes Sean Boyle, an M.Sc. candidate at Laurentian University who studies mammal use of the crossings. “It makes more sense for them to hunt,â€? he explains. A canny lynx might pick o the odd snowshoe hare, but even in Ban, where cougars are plentiful, bloodshed is minimal. In 2010, scientists looking into the “prey-trap hypothesisâ€? reported that kills in or near wildlife crossings were “extremely rare eventsâ€? in the national park. The Alberta experiment remains the gold standard for animal-oriented road design. “They have six huge overpasses now, and 39 underpasses,â€? Gunson says. “It’s our laboratory for road ecology.â€? Ontario, though, is making strides. David Lesbarrères, a Laurentian biology prof who has teamed up with Gunson, says the province is “at the cutting edge for doing this kind of work in various places, not just protected areas.â€? 30 cottagelife.com
May 2014
Lesbarrères hails from France, where he became interested as a Ph.D. candidate in the “green workâ€? going into highway projects, and how frogs and toads are aected by pond-impeding pavement. “Roads disrupt the populations, and that leads to inbreeding, which impacts genetic variability,â€? he says. Animals that end up on the wrong side of the Hwy. 69 fence—either by doing an end run around the barrier or by ďŹ nding a weak link—aren’t trapped: There are 27 one-way gates along the route that allow passage back into the safe zones. There’s also a route under the highway at Lovering Creek that was designed to let small mammals and Blanding’s turtles follow the watercourse, just as they’ve always done. Slithering and swimming creatures are on the radar too. Lesbarrères, for instance, is working with the Magnetawan First Nation to protect provincially and nationally threatened massasauga rattlesnakes as the four-laning continues through Pointe au Baril and Britt. “You can insert a chip into a snake, so that when it passes through a culvert, it gets recorded, like groceries going through the till,â€? he says. Elsewhere in the province, â€œďŹ sh crossingsâ€?—pipe culverts—facilitate piscine travel under road projects. The MTO is simultaneously trying out warning systems to reduce vehicle collisions with deer and moose. Along Hwy. 6 north of Manitoulin Island and on the Trans-Canada at Mile Hill, 20 km north of Sault Ste. Marie, ashing beacons, powered by solar panels, are activated when an ungulate trips an infrared beam. “Collisions have been reduced signiďŹ cantly,â€? says MTO spokesperson Gordan Rennie. In the two years that followed the warning-system installations (2010 and 2011), there was only one reported collision. The province of Ontario has spent some $5 million on reducing the number of animal collisions along the northern portion of Hwy. 69, with more work to come there and elsewhere, but that cost stands to be oset by the overall savings. In 2010, for example, there were 13,185 vehicle-wildlife collisions in the province, three of them fatal to motorists, points out Rennie. These crashes, taking into account vehicle repairs,
health care, and emergency services, cost an estimated $107 million. And it’s not just the money. Some of the province’s particularly vulnerable species, such as the Blanding’s turtle, could be wiped out altogether if we continue to mow them down at the current rate. Even the relatively widespread snapping turtle is at risk. Being unappealing to most predators—and amply protected by their dark (and often algae-covered) shells—these otherwise long-lived animals have not evolved to reproduce quickly. “Female snapping turtles don’t start breeding until they’re 20 to 25 years old, and there’s a low chance of their eggs surviving,� says Boyle. “So if one female snapper is hit, it’s a huge drain on the population.� Ontario turtles may be “approaching a tipping point,� says Gunson, who has been analyzing a hot spot of turtle mortality on Hwy. 7 near Kaladar. “They’ve been called ‘the living dead.’ � The painted turtle that McGeachy and I have rescued is still kicking when we arrive at the Wild at Heart Wildlife Refuge Centre, but barely so. The technician on duty tells us that many turtles with smashed shells can be successfully patched back up, yet the grave look on her face as she inspects the wound on our guy’s side makes me think a happy ending is not to be. I am averse to heartache, so I don’t call to check in for weeks. Eventually I break down and dial the number. A wildlife conservation intern delivers the news. “Unfortunately that turtle died under care,� she says. “But we were able to extract the eggs.� It takes me a while to process this information. I thought our guy was a guy, not a gal, let alone a pregnant one. And I didn’t know that eggs could be salvaged. The intern tells me they’ll put the eggs in soil and, if they hatch, the centre will release the babies in a suitable place in the spring. I think back to that dark term that Kari Gunson referenced, the living dead. In this instance, perhaps the dead can live on.a Jim Moodie is a writer in Sudbury. He recently visited 22 raccoons, two coyotes, and a fox at the Wild at Heart Refuge Centre in Lively, Ont.
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In Like Zim
The number of people exercising at the cottage is on the rise. And that has our man Zim very worried, indeed
Boomer, Zoomer, Give ’Er!
ZACHARIAH O’HORA
By David Zimmer Pedro noticed the phenomenon as we were driving down Canal Road toward Deerhurst Resort. We were passing— and being passed by—dozens of Lycraclad walkers, joggers, and cyclists, broiling under a merciless sun as they pounded their way around the resort’s peripheral roads. And it was not a race. This sight, apparently, got my paramedic-philosopher friend thinking: “Remember when a vacation meant you’d relax and read and go swimming with the kids?â€? he said. “Now it’s like, ‘Hey, honey! Let’s head up to cottage country for a week and just give ’er till some body parts snap o.’ â€? I guess I had never cared enough to notice the ďŹ tness freaks before. But once Pedro identiďŹ ed the trend, I started
seeing them in garish, skin-tight costumes everywhere. I am not the most observant person, and I had always ďŹ gured these sweaty masochists were just A-type twentysomethings training for a UFC title shot. But soon I could see beyond the ridiculous getups, shaved legs, and dangerously tanned skin. And what I noticed were imperfections. The hobbled gait of a gammy hip, the unbalanced power stroke of a torn ACL, the gnarled arthritic hands reaching for a water bottle. Grey hair was hiding under the helmets and the do-rags. My God! The leaders of the Give ’Er Movement are a bunch of old people! A quick phone call to the Cottage Life OďŹƒce of Empirical Studies conďŹ rmed my suspicions: Apparently, in a bid to fend o the Grim Reaper’s icy grip for just a few minutes longer, baby boomers are becoming increasingly proactive in the psychotic exercise department, even when they’re at the cottage. This makes sense now. But when I ďŹ rst heard customers at the Dwight Market earnestly discussing half-Tris and Ironman boot camp and hot yoga, I thought it was just harmless elder sexy talk. It seems I was wrong. ›› May 2014
cottagelife.com 33
IN LIKE ZIM { Continued from page 33 }
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It might seem like a good thing that baby boomers are blasting their quads till failure, but there is a problem here. In Canada, life expectancy a century ago was somewhere in the late fifties— early sixties if you were lucky. Today it’s 79 for males and 83 for females. And if you reach 65, you’ll likely make it into your mid-eighties. When you consider the massive demographic bulge represented by the boomers, this is terrible news. Because, in addition to controlling all the wealth and power in the world, mollycoddling a generation of listless children, and wearing too much Lululemon clothing, baby boomers are an unbearable burden on Canadian society. (Just ask anyone in generations X, Y, or Z.) Experts say this aging demographic has ruined the Canada Pension Plan and driven health-care costs through the roof. The latest studies even suggest a boomer-driven Alzheimer’s epidemic is on the way. Great. I knew there was a problem the first time I heard “cottage” and “gym” in the same sentence, but I failed to act. Today I have a plan that should trim some girth from the boomer bulge by encouraging them to embrace their heavenly rewards in a more timely fashion. The centrepiece of my plan is a governmentsponsored TV campaign called “PartiesInaction,” which urges boomers to be less vigorous. Episode 1: Want to spend more time with your grandkids? Then put on your fat pants, grab some Doritos, and hit the couch with Grand Theft Auto V. Episode 2: Frustrated by the “No power carts” rule at your golf club? Heart disease from an unhealthy but enjoyable lifestyle will get you a doctor’s note and a club-sanctioned golf cart. I think you get the idea. Unfortunately, a sedentary lifestyle on its own won’t be enough to stop the dangerous longevity of baby boomers, so they must be encouraged to make poor choices in other areas. I propose that persons over the age of 65 be afforded tax-exempt status for booze and tobacco products, and be given some sort of indexed credit for being overweight. The customary “seniors’ discount” will only apply to fast food that is deep fried. 34 cottagelife.com
May 2014
This kind of project is expensive, so revenue from corporate cross-promotion will be paramount. I am imagining this scenario in a TV spot. Exterior shot: A tasteful U-Bild-It cottage sits next to a sparkling lake. We see a Ford Focus in the driveway and a Weber grill on the deck, next to a big Onan generator. Interior shot: A plumpish boomer, wearing Roots pajamas and orange Crocs, is watching Downton Abbey on Netflix from his Craftmatic bed when the doorbell rings. He spits a wad of Copenhagen dipping tobacco into a Vileda bucket and drives his Rascal electric scooter to the door. It is a nurse from Global GeriHomecare Services, delivering smokedmeat sandwiches from Caplansky’s, poutine from McDonald’s, and a dozen tall cans of Budweiser. Pretty slick, eh? Just one vignette, but product-placement revenues will underwrite the whole campaign. More important, it shows boomers how they should be spending their time. Not working out. Not sourcing shade-grown, fair-trade rapini. Just rapidly expiring, and making room for younger and less burdensome cohorts. I thought my plan was perfect, but Pedro, as usual, was quick to perceive its flaws. “Boomers basically invented sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll, Zim. Your plan will be yesterday’s news.” He’s right, of course. Like pulling back on the stick before your plane crashes into a mountain, boomers are hitting the gym only after a lifetime of eating, drinking, smoking, snorting, and rogering anything they could get their hands on. Their bodies might be temples now but, back in the day, they were more like 24-hour amusement parks. “In fact,” he continued, “your vision for a lifestyle of hedonistic, taxpayer-funded selfabuse sounds more like a personal fantasy than a masterwork of social engineering.” It hurts me to say it, but I fear my friend is right again. I guess I don’t really want boomers to expire en masse—I’m just a little bit jealous of the position they’ve achieved. To paraphrase Al Pacino in his epic role as ruthless narco-villain (and baby boomer) Tony Montana in the movie Scarface: “You gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, you get to have all the fun.”a
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Cabin Pressure
Embracing wood Colin and Justin adapt their city style to country living
Nature is your friend
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANGUS ROWE MACPHERSON
Do as the forest does: mix colours and textures
By Colin McAllister & Justin Ryan
One glance at our Toronto condo explains all you need to know about our usual decorating style; it’s a temple of monochrome, marble, and glass, a downtown escape from our, erm, significantly downtown-centred life. It’s predominantly grey-scale; we used pops of zingy yellow for decorating punch. At a dizzying 39 floors up, it’s an ideal lair for two Scots with a serious Batman complex. City box ticked, we couldn’t be happier. Our hearts now beat with similar affection for the country. Aye, we quickly learned to love the great outdoors while reviving our flatlined cottage. And any similarities May 2014
If you’re going to have wood, make it good wood—something with a design story. Colin and Justin used a custombuilt barn door (above) in a darker tone than the walls. The door not only saves space, but its beauty stands out.
cottagelife.com 37
DATED WALLS
Before
Looking for more sophisticated cottage decor? Banish matchymatchy furniture sets in favour of a variety of wood types and tones. Choose a range of dark, mid-tone, and light woods to create a layered, contrasting look.
Choose horizontal boards to elongate your space 38 cottagelife.com
May 2014
between our urban “des res” and our cottage escape? Well, actually, yes. Our lakeside bolthole is structurally very different from our Toronto pad, but there’s a cohesive design integrity that connects both: a typically masculine aesthetic alongside a woody undercurrent, very Colin and Justin. We’ve grown to love lumber (the irony of having stripped dozens of Canuck basements of—admittedly faux—wood panelling isn’t lost on us), and the positively Jurassic-scaled logs make us smile every day. We’ve embraced wood and revelled in the challenge of combining many types and tones to make a thoroughly pleasing home.
To paint or not to paint For anyone hoping to create a brandnew look in a log-built or significantly wooden home, the burning question is: to paint or not to paint? Our best advice is—go ahead, but think twice, do once. Consider the mood, feel, and style you
hope to achieve, and then—and only then—make a painting decision. If you love the idea of a summery waterfront escape and have rooms that are clad in tongue-and-groove pine, here’s some simple guidance—sand it carefully with coarse paper to remove the majority of topcoat, followed by medium-grit paper to tempt a smooth, paintable finish. Next, brandish your brush and apply a coat or two of creamytoned eggshell. It really is that simple. This will help to open the space and bring light into even the gloomiest corner. For dramatic effect, leave doors, window frames, crossbeams, and supporting struts in natural wood to punctuate the painted finish. Brilliant white creates a crisp feel and is the ideal tone to marry with blue or grey for a nautical atmosphere. Fancy something a little less, erm, jaunty? No worries. Opt, instead, for paint with just a hint of colour to warm up your white. Staining also works well. Our cottage floorboards, for example, had become orange with age, so we sanded, then lavished them with semi-transparent wood stain in a grey tone to underpin our calming new look. Take it from us— the orange-pine look is so last century. Unless, that is, you want to live in a house that looks like a swingers’ paradise. Or a dodgy sauna from the ’70s.
Be inspired by the forest So, painting may not be for you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t experiment with different colours and tones of wood. Mother Nature mixes many trees in her
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WOOD THREE WAYS We punched out the connecting drywall between two small bedrooms to make a generous master suite. But what to do with all that mismatched wood?
PAINT WOOD
Paint the walls We used a light grey shade to help the ceilings appear higher and the room brighter. It’s a contemporary but still very cottagey look. Play up strengths The exposed timbers were in great condition and, with the orangey ceiling boards recoloured a soft grey, their
forest, so why be slavish to one genus or wood colour when it comes to home design? Mixing woods creates an individual and very personal look. On our main floor, for example, we have honeytoned logs, a new oak floor, a reclaimed pale hemlock dining table, and a vintage mahogany sideboard. Yup, all in very different tones. And the best news? They coexist perfectly, bringing, as they do, a truly casual aesthetic that’s laid-back and very cottagey.
Before
WHERE TO FIND IT p. 37 barn door, Rebarn; re-sawn pine, Muskoka Timber Mills; drum table, Sunpan; wood furniture, Urban Barn. p.40 door paint, Benjamin Moore (Iron Mountain 2134-30); ceiling and wall paint, Benjamin Moore (Revere Pewter HC-172); Ġoor stain, Behr (Pewter SC-131); Colin & Justin lamp and rug, HomeSense; window blind, Levolor; chaises, Ikea. 40 cottagelife.com
Use clever materials When it came to the basement, we bucked our own wood-embracing trend by ripping down the chevron orange pine, which was, let’s face it, last fashionable when Anne Murray was a slip of a girl. Applying 8" boards horizontally helped visually elongate the already generous 20' by 25' room and, coupled with the 9' ceiling height, it’s hard to believe this is actually a basement. (If your ceilings are low, hang May 2014
strength and shape stand out even further. The A-frame is now celebrated, rather than masked by drywall and orange wood. Define the details Painting the wood door frames and skirtings helped frame the newly stained grey floors and stopped everything from merging into one. Want to keep the wooden walls? Just paint the trim for an easy, modern update.
boards vertically and your room will feel taller.) In short, wood cladding is still a great way to add character and charm, as long as you forgo any predilection for chevron motifs! Our initial plan was to use Ontario barnboard—we love its silver-toned chunkiness—but prohibitive costs ($7 to $10 a linear foot) made it an unwise choice for Scots on a budget. A more affordable solution was re-sawn 8" pine. At around a buck per linear foot, it’s affordable and easy to stain. Ah, yes, stain. We’re definitely fans, but couldn’t find a product that fit our exacting needs for this space. Some were too dark, others didn’t let the grain show through, and some simply looked unnatural. And so, necessity being the mother of invention, we mixed our own using Nescafé instant coffee. Yes, coffee. All you need is a bucket, hot water, and a large jar of instant granules. Test first on a scrap of wood, and add more water (or coffee) to achieve the colour you desire. Apply with a large brush, and enjoy the affordable and environmentally friendly result. What are you waiting for? Go and put the kettle on!a To see more, tune in to Cabin Pressure on the Cottage Life channel, Tuesdays at 10 p.m.
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By Charles Wilkins Photography John Cullen
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HARDLY ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT THE PLACE. SOME PEOPLE THINK IT’S NOT EVEN PART OF CANADA. MAYBE
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“THE TROUT FISHING
I
t is not cottaging in the old sense so much as in the really old sense: a journey, a wilderness, an array of risks, an expectation of foraging and fishing. No power. No phones. No retailing or roads. No neighbours. Well, unless you include eagles and black bears and moose, plus whatever friends you might choose to take with you to the faraway “nation” of Nirivia, a kind of dreamland on the outer edge of St. Ignace Island in the heaving vastness of Lake Superior. It is entirely fitting that the story of one of Canada’s most spellbinding summer retreats should begin with an adventure. A boy. A boat. “An 11-footer from the Eaton’s catalogue and a little wee Evinrude from Chapples department store in Red Rock,” says Rusty Evans, who, in 1961, at the age of 13, was that boy. Evans grew up in Red Rock, Ont., some 90 km east of the Lakehead. His childhood ambition was to get out onto Nipigon Bay to explore islands so far to the south that even in broad daylight, they were little more than spectres emerging from the depths. There, Evans imagined (correctly) that the trout fishing would be as spectacular as the billion-year-old cliffs and the 400-year-old cedars that were rumoured to be out there. “No one I knew ever went that far!” he declares—until, on a July day, Evans 44 cottagelife.com
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himself filled the 2½-gallon gas tank in his tiny boat and set off on a 100 km round trip over some of the most treacherous waters on the planet. The miracle, as Evans sees it today, was not so much that he made it back (he had to stop for gas twice at fish camps along the way), but that the magnificent territory—the wind and waves and silences, the forest rising like Vesuvius from the shoreline—had remained utterly unpopulated during the 10,000 years since the retreating Wisconsin glacier carved out the planet’s largest and most eloquent body of fresh water.
F
ast-forward to a day in August 2013— to Armour Harbour on St. Ignace, one of Evans’ stops on that first fateful run. Evans, now 64, is sitting on the deck of a woodsy wilderness cottage—a “camp,” as such buildings are called around here—a place decidedly not in existence when he first laid eyes on these shores. Within chatting distance is a cast of fellow Nirivians that includes Jim Stevens and his wife, Karen Niemi-Stevens, who own the camp, friends Gregg Richard and Sharon Manitowabi, and Jim and Karen’s 23-year-old son, William, who, alone among those present, is upright and active, apparently assessing the likelihood of catching the “world-record speckled trout” that Evans insists is living in the shallows. William’s friend
IS SPECTACULAR”
Angling is a favourite pastime in Nirivia, especially for original Nirivian Rusty Evans, whose tackle box is shown here. The deeps of Lake Superior have an abundance of lake trout, rebounding now because of sea lamprey control measures. Other popular catches include rainbow trout and large speckled trout, called “coasters” by the locals. Lakes on St. Ignace Island teem with perch, bass, pickerel, and pike.
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46 cottagelife.com
Evans gazes into the waters of Nirivia, which can be “as clear as the Caribbean,� says Jim Stevens (above, with his son, William). Wildlife is varied and plentiful, with moose, wolves, black bears, and otters, but no porcupines, though visitors are rare (compare Isle Royale, the nearby US national park, which has about 20,000 visitors a year). May 2014
Alex Hudyma is lying sunny side up on one of the three boats moored at the dock, all-but-purring as she absorbs the fastfading rays of the sun. Behind the group, the steps and walkways are handsawn cedar; the deck railings are furry with moss. The smell of Evans’ culinary specialty, “pulled moose,” seeps from the cabin window. Along the shoreline, perhaps 100 metres to the west, is a newer camp, hidden by spruce so ancient that they may well have greeted the fur traders when they passed this way more than 200 years ago. To the east, around the point, sits a cluster of domed dwellings, cedarwood igloos, where the view is such that at an hour like this you can witness sunsets that Evans describes as “the equivalent of any in the known universe.” As a group, these are the summer homes of a coterie of northern irregulars, ecological fundamentalists whose Romulus was Rusty Evans, and who for nearly 40 years have constituted a cottage community as tightly knit as any in the country…and as blessed by the goodness of nature. The ultra-relaxed mode of the hour belies the fact that comfort and conven– ience are by no means taken for granted here on the islands. The 45 km ride out from Red Rock aboard Jim’s aluminumhulled Raptor—a boat as black and stealthy as its name might suggest—can take two hours, less time than it takes for a more conventional cottager to make the drive from, say, Toronto to Haliburton. A run of four-metre waves in dense fog can, by comparison, make the traffic on Hwy. 400 seem positively inviting. “If you get socked in out here,” says Karen, “you’re pretty much out here until
nature allows you to go home.” By which time you might well be fishing or pulling lily-pad roots for your dinner. You will at the very least have run out of the volumes of fresh meat and vegetables—and noodles and baking and drinks—that Karen and Jim routinely pack into coolers for even a stay of two days.
While the beginnings of the commun–
ity at Armour Harbour date to that early boyhood run by Rusty Evans, Nirivian nationhood and the bond among Nirivians did not emerge until 15 years later, born out of what some have described as a “haze of Irish whisky,” among Nipigon friends, around a late-night campfire, under a cascade of stars, at nearby Burnt Point. Again, Rusty Evans was there—and he recounts now that as the conversation meandered that night, it settled eventually on “a land claim that had recently been filed by Native bands connected to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.” The claim took in several hundred kilometres of Lake Superior’s north shore but, mysteriously, did not include any of the islands along that legendary coast. “It’s kinda international waters out here,” submits Evans, glancing up to see if anyone is buying his reinterpretation of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which clearly defines the border. “I said to these guys: ‘Hey, if these islands aren’t in the claim, the Natives probably never ceded them to Canada in the first place— and obviously don’t want them now.’ I said, ‘We oughta just swipe them from the government—declare our own country!’ ” Which, in the giddiness of the moment, is exactly what Evans and his buddies did. ›› May 2014
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Weather can be sunny in Nirivia (opposite, with Gregg Richard on the beach), but fog can take hold for days, which makes a GPS a necessity when boating. Visitors are advised not to schedule anything important for the day after their expected return to the mainland, in case they are stranded. Blueberries supplement the food brought over, and lingonberries, known as “mountain cranberries,� are also common.
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“NIRIVIA IS FOREMOST In a slurred attempt to suggest “Nirvana” as a name for the fledgling republic (at that point perhaps 90 seconds old), Evans came out with “Nirivia”—which to this day is the euphonious dub used to designate the 49 islands and vast expanse of water that spill south out of Nipigon Bay into the broader glory that is the inland sea. The largest of those islands, St. Ignace, covers 275 sq. km, while the smallest islands would fit comfortably into the average living room. Accounts of the early history of the territory vary. In Rusty Evans’ retelling, a Toronto Star reporter heard about the bold secession and immediately filed a story, which was picked up by the international news agency AP. “Suddenly we were getting calls from all over the world,” says Evans, cackling. “Were we serious? Had we really seceded? Would we defend Nirivia if necessary?” As it turned out, they would—but not as a political entity or a state. “Nirivia is foremost a state of mind,” says Jim Stevens, who, based on his talents as a writer, was given quick citizenship and responsibility for the newborn country’s public relations. By his own assessment, Jim has always been keen to defend Nirivia as one of the world’s most beautiful and vulnerable ecological expanses. “We claimed it not for ourselves but for the good of the planet,” he says. They recruited like-minded citizens, one of whom, the late Dave Kruszewski, owned a wooden boat big enough to handle the waters between Red Rock and Armour Harbour, a boat hastily rechristened “Nirivian Queen.” A flag was designed, an anthem written, a national bird and flower named 50 cottagelife.com
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(the blue heron and the lady’s slipper). “You gotta remember, it was the ’70s,” says Evans. “We were at play!” The national currency, according to Jim, has always been friendship. Meanwhile, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources made it clear that, except for a few industrial patents that had been issued to quarrying companies during the early 20th century, the islands belonged to the Crown, thank you very much. “The question,” says Jim, “was whether they’d allow us to promote a bunch of Crown islands—this remote, enchanted place—as a model of what the earth at its best can be. “We thought that by bringing people out here, we’d raise awareness not just of this astonishing place but of the importance of environmental preservation everywhere.” The assumption was that Nirivia’s isolation made it vulnerable. The more people who knew and cared about it, the greater the protest would be if resource industries arrived and started cutting forests again, as they had a hundred years ago on St. Ignace Island, or began mining or quarrying, as they’d intended to do through the patents that had been issued. Through a series of disputes and complex manoeuvres, the Nirivians were eventually able to secure a land-use permit to erect structures at Armour Harbour and a permit to bring aspiring Nirivians to those structures for weekend or week-long stays. In keeping with the international ambitions of the new State of Mind, the first solid buildings, the domes, were put together with fastening hubs manufactured in the US. { Continued on page 112 }
A STATE OF MIND�
May 2014
Alex Hudyma washes fruit in Armour Harbour on St. Ignace. Visitors to Nirivia, only a few every year, come for the solitude and stay in the three geodesic domes (for sleeping, eating, and sweating) that sit above the beach. In this land made out of whole cloth, quirkiness is everywhere: One of the domes sports a Nirivian Embassy sign, identical to the one on the main cabin across the bay (see p. 49).
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BUGS SUCK!
And the black flies—the little black flies, Always the black fly, no matter where you go, I’ll die with the black fly a-pickin’ my bones In north Ontar-i-o-i-o, In north Ontari-o “The BlackĠy Song” by Wade Hemsworth (1949)
Groceries stowed, kids in bed, you take a moment on the deck to enjoy a spectacular sunset. But…nearby, a female mosquito has detected your breath. And she’s not the only one. The bloodthirsty gang follows your carbon dioxide emissions to their source, forcing you to retreat inside with several itchy puncture wounds. We may go to the cottage to seek out wildlife, but while we’re there, some wildlife seeks us out. All of us have been victims of mosquitoes, blackflies, biting midges, stable flies, deer flies, or horseflies—the well-named “biting flies”— and perhaps even those bloodsucking hitchhikers, ticks. To arm you for battle: the dope on the bugs we love to hate.
By Dan Schneider Photography Daniel Ehrenworth Illustration Ohara Hale
What bugs us Pain comes from the bite. Mosquitoes delicately saw into our skin and fastidiously suck blood through a straw-like mouthpart. Blackflies and biting midges snip our skin, which hurts urts more; stable flies stab their way in; and nd the champions of pain, deer and horseflies, macerate and cut with fearsome, weapon-like mouthparts. The lasting itch comes from saliva, which contains an anticoagulant to keep blood flowing. Mosquitos inject it, and others slather it on the wound. Your immune system quickly attacks this foreign substance, raising an itchy bump. Ticks, as stealth artists, take the assault one step { Text continued on page 116 } May 2014
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1
The Rogues’ Gallery 2
[1] Blackflies A CLOSER LOOK Blackflies are compact, less
than half the length of most mosquitoes, and have a hump-backed profile.
[4] Mosquitoes A CLOSER LOOK Mosquitoes are delicate,
spring and last through June. Main biting times are early in the morning and late in the afternoon, peaking towards sunset. AVOID THE BITE DEET repellents work but won’t keep them from swarming around your head. A screened bug hat is ideal (any hat helps). A steady breeze, even a slight one, deters these poor flyers. AMAZING FACT Numbers of blackfly larvae
in streams can be staggering, up to 100,000 per square metre at lake outlets.
[2] Stable flies A CLOSER LOOK If you are bitten by what
seems to be a housefly, likely at the ankles, you’ve met a stable fly. To kill one of these frustrating masters of agility, you have to swat hard enough to hurt yourself. ACTION TIME Stable flies peak during the
warmest part of summer. They like the bright light and heat of midday. AVOID THE BITE These pests are only some-
what deterred by DEET repellents. Covering bare feet and legs helps, though these biters can pierce thin clothing. They breed in manure piles on farms, but also along beaches in wet, rotting vegetation. AMAZING FACT They are blamed for nearly
$1 billion in overall annual economic loss to North American livestock producers; a density of one fly per cow can drop milk output. 54 cottagelife.com
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[3] Deer flies and horseflies A CLOSER LOOK If a fly bites you, and you say
with a long, slender abdomen and tube-like mouthparts for sipping nectar or, if they are female, blood. Our first alert may be a whining, dentist’s-drill-like sound, made by the wings of both sexes, beating from 300 to 800 times per second. Males are drawn in by the sound as they search for a mate. ACTION TIME They are out from mid-spring
to autumn frost, peaking in late spring; most are active around dawn and dusk.
“Ouch!” loud enough to be heard across a small lake, chances are it’s a deer fly or a horsefly. Deer flies are just larger than houseflies and have patterned wings. Horseflies are bigger, up to three centimetres long, and they usually have clear or uniformly coloured wings. After a swatting victory, it’s worth looking into your hunter’s beautiful eyes. Deer fly eyes are often iridescent red and green, while horsefly eyes may be striped with bright green.
AVOID THE BITE DEET-based repellents work; citronella-containing liquids work for short periods. A steady breeze (more than 15 km/h) keeps them away, so fans do help. Reducing non-natural breeding habitat around the cottage is wise, especially to avoid West Nile virus; flip pails and other containers so they don’t collect rainwater, and clear plugged eavestroughs.
ACTION TIME Early summer is peak time, and
AMAZING FACT Malaria transmission makes
the majority of species are most active a few hours after sunrise and before sunset.
mosquitoes, after humans, the most dangerous animals on earth, killing about 600,000 people a year. A temperate type of malaria once existed in Canada, mostly in southern Ontario and Quebec. With window glass and screens, the use of quinine, and the draining of marshes (prime habitat for the mosquito genus that carries malaria— Anopheles) for agriculture, malaria was eliminated from most of North America around 1900. Now, our only cases are travellers returning from hot zones, but transmitting mosquitoes still exist in Canada, so outbreaks could occur again.
AVOID THE BITE DEET repellents give minimal protection. Since deer flies often bite the head area, wear a hat and cover your neck. Fortunately, they won’t bite inside a tent or a building. Unfortunately, both deer flies and horseflies have a particular love for windsurfers and swimmers. AMAZING FACT The huge compound eyes of a horsefly may contain 10,000 photoreceptor units, or simple eyes, which gives them superior vision.
“THE BLACKFLY SONG” BY WADE HEMSWORTH. COPYRIGHT © BY SOUTHERN MUSIC PUBLISHING CO. CANADA LTD. USED BY PERMISSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ACTION TIME They usually emerge in mid-
3
[5] Ticks 6 4
A CLOSER LOOK Ticks resemble flattened, min-
iature crabs. You are most likely to find one when it is attached to your body or clothing (or dog). Adults have eight legs; they’re arachnids, not insects. ACTION TIME Ticks may hitchhike at any time —day or night. The time of year varies by species; American dog tick adults are more plentiful from spring to early summer, and adult blacklegged, or deer, ticks (the ones that transmit Lyme disease) peak in the fall. In the west, you’ll encounter the western blacklegged tick in areas of southern and coastal BC, and you’ll find the Rocky Mountain wood tick adult from March to June. AVOID THE BITE Stick to trails and more open
5
areas and tuck in clothing. Strong, DEETbased repellent can be sprayed on pants, socks, and shoes. Check your clothing and body daily. Remove ticks by seizing the head as close to your skin as possible with blunt tweezers and pulling. Removed early, there is little chance that ticks will transmit disease, but you should wash and disinfect the area of the bite. If the tick is removed after more than 24 hours, save it and note the date and location, says Robbin Lindsay of the Public Health Agency of Canada; if you develop symptoms in the next one to two weeks (look for a rash—bull’s eye or otherwise), see your doctor, taking the tick for identification. Systemic symptoms—including multiple rashes, a low-grade fever, neck stiffness, fatigue, and severe headaches—can appear two to six weeks after a bite from an infected tick, even if no rash developed earlier on. AMAZING FACT After a full blood meal, a tick
may be 30 to 60 times its starting size.
[6] Biting midges A CLOSER LOOK If an insect bites you and
you can’t see it, it’s likely a tiny biting midge (often called a “no-see-um”). Biting midges are usually barely more than a millimetre in length, but similar to the blackfly in shape. ACTION TIME Mostly around dawn and dusk,
especially in mid- to late summer. Bugs shown are not to scale (thank goodness).
AVOID THE BITE DEET-based repellents work.
Windy conditions will reduce bites from these weak flyers.
For true believers of the tiny house 56 cottagelife.com
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By Michael Morden Photography Paul Orenstein
NO SMALL S AC R I F I C E movement, less space brings more happiness May 2014
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T
he rain is on pause, but cannon booms across the lake suggest that the storm hasn’t travelled far. This is the wettest day of the summer so far—the dramatic, longanticipated finale to a week of oppressive July humidity. It’s the kind of day when shelter itself feels uniquely pleasurable. The Wania cottage stands on a hillside blanketed in trillium plants, looking over Lake Vernon, near Huntsville, Ont. Wide sliding glass doors that dominate the face of the cottage create an exaggerated sense of precariousness but, in the midst of the storm’s onslaught, the building feels safe, solid, and comforting—despite, or maybe because of, its small size. Against the wild weather, the little plywood-clad modernist cottage is like a cocoon, and so the whole family naturally congregates in the central room to watch the storm’s progression. Just one more reason, the Wania family will tell you, why small is beautiful.
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We’ve all heard the complaint: Cottages are getting so big. And not just cottages themselves, but boathouses, guesthouses, even outhouses. They all creep steadily outward, gaining square footage by the yard. Whatever happened to the little cabin by the lake? The answer, critics will tell you, is that it was knocked down and replaced with something bigger. But that trend may be changing, as a growing number of cottagers rediscover small. Xerxes and Charis Wania and their two teenaged sons, Zain and Cyrus, live in a not-so-tiny 4,500 sq. ft. home in
The Wanias’ main room is kitchen, dining, and living area, a space-saving arrangement. “Cottagers often eat outside,” says architect Graham Smith. “They don’t need large dining rooms.” Open-concept rooms minimize the need for halls, which eat up Ġoor area; small, movable furniture pieces maximize Ġexibility. Smith likes a screened porch (left) for the bug-free air Ġow it adds to a cottage. The split-tread ladder (below) can become a bookshelf when it’s not needed for access to the compact sleeping loft.
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BUILDING CODES, TINY HOUSERS 60 cottagelife.com
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SAY, HINDER INNOVATION
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The prefab cottage arrived on site in two long, narrow sections; the “marriage line” discretely bisects the side wall (above). Each section has an integral steel frame, ğtted with three axles, so the cabin could be towed—at highway speed—from factory to lake, then barged to the island and towed up the hill, before the axles and wheels were removed. Most prefabs, notes Graham Smith, need to be transported on Ġatbed trucks and then lifted by crane into position, making them impractical for island builds.
the Toronto area. When they got serious about acquiring a cottage, however, they wanted something different and simpler, a place that was both low maintenance and environmentally friendly. “We got so comfortable in a big space at home,” says Xerxes. “I was uncomfortable because we were so comfortable.” The Wanias aren’t the only ones. Out of the wreckage of the US real estate collapse has emerged a small but growing cadre of people who celebrate living in tiny spaces. The tiny house movement gathered strength where the housing market was hardest hit, but its philosophy and appeal have spread north.
Every movement has its guru. For tiny housers, this is Jay Shafer. In the late ’90s, Shafer started experimenting with small-space living in Iowa City, and he eventually set to work building tiny homes of his own design. He quickly encountered a massive stumbling block: building codes that established minimum size requirements to prevent substandard housing (but also, as Shafer points out, to protect municipal property tax revenues). He needed an end-around, and he found one. He built his tiny home on top of a trailer, instantly rendering it a simple “load on a flatbed” in the eyes of the law and therefore exempt from code restrictions. After receiving recognition for his eco-friendly and beautiful designs, Shafer began marketing his homes and plans. The buildings range from 98 to 380 sq. ft., complete with tiny kitchens and bathrooms. His architectural style is elegant and traditional, with dramatic sweeping gables and minuscule front May 2014
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At 12 feet wide, the wheeled sections of the building needed only a narrow roadbed built from the shore, and the cottage needed only two weeks of construction to be livable— leaving the whole summer free for Xerxes Wania to ğsh.
porches—“like American Gothic meets the Winnebago Vectra,” says Shafer. His designs have earned him friends and followers across the continent, even that great curator of the zeitgeist Oprah Winfrey, who invited him on her show to give a tour of the 98 sq. ft. home he lived in at the time. Shafer’s design philosophy revolves around a unifying principle. “Human beings are drawn to efficient things, and to simplicity,” he says. “Not just efficiency, but houses efficiently working towards a higher quality of life.” The tiny home appeal is both aesthetic and practical, and the two principles go together. “Tiny homes are really cute, but they’re not cute for cute’s sake. That’s just what you get when you’re building things to a human scale.” Tiny housers share an outlaw mentality. They see the building code as well meaning, but a hindrance to innovation. Most municipalities have building size minimums; in parts of cottage 64 cottagelife.com
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country they start at 1,000 sq. ft. Strict prohibitions often prevent any construction taking place before the principal residence is done. Andy Thomson, an intern architect based in Pembroke, Ont., and a leading Canadian champion for the movement, has chafed against these rules since at least 1996, the year he spent living in a tent in Toronto as part of his undergraduate thesis. Like Shafer, he arrived at the conclusion that he needed to escape the building code universe in order to realize his brand of tiny-scale “ecotecture.” He also arrived at the same solution: Put wheels on it, call it a trailer. { Continued on page 113 }
N
Lake 2
3
UP
1
Main Ġoor
3
5
6
Loft
7
9 DN
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY ALTIUS RSA
4
8
1 Screened porch 2 Living 3 Bedrooms 4 Kitchen 5 Dining 6 Bathroom 7 Sleeping loft 8 Utility space 9 Open to below
715 SQ. FT. INTERIOR + 95 SQ. FT. LOFT + 145 SQ. FT. PORCH = 955 SQ. FT.
HOW TO GRILL RADICCHIO Slice a radicchio head into 6–8 wedges. Drizzle with some olive oil; set aside for 30 minutes. Sear wedges on the grill, turning until lightly browned on all sides. Remove from heat and spread leaves gently. Season with salt and pepper, and toss with chopped flat-leaf parsley, balsamic vinegar, and a few oil-cured black olives. Garnish with slivers of Parmesan or Asiago cheese. This method also suits Belgian endive halves. Another serving option: Cut grilled radicchio (or endive) into bite-sized pieces, and add to cooked white beans or risotto.
Does the weekend leave you with half a package of spinach Swiss chard because you’re not sure how to use them? Any leafy
Cottage Feast
GREENS REVOLUTION Photography Edward Pond
or arugula, left over from last night’s salad? Do you avoid kale and green, even lettuce, can be delicious when cooked. Here’s how >> May 2014
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JOY OF NO COOKING When I stock my cupboards for the season, I think about junkies. And, no, they’re not what you’re thinking.
>> WAYS TO
COOK STURDY GREENS… (radicchio, mustard greens, kale, turnip greens, collards)
Grill Trim off any tough stalks. Toss leaves in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat for about 4 minutes, or until crisp and browned at edges, turning halfway through. Drizzle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Best for Thick leaves or tight heads.
Pan-Braise Trim off any tough stalks. Tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet, heat 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) oil over medium high. Add sliced garlic and chopped onion or shallot. If you like, add sliced pancetta 68 cottagelife.com
or chorizo. Sauté 3–4 minutes. Toss greens in the oil, then add ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable stock. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender. Best for Tough customers, such as collards.
TENDER GREENS… (spinach, chard, arugula, dandelion)
Pan-Steam Set a large skillet over medium high. Add greens with a little rinsing water clinging to the leaves. Using tongs, turn often until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Cook in batches, if needed, (reheat greens in the skillet). Season to taste. Best for Cooking greens without adding fat (or calories).
May 2014
Sauté In a large skillet, heat 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) oil over medium high. Cook sliced garlic and chopped onion or shallot for 3–4 minutes, until softened. With tongs, toss greens in the oil until wilted. Cook in batches, if needed (reheat greens in the skillet). Season with salt and pepper, a pinch of spice (such as cumin or hot paprika), and red wine vinegar. Best for Slightly bitter greens, such as young dandelion.
AND ANY GREENS! Steam Place greens in a basket set in a pot with about an inch of boiling water. Cover and steam until tender. Season to taste. Best for Delicate greens.
GREEK (shown here with chard) Sauté as at left, adding a pinch of hot chili flakes and sliced, pitted kalamata olives to garlic and onion. Top with pine nuts. PROVENÇAL Sauté
as at left, adding sliced button mushrooms to garlic and shallots. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh flatleaf parsley.
Blanch Add greens to a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water. Cook until just wilted and tender. Young spinach or chard leaves need almost no time; kale may take 10–12 minutes. Drain well. Stir in some butter, olive oil, cream, or yogurt, and season to taste. Best for Cooking large quantities. —Jane Rodmell
Years later, my version of Mom’s junkies ditches the mayo, subs Italian olive-oil-packed tuna for her grocery store brand, and adds anchovytopped hard-boiled eggs, cannellini beans, and olives to the plate—for a jury-rigged niçoise salad. The components will be in my pantry all season; you never know when the urge for junkies will strike. —Ann Vanderhoof
FOOD STYLING: RUTH GANGBAR. PROP STYLING: LAURA BRANSON
TENDER GREENS IN TWO STYLES
“Junkies” was coined by Aunt Gerry, my mom’s older sister, when I was a kid. It meant a cold dinner thrown together from what was on hand, when it was too hot for shopping or serious cooking. I loved junkies night. It was escapist, even illicit, a break from routine…and cleanup. In the junkies of my childhood, paper plates were de rigueur, as were tuna salad (always with Hellmann’s) and hard-boiled eggs.
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Nearer-than-ever beer And the Comeback of the Year Award goes to…non-alcoholic beer. Last popular during Prohibition, near-beer has spent 80-odd years as a punchline in bar banter. Those days are over. Near-beer is the fastest-growing niche in the global beer market, and new “non-alcoholic” (less than 0.5 per cent) offerings have a surprisingly rich depth of flavour and character. Perfect timing for cottagers who want to crack a cold one but don’t want the day to waste away.—Christine Sismondo
Finding German, Dutch, and Portuguese imports used to mean searching small Euro-grocery stores. Fortunately, PremiumNearBeer.com now delivers by the caseload. They’ll even mix it up for you with custom variety packs.
KROMBACHER PILS Not only does this German import look like a beer, smell like a beer, and taste like a beer—but it actually tastes like a really good beer. Reminiscent of a light lager, like Löwenbräu, Krombacher is seriously refreshing, with a snappy flavour and a sweet, yet clean finish. Bonus: It also comes in shandy form, the Krombacher Radler. SUPER BOCK PILSENER In southern Europe, near-beer is wildly popular, especially at lunch, where it’s almost as common as sparkling water and suffers none of the stigma it does here. Now that we’ve tried Super Bock Pilsener, we know why. This Portuguese cerveja is a balance of sweet malt and proper hoppy bitterness with a hint of springy citrus. PC RED BREW For grocery store nonalcoholic beers, sweet and fizzy President’s Choice Red Brew gets the nod over the other mainstream options. Call it “Memories of Beer.” The reverie starts out well, with a frothy, promising head and a malty aroma, although it does fade away a little too quickly.—C.S.
NOT-HOT ROD Frost up the Chillsner rod in the freezer, then slip it into a bottle to keep your barley pops cold for up to 45 minutes. $30; corkcicle.com 70 cottagelife.com
May 2014
HAT TRICK Pop a Beer Savers silicone cap onto your open bottle to prevent spills and preserve the foamy goodness. $7 for a six-pack; beersavers.com—Ryan Stuart
“Buttery-delicious, yet lower in saturated fat. We can bearly believe it.” – The Salmon Experts Becel® Buttery Taste provides the delicious richness of butter but with 80% less saturated fat, to make a sauce that makes the salmon.
Becel® Maple Mustard Salmon 4 ¼ cup ¼ cup 4 tsp 1 tsp
¼ lb Salmon fillets Becel® Buttery Taste margarine, melted Pure maple syrup Dijon mustard Low sodium soy sauce
Place salmon in an 8" x 8" baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together, pour over salmon, then bake at 425°F for about 12 minutes or until salmon flakes with a fork. Serve hot with extra sauce spooned on top.
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STAY OUTSIDE THIS SEASON According to some excellent research by The Burger Lab at Serious Eats! (seriouseats.com), salt inside a patty dissolves proteins and allows them to cross-link with one another (i.e., it makes the meat stickier). When cooked, these burgers are denser and have the bouncy texture of a sausage. Burgers that are salted only on the surface stay looser and more tender. Feel free to mix in herbs and spices, but only apply salt to the outside of your patties.
GRILL GENIUS
5-6oz I once made a 16 oz hamburger. Terrible mistake; it tasted like meatloaf. A perfect burger balances chargrilled surface and juicy interior, so aim for uncooked patties that weigh anywhere from 4–8 oz. For my money, 5–6 oz is the sweet spot.
The burgers, sir, could be better Many cottagers are proud to make their own hamburger patties, sometimes using old family recipes. But there is an elephant in the room. And she says burgers could be better. • Ground beef will happily stick to G itself without eggs to act as a binder. Egg whites are mostly protein, and when you mix them into your patties, your cooked burgers will be stiff and tough (like hard-boiled eggs). • Besides overpowering the meat’s Be flavour, runny sauces mixed into patties 72 cottagelife.com
May 2014
make them fall apart, hence that egg binder. The added moisture also impedes browning. Sugary sauces, so common in meatloaf, can burn in a burger. And most every sauce will add salt to the inside of the patties (see “Stay Outside This Season,” above). • Bread crumbs do not act as a binder Br so much as a sponge, absorbing and retaining fat and moisture. They can help soak up the wet stuff in a meatloaf, but you don’t need crumbs in a normal burger. That said, adding bread crumbs (or finely
chopped onion) to super-lean beef or poultry mixes will help them stay moist. • Meatloaf doesn’t care much if it gets M overcooked, but burgers truly do. At an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), a ground-beef patty is sterilized of pathogens in a few seconds. You can’t judge the temperature of meat by its colour— a burger that’s grey or brown inside may be undercooked, while one that’s still pink may be perfectly safe. Buy a good thermometer and don’t cook your burgers past 165°F (74°C).—David Zimmer
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Easy curry powder In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 1 tbsp (15 ml) each of these seeds: cumin, coriander, mustard, and fennel. With a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind with 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground turmeric (or store-bought curry powder). Stir in !/2–2 tsp (2–10 ml) cayenne—that range runs from milquetoast mild to fiery hot.
1 ] BUILD A BASE For four servings or so, mix 3 tbsp (45 ml) mild curry powder with water to make a paste. In a large frying pan on medium heat, soften a chopped onion in a little oil. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh ginger, and the curry paste. Cook until fragrant.
2 ] CHICKEN IN Add about 1 !/2 lbs (750 g) boneless chicken thighs, halved. (Other parts or leftovers are fine.) Cover with liquid (chicken stock, canned tomatoes, or water) and simmer.
3 ] WITH THE VEG Cut up about 1 lb (500 g) of vegetables. Cauliflower, potatoes, okra, spinach, and chickpeas are Indian faves, but what’s in your fridge will work. The chicken will cook in about 15 minutes; time the vegetable addition so they are done together. (You can give potatoes, for example, a head start on the chicken.) If you like, add a little chopped fruit, such as apple, banana, or mango, near the end of the cooking time.
4 ] ENRICH SAUCE If the meat’s almost done but the curry is too watery, spoon some liquid into a saucepan, and reduce over high heat. Return reduction to the curry. Add some cream, yogurt, coconut milk, or ground nuts. Keep the heat very low.
5 ] SEASON & SERVE
5 steps to enlightened curry With some curry powder and chicken, you can improvise an easy, soul-satisfying dinner. One of my favourite five-step curries uses chicken, chicken stock, okra, and green peas, with coconut milk and red chiles, but be brave and use whatever you like.—Martin Zibauer
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Salt, pepper and, if you have it, garam masala to taste. Add fresh coriander leaves, green onion, nuts, chiles, or something else overtop. Serve over rice.
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BRAIN FOOD
WHAT DOES “ADJUST SEASONING” MEAN? In the most basic sense, it means tasting the dish and adding salt and pepper if you think the food needs it. But, of course, “it really depends on what’s in the recipe,” says chef Jo Lusted, co-host of the Cottage Life channel’s Compete to Eat. The phrase can also mean adding more herbs and spices, or using ingredients to enhance or temper flavours. For example, you could add sugar or honey to something that tastes too acidic; citrus or vinegar to reduce saltiness; or salt to temper bitter flavours. Add hot sauce…if you like hot sauce. “I season as I go,” says Lusted, “always building layers of flavour.” So go ahead, adjust the seasoning! “It comes with a little bit of practice. The key is to not try your experiments on your friends.” Well, unless they’re really hungry.
Your pantry needs you This trio of buzz-worthy supermarket products is an easy way to add new wow to cottage standbys. Just dollop, dash, or squirt and wait for the compliments. —Ann Vanderhoof
SIR KENSINGTON’S KETCHUP You’ll need a spoon, not a squeeze bottle, for this thick, rich alternative to the status quo. It delivers a big hit of tomato flavour, with a tangy backstory, thanks to lime and less sugar. (Sir K’s uses organic raw sugar, not corn syrup.) Both the “Classic” version and the “Spiced”— which has a surprisingly strong kick— make basic burgers even better, and they can anchor a dynamite, quick barbecue baste for chicken.
Got a burning question? E-mail cottagefeast@cottagelife.com with your food or cooking queries.
—Jackie Davis
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HUY FONG SRIRACHA SAUCE (“ROOSTER SAUCE”) Hot chile sauces are a dime a dozen, so why all the fuss about this one? Sriracha (pronounced “see-rah-chah”) is more than just hot: It’s also garlicky, sweet, and salty—an addictive combo— with more body than Tabasco and its kin. Fans swear a hefty squirt improves any dish. I like to spike mayo with it to make a dipping sauce for fried shrimp or chicken fingers, a topping for grilled-steak sandwiches, or jazzedup devilled eggs.
ANGOSTURA AROMATIC BITTERS The cocktail ingredient of the moment is also a terrific cook’s helper and a kitchen staple in Trinidad, where it’s made. An infusion of aromatic herbs, Angostura Bitters enhance other flavours while adding a mysterious “something” of their own. Almost every drink— including lemonade—deserves a dash or two, but also try them in marinades and rubs, sweet breads, and cake batters. (Angostura’s new orange bitters add a lovely citrusy note to baking.) A few shakes do something amazing to plain vanilla ice cream.
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BEND & NOT BREAK
LIAM MOGAN
It flexes, resists frost, and is plumb easy. Why plastic tubing is elbowing out copper. >>
May 2014
cottagelife.com 79
Workshop
STUFF WE LIKE
It takes skill to get water flowing when you want it— and not flowing when you don’t. Traditional copper supply pipe has many advantages, but if there’s a plumbing project on your to-do list, consider PEX tubing. Flex your PEX Cross-linked polyethylene tubing, better known as PEX, is sold in rolls rather than individual lengths. It’s flexible and is engineered to have “memory,” so it returns to its original shape when stretched. PEX’s memory and high bursting strength make it resistant to splitting should water freeze inside. Of course, flexibility also makes it relatively easy to fish the tubing through
walls or joist cavities. Another advantage with PEX is that, in humid weather, water vapour is less able to condense on it than on metal pipes. Compared to copper, PEX tubing is also typically cheaper, although you won’t save as much if your installation requires a lot of fittings (elbows, tees, valves, etc.). Pain-free joints It’s easy to use and install PEX. You can cut it reasonably well with a utility knife, but a hand-held plastictubing cutter is cheap and makes
Test each joint with a “go/no-go” gauge, which comes with most crimping tools. The common style of gauge shown here has U-shaped slots for !/2" and 3/4" joints. If a crimp ring won’t ğt into its slot or slides too far, you must redo the joint (that’s a no-go); if the ring slides to the correct depth, your joint is leak free (that’s a go!).
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perfect cuts in an instant. For the torch-challenged, soldering is drastically reduced, if not completely eliminated. The easiest and most common way to join PEX to fittings is with crimp-on metal rings. The rings are compressed with a special crimping tool (see p. 5), which you can buy or rent, to make a watertight seal between PEX and a barbed brass or copper fitting. Slip a ring over the tubing, push both over the fitting, and crimp. —Michel Roy
“Home-run” set-ups— where lines run to each ğxture from a central manifold—require few elbows or tees.
Your long-neglected deck is aging well, you tell yourself. Its deeply weathered surface— “patina”—is charming and rustic. Who are you kidding? The deck looks terrible. Replacing the boards is a good option, but if you’d like to put that off for a few more years, Behr’s DeckOver coating can hide a lot of sins. The two-coat, acrylic-resin product goes on—using a brush, then a roller for the best coverage—like a thick, flexible paint. It comes in 54 colours, has enough body to fill small cracks and holes, and dries with a slightly textured, slipresistant finish. $45 for 3.4 L at Home Depot. —Martin Zibauer
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SATURDAY PROJECT
Hunting for keys? The design for this key rack is inspired by the kitschy decor of old cottages. You know the style: tattered felt pennants, faded photos of ’40s-era regattas and, invariably, an antler mount. I was keen to bring this campy style to my cottage so, with no actual antlers to mount, I built my own.
Back Top
Enlarge the template at right, shown one-quarter scale, or download the full-size version from cottagelife.com/antler. Use spray adhesive to attach the template to !/4" Baltic birch plywood. Cut out the antlers with a jig saw or a coping saw, and peel off the template. The base is just a 4!/2" length of 1x3 pine with the ends cut at 45°. Cut these angles with a fine-toothed handsaw and a mitre box. Sand the parts with 150-grit sandpaper to smooth the edges and remove any stray template pieces. All you need to attach the plywood antlers to the base is yellow carpenter’s glue. While the glue sets up, hold the antlers in place with green painter’s tape, which won’t leave any sticky residue on the wood. The corner of each antler should protrude beyond the back of the base; they will hide the sawtooth hanger that mounts your trophy.—Paul Lewis 1 square = !/2 inch
No-work ğnish You can finish your key rack any way you’d like or, as I did, just leave it bare.
PHOTO: LIAM MOGAN. ILLUSTRATION: JACQUES PERRAULT
ROOM FOR KEYS, A PET’S LEASH, & EVEN YOUR HAT
PICK UP OUR
FROM THE T EXPERTS A E COTTAG LIFE
GUIDE TO COTTAGE REAL ESTATE IN CANADA SP
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TS HOT SPO ACROSSA D A CAN
INSIDER TIPS
FIND A BARGAIN • BUYING TO BUILD COTTAGE REAL ESTATE SECRETS KIM WERESTIUK Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba
My
EAT GRBUY
Did you spend a long time looking? Buying a cabin wasn’t a conscious decision so much as it fell into our laps. One day we were out for ice cream and my husband, Pat, suggested we check out a nearby rundown cabin for fun. He’s a real estate agent and had done an appraisal on it— and he had zero interest in buying it. How bad was it? The cottage dates back to 1914 and was part of a youth camp, but when we looked at it, squirrels were living in the walls and storing acorns there. It was so terrible, the kids’ eyes were bulging. But I had a vision. I could totally see it redone. And I knew we would have help from my father and our friends.
KNOW YOUR BOUNDARIES As the demand for property surveys escalates in cottage country, scenarios where a neighbouring cottage (or a shed or a bunkie, say) is found to be encroaching on a property will become increasingly common. Realtors may be able to show cottage purchasers the corner stakes of the property, but they won’t have any idea if they’re accurately located unless there’s a survey. Stakes get pulled up by kids, or disturbed by construction, or even sometimes moved willfully by a neighbouring cottager. A survey, which costs between $1,200 and $1,500, clearly delineates a property’s boundaries, along with the main construction occupying space there (cottage, garage, boathouse, docks, storage buildings, outhouse, driveway, septic system, well, as well as power, cable, and phone lines). It also indicates the placement of buildings on abutting properties if they are close to, or encroaching on, the property line, and where the waterfront border is. A lawyer needs an accurate survey to determine if the cottage meets the setback requirements in the municipality’s or township’s zoning bylaw. Often, people
build cottages that are improperly situated, not realizing laws like those that govern building setbacks in the city are also in place in cottage-country jurisdictions. If a zoning bylaw says the setback on the sideyard line should be five metres and a survey shows it’s only set back 4.5 metres, then you’ll need to find out whether the cottage was built before the bylaw came into effect. If it predates the bylaw, it’s probably a “legal noncompliance,” meaning you can leave things as they are (but do check with your municipality). Otherwise, you’ll have to apply to the municipality or township for a special dispensation called a minor variance, if the property owner hasn’t already done so. A purchaser could make it a condition of the agreement of sale that the vendor acquire the dispensation before the deal is closed. An up-to-date survey is essential. If the vendor has a survey, stroll around the property, paper in hand to see whether any changes have been made since it was drawn up. If there’s significant discrepancy, you’ll need to get yourself a new one.—Laura Pratt
$1,200 $1,500 SURVEY COST
ALERT Don’t poke around inside the electrical panel, warns home inspector Marc Thibodeau, but do note how many amps the service is—look for 65, 100, or 200 marked on the main breaker. While many older cottages have 65-amp service, it’s often easier to get insurance if the cottage service is at least 100-amp.—M.Z.
COTTAGE INSPECTIONS
LEARN FROM THE HOME INSPECTOR Real estate agents are not usually experts on building construction, so you should make a cottage inspection a condition of purchase. There are issues that come up in cottage country that aren’t as common in the city: dry rot, carpenter ants, etc. Some older cottages, which make up a good chunk of the market, weren’t constructed as solidly as today’s building codes require, with cottages built by their owners, and not necessarily the way they should have been. For about $400, a home inspector (they don’t often call themselves cottage inspectors) will produce an impartial report on the state of the property. And if you deal with a local, you’ll be getting advice from someone more likely to be familiar with septic systems and other issues specific to cottage properties than an inspector from the city. Your agent or lawyer can easily provide the names of a few good ones in the area. While it’s a good idea to hire a home inspector to look at a cottage before the deal closes, you can spot some red flags yourself on your first viewing. “An inspector will go up on a ladder to check the roof,” says Marc Thibodeau, a home inspector in Havelock, Ont. “Buyers are safer on the ground, but you can still get a good look from there.” He suggests bringing a pair of binoculars and looking for damaged, old, or missing shingles. Check that there are attic vents, as well as eavestroughs and downspouts that direct water away from the cottage. If there’s a brick or masonry chimney, be cautious if you see damage. “Chimneys can cost thousands of dollars to repair,“ he says. Thibodeau also suggests looking at what’s holding up the cottage, especially if it rests on piers. “Piers that are sitting on top of soil can shift laterally, or up and down with frost.” Piers on solid bedrock are best.—Laura Pratt and Martin Zibauer
VIEWING THE PROPERTY
FIND A GOOD TIME TO VISIT The most disappointed clients Diane Mowbray, a broker with Re/Max Parry Sound Muskoka, ever had were among her first cottage purchasers. The family was particularly thrilled by the sandy beach the property featured—or so it appeared in the early spring when the deal took place. But when they took possession in the summer, they discovered that a stroll into the lake meant sinking up to their calves in mud. “Ever since, I’ve urged potential buyers to take off their shoes and walk into the water.” Such advice is hard to follow if you view the property in winter, when the water is frozen, and you won’t get the full picture of a property anyway when it’s covered with snow.
MARIANNE HELM
While some newer, high-end cottages have heating systems just like home, space heaters, kerosene heaters, electric baseboards, and woodstoves usually provide cottage warmth. If you’re used to just adjusting a thermostat, you may be put off by the work of managing an unfamiliar heat source. Woodstoves, for instance, can mean cutting and chopping wood, bringing it inside, and dealing with ashes. Many new cottagers learn how to use a woodstove, and about the cost and maintenance involved, from the vendors who sold them the place. You could also ask a woodstove retailer for advice or, for an oil heater, the company that supplies oil to the property. Keeping comfortable on chilly weekends at your cottage, however, has less to do with the heat source than the amount of insulation in the building envelope and how well it’s installed. In most parts of Canada, a building needs insulation of at least R24 in the walls and R50 in the attic to be usable year round. Check with local building department officials for their recommendations.—L.P.
4 bedrooms; 1,080 sq. ft. !/4 - acre lot Paid: $40,000 in 2004
! PROPERTY SURVEYS
Our 100-page special issue on real estate, with hundreds of need-to-know tips and buyer profiles from coast to coast z
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HOW TO BUY A COTTAGE THE ULTIMATE GUIDE WHERE TO LOOK & WHAT YOU’LL PAY
How is the place heated?
New from Cottage Life
Did you put in an offer? No. In fact, the elderly owner’s family didn’t call us back until the winter. We’d forgotten about it, but suddenly the opportunity presented itself again.
How to Buy a Cottage
We got into a bidding war. The price started at $32,000 and would go up a thousand or two at a time. We had a maximum number in our head, and we won. I was so excited! Biggest surprise? Dead raccoons in the attic. That’s when Pat said, “I’d like you to come and smell your vision now.” Is there anything you’d change? Yes. Always. We always have projects on the go. Every year, the place gets better and better. If you’re looking, don’t worry about finding a perfect cottage. With a little bit of hard work and a can of paint, you can make it your perfect place. Every fall when we close up, I am grateful for the summer’s memories. Every spring, I wonder what the season will bring. —as told to Braden Alexander
cottagelife.com 35
Many realtors recommend postponing buying decisions until midsummer. Plant growth is at its height in July; the property you can walk around easily in April may be blockaded by poison ivy a few months later. Water levels often drop over the summer, revealing a different shoreline than the one you fell in love with in the spring. In fact, water levels have been declining dramatically on many lakes; among the hardest hit are those that feed waterway systems such as the TrentSevern and the Rideau in Ontario, so wouldbe cottagers are well advised to check with waterway officials about historic water levels and trends on their prospective lakes. Cottages on reservoir lakes for controlled waterways are perhaps best viewed in the fall; the water is at its lowest and the shoreline is the most visible. Another factor that may recommend fall cottage shopping: Vendors are often more motivated because the summer season is over and they may not want to carry a cottage over the winter months.—L.P.
How to Buy a Cottage
cottagelife.com 69
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Workshop
GREAT INVENTION
And stay out! “I used to think deer were cute,” says Mark Kreger. Now the cottager is locked in a protracted struggle with whitetails for the survival of his wife’s raspberry patch. The deer are wily opponents. For years they’ve been finding a way to snack on the berries and their canes. “Last summer, we got maybe two or three raspberries,” he says with a sigh. Kreger’s latest defence hinges, literally, on the cheap and cheerful hardware he’s using for a gate that guards the berries. After building a deer fence and fashioning a gate from spruce limbs, Kreger realized that standard hinges wouldn’t work well on round wood. Hinges for farm gates proved too heavy and too expensive. Digging through the hardware aisles, he found screw eyes and L-shaped pins (also called “cornice hooks”) to screw into the posts and the gate. For a few dollars, the hardware is strong enough to hold the light gate. Since he completed the fence late last summer, “we’ve kept the deer out, and there’s been no damage to the raspberries,” Kreger reports. He’s hoping for a tasty harvest this year. Then again, so are the deer.—Ray Ford
KNOW-HOW
Lumber is perishable, so if you’re not using it within a week or two, treat it right by keeping it dry, ventilated, and shaded. Wrapping lumber with a tarp seems logical but is actually a bad idea. As humidity rises from the ground, a fully enclosed tarp will trap moisture around the pile—an invitation to mould.
A screw eye pivots on a cornice hook.
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If you don’t have an airy workshop or garage, choose a flat, shaded, and sheltered spot for lumber storage. Lay a base of 4x4 lengths or triple thicknesses of scrap 2x lumber three to four feet apart. Place one layer of new lumber on the base, with small gaps between boards. Lay thin strips of wood—called “stickers”—crosswise, aligned with the base supports, to separate and ventilate layers. Strips of any thickness from !/4" to #/4" will do, as long as they’re uniform. Continue stacking and stickering, building a second pile if your first grows to more than three or four feet tall. Finish with a roof overtop to block sunlight, which causes cracks and warps. (No cover needed if your pile is in an outbuilding.) Weighteddown sheets of old plywood, weathered junk lumber, or pieces of metal roofing all work well.—Steve Maxwell
PHOTOS COURTESY MARK KREGER. ILLUSTRATION: JACQUES PERRAULT
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INSTANT FIX
Is your tap’s flow beginning to slow? The culprit could be sediment in the spout’s aerator. It’s a common problem in cottage water systems, especially those that lack a sediment filter.
1] Remove the aerator First, plug the sink so small parts don’t slip down the drain. Twist the aerator off with a clockwise hand turn. If you need pliers (groove-joint ones are best), wrap a cloth around the aerator to prevent scratches.
2] Check the parts Parts vary by brand, but most aerators have a metal screen, a rubber washer, and a flow restrictor (a plastic disc with a hole). Take a cellphone photo now, so you can put the parts back correctly later. If you find anything’s broken, take the whole lot to the hardware store. Most new aerators run less than $10, and they often include all the internal parts; the challenge is to find one that fits your spout.
3] Dislodge any gunk A scrub with dish soap and an old toothbrush will clean most screens; a vinegar soak should clear any white, crusty mineral deposits. How often should you check your aerator screens? Make it part of your spring opening-up routine and, while you’re at it, run water through both the hot and cold lines until it’s clear, before replacing the aerators. That helps dislodge any sediment that’s collected throughout the year.—Andrew Lupton
Hold the compass at a consistent angle as you scribe each chair leg.
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JOB JAR
Sit up straight If you have a chair that wobbles because the legs are no longer the same length, you can trim a little so it will sit flat. Drill a pilot hole into the bottom of each leg. Drive a screw into each to act as a jack; adjust screws until the chair sits level on a flat, level surface, such as a table. Use a compass to scribe the legs all around, referencing off the table. Remove the screws and use a finetoothed handsaw to cut precisely to the line. Chamfer the edges with fine sandpaper to prevent splinters when the chair is dragged. Don’t try this fix with a priceless Chippendale. —Michel Roy
PHOTO: LIAM MOGAN. ILLUSTRATION: JACQUES PERRAULT. FAUCET COURTESY MOEN
Sedimental block
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BOATING PLUG IN & MAKE WAVES DAY TRIPPER, YEAH
Cottager Pat Lynch is a man with a plan to discover the ups and downs of locking through. Page 90
Hold on to your hats. New technology is giving electricpowered boats the muscle to turn heads and tow skiers. Page 108
TREND REPORT
JOHN CULLEN
Easy-care, powerful, and versatile are the buzzwords for boats and engines this season. Page 101
May 2014
cottagelife.com 89
CRUISING Photography Tobin Grimshaw
A man, a plan, 90 cottagelife.com
May 2014
A lifelong cottager, Pat Lynch discovers the ups and downs of locking through
a canal His report, from the depths
The author gets ready for the ascent at the Buckhorn lock. Opposite, counter-clockwise from bottom left: Boaters pull themselves into position and loop their lines
“OKAY,
next is the blue-and-white inboard. We’re going to have you raft up beside the red-andwhite boat, in the middle of the lock.” The lockmaster has decided my fate. Here, at Lock 28 at Burleigh Falls, Ont., on the western end of Stony Lake, 35 km north of Peterborough, I’m about to lose my lock-through virginity. And, as the disembodied voice tells everyone over the loudspeaker, I don’t even get a wall to hug. A pair of crowded runabouts and a Jet Ski idle behind me as I put the engine in gear and start to creep up the approach canal. Twenty-four eyeballs gaze down from an overhead bridge. Fourteen more assess my approach from boats already positioned in the lock. That’s a lot of exposure for a Trent-Severn rookie. I grew up cottaging on Manitouwabing Lake, a landlocked beauty near Parry Sound, where going on a boating adventure
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for the day meant poking around the well-explored bays and backwaters of my own lake. Out here on the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW), cottagers have almost 400 km of navigable water to cruise—something that many of the inhabitants of more than 32,000 seasonal dwellings along the TSW corridor do each year. They leave the comforts of known shoreline to find new places to picnic, new rocks to jump off, and new vistas to admire, or simply for the joy of a sunny day on the water. So how hard can this locking-through thing really be? Fortunately for me, my nautical neighbours are pros, calmly throwing me their lines when I sidle up to their cabin cruiser. Cut the engine. Check!
around the vertical black cables; boats in the centre are held in place by those on the outside; the Burleigh Falls ğreğghting sprinklers; a kayak takes a ride.
Flip on the blower. Check! Attempt casual chit-chat while never letting on that this is my maiden voyage. Check! Dieter Witt, the lockmaster, pokes his head over the edge, peering down (way down) at us. “All right, folks. Everybody ready?” Heads bob and mumbled affirmatives echo off the algaecovered walls. Six metres above, there’s the promise of blue sky and sunshine, but down here I feel like I’m sitting in a dark box, crowded by big boats that are a little too close for comfort. “Okay, here we go!” hollers Witt. “Enjoy the ride!” Lines in hand, I brace myself, discreetly bending my knees for what I imagine to be a turbulent ride, my boat tossed around like a twig on the high seas. Nothing happens. Passengers on the seven vessels around me chat about the weather (beautiful!), their plans (lunch at Buckhorn!), and what went on the night before (information I must withhold, to protect the guilty). Four-and-a-half minutes later, we’ve risen a little more than two storeys on this giant water elevator, 2,695 cubic metres of water have been pumped into the 7.3-metre-deep lock, and my 17½-foot Bayliner has barely bobbed.
The gates at the upstream end of the lock start to open, and Witt begins directing traffic south into Lower Buckhorn Lake. I throw my neighbours their lines. “Have a good one, eh?” says the driver, pushing off the wall. “Yeah, for sure,” I reply. “See ya at the next lock.”
The Trent-Severn Waterway, a 386 km canal system extending from Trenton in eastern Ontario to Port Severn at the southeast end of Georgian Bay, is the modern manifestation of the route that the explorer Samuel de Champlain travelled from Georgian Bay to the Bay of Quinte with the Hurons in 1615. For much of the 19th century, logging companies used the rivers and lakes of the region to transport logs to market, and May 2014
cottagelife.com 93
pat’s route
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in 1833, the Trent-Severn’s construction began in earnest at the Bobcaygeon lock in an effort to create an inland water route between lakes Ontario and Huron for shipping lumber and other supplies. By 1920, boats were able to travel the entire route made up of the Severn River and the newly constructed Trent Canal. Today, the TSW rises to 256.5 metres above sea level at its highest point (Balsam Lake), through a combination of conventional locks (both hand operated and mechanical), flight locks (a series of locks that are close enough to be considered one structure), and hydraulic lift locks at Kirkfield and Peterborough (the TSW’s highest lift, at 19.8 metres), as well as a marine railway at Big Chute on Georgian Bay, near Coldwater. Originally completed in 1917, Big Chute is the only marine railway of its kind in North America, and uses a rail-mounted carriage instead of a lock to transport boats across its 30.5metre length. It was first built as a temporary fix to get the TSW up and running, but it also had an unintended and perhaps more important effect: preventing parasitic sea lampreys 94 cottagelife.com
May 2014
from migrating from Lake Huron to lakes Couchiching and Simcoe. These days, the TSW sees close to 130,000 passages through its 44 locks from May to October each year. That’s a lot of lock-throughs. And, undoubtedly, a lot of first-time jitters. Fortunately, the lockmasters are there to hold the hands of nervous newbies. “It’s really simple,” Witt, the 39-yearold Burleigh Falls lockmaster, assures me. Witt, who’s sporting a green ball cap and shorts, a tan short-sleeved shirt, and a light beard, has been working on the Trent-Severn since he was 16. “I love my job,” he says, “but I may be a bit biased, because I think I work in the best part. I’ve got four of the most beautiful lakes surrounding me, right?
MAP: SÉBASTIEN THIBAULT
Boats line up at the Buckhorn lock (top left). Observers on the pedestrian bridge at the Burleigh Falls lock (top right) get a view into the lock below.
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I’ve got cottagers coming through here every day, and they’re always happygo-lucky. It’s a fun ‘office’ to work in.” In addition to maintaining the six acres of property surrounding his lock and monitoring water levels at the adjacent dam, Witt ushers thousands of boats through his lock each year. The formula for first-time success, as he describes it, is relatively simple: Tie your boat on the grey line, a neutral docking zone near the approach to the lock, and then head up to the office for a quick chat with the lockmaster. (Don’t park along the blue line, the staging area for going through the lock, until you’re ready to be waved in.) “We’ll set you up with passes, info, whatever you need,” says Witt. (Fees are based on boat size and how long you’ll be travelling. You can pay at the lock if you haven’t already bought a pass online.) Once you’re set up, hop back in your boat, bring it up to the blue line, and wait for the signal (usually a verbal call or a green light) from the lockmaster, who’ll guide you into a specific spot in the lock, based on your boat’s size and the traffic locking through with you. If you are against the wall, maintain that spot by loosely looping your bow and stern lines around the black cables that hang vertically down the sides of the lock, and then hold the free ends tightly in your hand. (Repeat after me: Do not tie your ropes to the cables. Your lines need to be free to slide up or down the cables as the water level rises or falls.) Kill the engine and, if you’re driving an inboard, turn on the blower to vent any exhaust fumes. Commence small talk with your neighbours and, as the man says, enjoy the ride.
When nine vessels start to pull out of a lock, one by one, a parade begins. I’m the fourth in line in a busy channel that leads to Lock 30. The island-based lock called Lovesick, where the staff boats in and out daily, is a unique feature on the TSW. (There is no Lock 29: Locks 28 and 29 were once a two-step flight lock at Burleigh Falls until they were combined in the 1960s.) Our plan is to hit three locks today: Burleigh Falls, Lovesick, and Buckhorn, where I intend to inhale a giant cheeseburger before turning around and doing it all again, in reverse. 96 cottagelife.com
May 2014
The boat ahead of me hops up on a plane once we’re clear of a few islands, and I gun it to keep pace, racing over sun-kissed waves with a pair of cabin cruisers chasing my wake. Out here, on the open water, it feels as though my mojo has returned. Then the boats ahead of me begin to slow as we arc into a quiet bay. The Lovesick lock, framed by towering white pines, lies ahead. Compared to Burleigh Falls, this one’s much, much smaller— the lake on the far side is about one metre up. “Easy peasy,” I tell myself. “I’m a veteran of Burleigh Falls!” Then I remember the advice Witt gave me. “When you go to Lovesick, it’s a bit different,” he warned. “The water comes in through the upstream gates, and it can act like a kind of rooster tail, shooting straight down the middle of the lock. At the front, it can be very turbulent.” By contrast, the Burleigh Falls lock is gently filled by valves on the lock floor. Even when the lockmasters pop those valves wide open, the effect on the boats in the lock is negligible as the water bubbles up from below. I’m waved into Lovesick, predictably, to the front position, where I imagine I’ll see my last ray of sunshine before being swallowed whole by a wall of whitewater bursting through the nearby gates. I glide in slowly, cutting the engine as I fumble with my lines. I manage to get the bowline looped around the black cable before the lockmaster comes to my rescue, offering me the end of a boathook as the stern drifts away from the wall, swinging perilously close to the starboard hull of the vessel on the opposite wall. It’s the same boat I rafted up with in the Burleigh Falls lock, and the driver grins. He’s on to me, no doubt about it. I loop the stern line around the cable, thank the boathook man, and kick back while the lock begins to fill. There is no tidal wave. Once again, there is very little turbulence. The ride, in fact, is as innocuous as it was at Burleigh Falls and takes half the time. When the gates open, I leave my anxieties in the lock and lead the parade to Lock 31 in Buckhorn. I’ve got a date with a patio.
From our perch on the sunny deck at the Mainstreet Landing restaurant, Tobin (the Cottage Life photographer who is
documenting my every fumble) and I have an unobstructed view of Buckhorn’s long upstream canal, which bustles with summer-afternoon activities. Houseboats with bikini-clad pilots drift past runabouts with yappy little dogs; families hoist coolers out of cabin cruisers; and teens chuck a Frisbee around the lush peninsula that juts out from the southern end of the lock. Though many boats are waiting their turn in the lock, this is more than just a place to pass through. It’s a spot where cottagers come to spend the afternoon, tying up in the canal to grab lunch at a local restaurant, play in the park, or simply watch the constant action float by. The lock itself, a 3.5-metre lift from Lower Buckhorn to Buckhorn Lake, is a snap to navigate for a veteran such as myself, even if the crowds are here to watch, peering over the sides of the lock as it fills with boats, offering a hand when someone (not naming names) has difficulty securing a line, or offering gentle advice when the lock begins to open and, let’s say, a boat begins to spin in an unfortunate direction. But by the time I’m locking back through Buckhorn to begin the return trip, I feel like an old hand. I offer docking advice to a chap behind the wheel of a bright yellow bowrider. At the Lovesick lock, I joke nonchalantly with a fellow boater about the financial provenance of the Jacqpot, a luxurious, 50-foot cabin cruiser that dwarfs our runabouts. Witt’s all smiles when I make it back to Burleigh Falls at 5 p.m., seven hours after we set out, just in time for the last lockages of the day. As I enjoy my ride down, Witt leans over the side of the lock to deliver a parting shot. “So, remember you’re going into Stony Lake, eh?” he says with a wide grin as the gates slowly open in front of me. “It’s got a thousand islands, but a thousand of them don’t stick out of the water.” Thanks a lot, I think, looking back to see him waving from on high. I power off into Stony, the setting sun on my back. I’ve got this. I know I do. a During his years on the water, writer—and intrepid boater—Pat Lynch has become intimately familiar with the many hidden rocks of Manitouwabing Lake.
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r s fo d r a e tbo manc u ! D e o or EN trok perf R T o-s nd Tw wer a po
TRENDS
Amid a sea of options, what we want is a boat that lets us play more and work less
Keep it simple, skipper
By Conor Mihell Illustration SĂŠbastien Thibault May 2014
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Easy-care
You can have it all. Decks and hulls that are durable and low maintenance; boat designs that are customized for your needs (whether your family loves cruising, waterskiing, fishing, or all of the above); and engines that are light, efficient, and powerful. From utility boats to bowriders, towboats to pontoons, your next ride can make cottage life easier.
Designers are making low maintenance and user-friendliness priorities in all genres of powerboats. Simple-to-clean surfaces are the norm in new boats. Long-wearing, easy-care vinyl and fibreglass flooring eliminate the mould and mildew (not to mention the serious ick factor of fish goo) that promptly turned the floor of an old-school carpeted boat into a petri dish of biological activity, says Dale Thompson, a sales rep at Dockside Marine Centre in Kelowna, BC. If you must have carpet, Thompson says snap-in mats are an option. One boat that’s embracing easy care is the pontoon boat, which made up a whopping 27 per cent of the total outboard metal boat sales in 2013, according to National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Canada, and is also the fastest-growing category, up 12 per cent from the year before. Pontoons are replacing the classic cottage runabouts.
Aluminum
th ng nce e r a st ! or inten f D a m EN TR minu e of m Alu eas d an
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Heavy-duty, welded aluminum boats (such as KingFisher Boats, made in Vernon, BC, and Stanley Boats, made in Parry Sound, Ont.) can be configured as bowriders, centre consoles, or open-deck workboats. They have become wildly popular on big water due to their ease of access, piloting, and docking, as well as their spacious decks, seaworthiness, and supremely durable, all-metal construction that’s virtually maintenance free. “Aluminum boats are a big, big market for us,” says Jim Parent, who is a sales rep at Gordon Bay Marine, on Lake Joseph, Ont. “The larger ones will carry
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Money matters Boat prices are up across the board. For instance, according to data supplied by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the cost of a new aluminum outboard boat rose 38 per cent, from $8,520 to $11,730, between 2009 and 2013. If that seems like a lot to you, you’re not alone. Even those in the boat industry have recognized that the cost to buy is rising faster than discretionary income, perhaps pricing some boaters out of the market (especially when you include associated expenses, such as docking, insurance, fuel, storage, repairs, and maintenance, which can range from $50 to $150 per foot each year). So, why are we paying more? Possible reasons include new features, better-quality materials, and improved (and costlier) standards for labour and safety in the manufacturing process. Also, as boats become more tailored to our specific uses, companies are making fewer of each type, and those less-than-optimal economies of scale are likely translating to higher costs per boat. Although, traditionally, each cottage family has its own boats, creative thinking may save you bucks while keeping you on the water. For example, consider renting a boat if you only need one for a few weeks. Or look at sharing the use and costs of specialty boats for fishing or skiing with a neighbour (but make sure you run the arrangement by the boat’s insurance company first). Discover Boating, a national public awareness effort to promote recreational boating, also suggests fractional boat ownership. In this scenario, cottagers connect with a company, which looks after a boat’s fuelling, pump-out, maintenance, and insurance, and matches it up with several “owners,” who share the use and costs. The Muskokan Resort Boat Club on Lake Joseph, Ont., offers this service. Look for more fractional availability as the trend catches on; the option is just starting to emerge in cottage country.—Liann Bobechko
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for
construction materials, and they’re all very seaworthy for people who are using their cottages later in the year. The 16and 17-footers are becoming popular as all-around cottage boats. They’re taking over on Georgian Bay.” Meanwhile, sales of riveted aluminum recreational boats such as Legends, Princecrafts, and Lunds are perennially strong. Compared to fibreglass, aluminum is more resistant to abrasion. It’s also lighter, which makes the boats suitable for smaller engines and trailering.
Centre-console Another fast-growing segment is the open-deck, centre-console utility boat, which is popular for commuting across big water to island cottages. At the core of the centre-console design is the fact that fibreglass decks and engine wells are engineered so that the lowest point is above the waterline—gravity does the draining, not your bilge pump. The selfbailing feature isn’t new; however, putting the console in the centre and making room to walk around it has created a package so popular with cottagers that boats such as Boston Whalers, Scouts, Key Wests, and Limestone 17s are replacing traditional open aluminum fishing boats, especially in rougher bodies of water. Along with the pontoon, the open-deck, centre-console boat is the quintessential do-anything utility vessel. Steve Potts of South Carolina’s Scout Boats likens their evolution to that of pickup trucks and luxury SUVs. “Back in the ’90s, there was a stigma about centre-consoles being hard-core fishing boats—basically a square box with square cushions where you get blood and guts all over the boat,” he says. Creature comforts came slowly —sculptured upholstery, two-tone vinyl, and comfortable lounge seating that faces forward, instead of the awkward side-facing seats of the early boats. ››
Outboards While sterndrives are still the go-to engines for high-performance wakesport boats and larger cruising craft, the intrepid outboard is gaining in popularity after a period of setback. About a decade ago, the US Environmental Protection Agency imposed strict emissions standards on outboards. Prices spiked early on in the transition as manufacturers invested in research and development, and outboard sales plummeted in favour of cheaper, mass-produced, less strictly regulated sterndrives. But the comeback kid outboard’s sales are back up—four-strokes now boast benefits once only offered by sterndrives, such as fuel efficiency, quiet and clean-burning operation, and improved safety and reliability. Prices of sterndrives and their outboard counterparts are almost the same. “I now sell one sterndrive for every 10 that I used to sell,” says Mark Payne, the director of Payne Marine in Pointe au Baril, Ont. Indeed, an NMMA Canada industry survey revealed that sales of outboard-powered boats were a full 10 per cent higher in 2012 than in the previous year, and maintained that level in 2013. Some of the reasons for the trend: fuel efficiency, lighter environmental impact, and the fact that a larger horsepower range suits more cottage-style boaters. According to Rob Davidson, the coordinator of the 47-year-old marine and small engines program at Georgian College in Midland, Ont., while the typical modern four-stroke outboard has 80 to 85 per cent of the service points of a comparable sterndrive (so don’t expect it to be substantially simpler to maintain), it does offer conveniences such as fuel injection, turnkey starting, no choke, and no need to warm up the engine, features that were once available only with sterndrives. Starting this year, Kelowna, BC’s Campion Boats is making outboards available on most of its Allante bowriders and Chase performance boats, says president Brock Elliott, who likes the outboard’s performance and reliability. “Because it’s lighter in weight, a 150-horsepower outboard will push a boat like a 4.3-litre I/O with a range up to 220-horsepower,” he explains. “From a boat-design standpoint, we lose the swim platform, but we gain so much interior space because, unlike a sterndrive, an outboard doesn’t occupy one-third of the boat.”
Two-strokes Within the outboard category, an array of next-generation, low-emission, two-strokes has also become available. These new engines achieve much the same environmental benchmarks as the pioneering four-strokes but with higher performance. A twostroke engine generates power in half the crankshaft revolutions of a four-stroke. “You can’t beat its holeshot,” says Campion’s Elliott. “When you want to pop a skier up, that’s really important.” Two-strokes have marginally lower maintenance requirements than four-strokes, adds Davidson, since two-strokes don’t require oil changes and disposal (the oil is completely burned with the fuel). “The new direct-injection two-strokes give you the benefit of a better horsepower-to-weight ratio, a higher top RPM, and more torque with fewer moving parts and greater fuel efficiency.” John Gullick, the manager of government and special programs at Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, is a big fan of Evinrude’s E-TEC series of two-stroke outboards, which feature a simple turnkey winterization procedure that fogs the cylinders with oil to protect the engine for storage. The DIY procedure takes about a minute, and cottagers can do it with the boat on a trailer or still in the water. “Right out of the box,” says Gullick, “you don’t have to do any service on them for three years.”
Crossover and customization As much as one-boat-does-all is in demand for the cottage market, manufacturers are paradoxically creating increasingly customized designs to reflect boaters’ 106 cottagelife.com
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particular activities. “People want more specialization in their boats,” says Jeff Barnes, the general manager of Old Mill Marina on Lake of Bays, near Dorset, Ont. “At the same time, cottagers are not necessarily comfortable pigeonholing themselves into a pure performance boat or a pure pontoon or an exclusively ski or wakesport boat.” Wakesport boats and bowriders now offer a variety of seating arrangements, as well as amenities such as Bluetoothconnected sound systems and deep-V hulls that provide a more comfortable ride and make the boat appealing to families. “Performance is important,” says Barnes, “but it’s more critical to include the features and benefits that people want.” Pontoons have plenty of space for fishing and offer options for cruising with large groups on sheltered water. Princecraft, for example, features 38 different layouts. High-performance, three-tube models that can support 90 to 350 hp outboards deliver enough power for tubing and waterskiing. Campion Boats’ newest pontoon, a luxe 23½-foot fibreglass model under licence from US manufacturer Biltmore, is paired with 150 to 250 hp outboards. “We’re seeing more performance features in what was originally just a raft,” says Dale Thompson. “As the trend grows, manufacturers are reinvesting in research and development and putting money into new ideas. Lifting strakes improve hydrodynamics, and improvements to the tubes are providing more buoyancy.” Similarly, Larry Watson, the service manager at Legend Boats, says that, like other manufacturers of traditional aluminum fishing boats, Legend has added cruising elements such as cushioned seats, a folding bench in the stern that converts into a casting platform, and optional ski and wakeboard bars to create “a family runabout with fishing potential. With fishing, a lounge area, and skiing and tubing for the kids,” he says, “everyone in the family is getting something that they want.”a Conor Mihell is a freelance writer who lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. His first boat was a leaky 12-foot tinny, outfitted with an ancient 2-horse kicker.
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TECH
Performance e-boats In spite of their environmental benefits, electric-powered boats still haven’t yet caught on with cottagers—especially those with a need for speed. But that’s about to change. Thanks to technological breakthroughs by automakers developing electric-powered cars, such as synchronous electric motors and powerful battery systems, the latest crop of electric boats can do just about anything their gas-powered equivalents can—including pull skiers and wakeboarders. Indeed, ski boat manufacturer Nautique Boats was among the first major boat builders to embrace electric power. “An electric motor offers consistent torque, and that’s precisely what skiers and wakeboarders demand,” says Greg Meloon, Nautique’s vice-president of product development. “It’s also a perfect match for the electronic speed-control systems that are so widely used today.” The company is currently testing a second-generation prototype that uses a pair of electric motors developed by Hydro-Québec. The motors, modified for marine use by LTS Marine in Montreal, generate a combined 160 kW of 108 cottagelife.com
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t boa ski ATS c i ctr E BO m/h ele ue TIQU : 60 k hrs* q i ut NAU peed : 2-3 rs* Na h s e Top n tim ime: 8 years Ru ge t 2-5 har ble: Rec vaila A
power—the equivalent thrust of a 215 hp inboard, and enough oomph to drive the 23-foot, 2,100 kg Nautique Electric prototype to a top speed of 60 km/h. Run times between battery charges range from two to three hours of stop-and-go usage, with 30 per cent of that at speed. Plugged into a 240 V outlet (as used for electric cars), the batteries will fully recharge in four hours—or eight hours connected to a standard 120 V outlet. “We want to be ready to sell fully electric boats in Canada within two to five years,” says Meloon. “We sell them in Europe now. We’re waiting for the battery technology to get to a place where we can offer longer run times and shorter recharge periods.” ››
By Craig Ritchie
*Based on current battery technology
BILL DOSTER
Plug in and make waves Hold on to your hats. New technology is giving electric-powered boats the muscle to turn heads and tow skiers
to Pro
uct
ion
In and p h rds a 40 lue outbo EDO B p E * p e De 80 h TORQ hours * rs 4 u ype : 2 ho w tot ime e: 8 e: No o t r n P Ru ge tim ilabl on usi er ar Ava F h c d E ri Re S bow AT 50 N BO /h 5 e m s O k † a I Ch AMP to 80 3 hrs † C : up : 2rs 8h s ed me spe un ti time: year p R ge To 2-5 har ble: Rec vaila A
Torqeedo 80 hp
In Kelowna, BC, Campion Boats has unveiled what it describes as the world’s most powerful electric boat. The aptly named E-Fusion, which reaches speeds of almost 80 km/h, blends a standard Campion Chase 550 runabout with a powerful electric motor shoehorned into a Yamaha 150 four-stroke shell. The running time and recharging times are similar to those of the Nautique prototype. “I believe the battery technology is almost there,” says Brock Elliott, president of Campion Boats. “Every major auto manufacturer in the world is investing in battery technology right now, so the big leap forward is coming at any moment. It’s very close.” (Indeed, in February Tesla announced a $4 billion to $5 billion investment by 2020 in a new battery “Gigafactory,” which is anticipated to drop battery prices by at least 30 per cent and has the industry excited.) That big leap could come in the form of solid-state lithium ion batteries, one of several new battery technologies now in development and perhaps three years from coming to market. Because they don’t contain internal fluids, solid-state batteries are lighter and more compact. Plus, they’re also more responsive to continuous charging from solar panels or light-sensitive paints, so they hold a lot of promise for marine applications. While the Nautique and Campion exist only as prototypes for now, one Canadian boat builder is in production with a fully electric fibreglass runabout, with a mahogany interior and deck that makes it look like a wooden classic. Styled after a 1945 mahogany launch, the Bruce 22 Electric by Montreal Classic Boatworks is being marketed primarily to cottagers on lakes with gasoline engine restrictions. “In testing the boat, we found it pulls a skier quite easily,” says the boat’s designer and namesake, Ian Bruce. “It doesn’t suffer the speed limitations 110 cottagelife.com
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that many associate with electric boats. It planes quite easily at 11 mph and pulls a skier very nicely at 28 or 29 mph.” So, what if electric power appeals to you, but you love the boat you already have? No problem, says manufacturer Torqeedo, which brought an 80 hp electric outboard to market last year and is releasing a 40 hp model early this year. Both can be retrofitted to most boats, with the batteries using the fuel tank space. “Electric motors are proven technology,” says Chris Carroll, Torqeedo’s VP of sales and marketing for North America. “They’re quiet, they’re non-polluting, they’re almost maintenance free, and there’s a huge convenience factor since gas simply isn’t available on every lake. Electric outboards represent hassle-free boating. Just get in and go.” The downside? Sticker shock. A Bruce 22 Electric sells for $139,000, compared to $90,000 for its gas-powered equivalent. And at roughly $19,000, the 80 hp Torqeedo Deep Blue costs around twice what a comparable 75 hp gas outboard does, while batteries might run an extra $15,000. “If you’re spending $2,000 a year on fuel, as many people do, and you keep the engine for 10 years, then the overall costs work out to be nearly the same,” argues Carroll. “And that’s assuming the cost of fuel doesn’t rise any further. We warranty our batteries for nine years, even for commercial use. In recreational use, it’s quite conceivable they could last 15 years. That is a long time to go without buying gas.” As the technology improves, it’s only a matter of time until electric boats find mainstream acceptance. How long till we see transoms with monikers like AC/DC, All Charged Up, and Watts Up, Dock? a Craig Ritchie is a lifelong boater, boating writer, and boating industry consultant.
Campion Campion
*On average, depends on battery; based on current battery technology †Based on current battery technology
LEFT, COURTESY TORQEEDO. RIGHT, COURTESY REGEN NAUTIC
d pro
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DREAMLANDIA { Continued from page 50 } In no time, there was a “kitchen dome,” a “sleeping dome,” plus the essential “sauna dome,” which to this day serves as the Nirivian Embassy, as noted on a sign by the door. “I wouldn’t say that we deal with a lot of international activity out of the embassy,” says Karen. “We do see geese and songbirds migrating through our airspace on their way to and from the US. And some European kayakers stopped for a visit a while back and enjoyed a sauna.” Understandably, the more heated conversations in the steamy consulate address deeper issues, such as the size of the blueberries on the trail above the waterfall, or whether anybody remembered to replace the peanut butter at Jim and Karen’s across the bay. Or the likelihood that an approaching storm will keep the Nirivian navy at the docks for an extra day.
Despite the construction of permanent
buildings and the transformation of logging roads from the 1920s into hiking trails, the anticipated flow of visitors never really happened (the Nirivian citizenry could, at any moment, fit entirely into the buildings at Armour Harbour). What did happen was that during the late 1990s, Jim and Karen managed to buy one of the old quarrying patents (from 1912) about a kilometre from the domes. Suddenly, things were a little more permanent. Within a year, they had erected the first of their two rustic cottages. The other one went up in 2010. It is from the dock at cottage number one that on Sunday afternoon, Jim, Karen, and their fellow Nirivians and guests embark on a 40 km tour of the islands, led by Gregg Richard aboard his sleek old cruiser, Ogima II, a one-time working vessel from the palmy days of the logging trade on nearby Lake Nipigon. For three glorious hours, the boat diesels along within hailing distance of beaches, amid rock formations, and beneath cliffs whose slate-black stone is a palette of lichens and oxides so vivid above the turquoise water as to create a whole new impression of the mysteries of the north. Above a rock ledge on St. Ignace, a bank of blueberry bushes is so
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laden with fruit that the entire landscape has turned a deep reddish purple. The terraced beaches of Paradise Island, where the travellers go ashore, are scattered with the bleached bones of deer and fish. But the fragrance is that of juniper and the hundreds of fruit-heavy raspberry bushes growing out of the tumbled shoreline gravel. It was here in the early 1990s that the internationally famed clothing designer Linda Lundström chose to photograph her fall line of coats. A year or two later, Jim and Karen catered a wedding on the island for one of Lundström’s European associates. Back at Jim and Karen’s that evening, inside by the Norwegian woodstove, the dinner is so sumptuous as to make you forget that, should the weather turn stormy, you could be dining on memories of said feast for days to come. But what a place to wait out a storm! The cottage is all-but-festooned with art and books and maps, photos of the early days, and kerosene lamps, which to this day are a prime source of light as night settles. A chainsaw lies beneath the table. Beds, too, are a feature of the place— predominant to a degree that makes it possible for those sleeping (and waking) in the living room to simply throw their legs over the edge of their cots and receive a cup of coffee from Karen, who since shortly past dawn of a given morning has had bacon frying and fresh blueberries on the table. As folks emerge, conversations abandoned late the night before reconstitute themselves with undiminished vigour. Except now the sun is filtering through the cedars behind the cottage, rather than dropping into the depths in front. Gregg Richard, who has come into the cottage after a night aboard Ogima II, recounts a recent trip to Lake Huron— among islands and shorelines where the cottages, on average, were about a kilometre apart. “Way too crowded,” he says, with no hint of irony. “That’s why we come here.”
Over the years, many of the earliest
Nirivians have slipped away—some to other parts of the country, some to the more distant Nirivia beyond the veil. A few kilometres to the east of Armour Harbour, on the shore of St. Ignace, a plain spruce cross marks the resting
place of the late Dave Kruszewski, whose Nirivian Queen is still a topic of conversation among the citizens. In like spirit, the hiking trails have tended to disappear, overgrown, so that what was once a merely difficult climb to the top of 565-metre Mount St. Ignace is now all but impossible. The result is that Jim and Karen and their camps at Armour Harbour have become the nexus of a somewhat narrowed Nirivian social and recreational life. “But not that narrow,” says Karen, who with Jim and others still spends six or seven weeks a year in residence—often with friends, such as Evans, Manitowabi, and Richard. When they’re not there, William often is, with his own friends, his love of the place guaranteeing a succession of governance and upkeep. Meanwhile, the legend of Nirivia, if not the population, has grown. As has its geographical reputation. Indeed, it has begun to appear on maps of Lake Superior and in guidebooks for paddlers and tourists. “The original proclamation,” says Jim, “included three reasons for Nirivia to exist: multi-use recreation, preservation for future generations, and the prevention of all heavy resource extraction on the islands or lake bed.” Those who have kept the faith—who have cut trails and built docks and cabins, and have explained time and again that Nirivia is an ecological treasure, a model for the planet—were acknowledged in 2007 when Parks Canada named more than 10,000 sq. km of Lake Superior, including many of the islands that make up Nirivia, as Canada’s first national marine conservation area, the largest freshwater conservancy in the world. The Lake Superior NMCA’S detailed constitution is an amped-up version of the Nirivian proclamation of old. “We didn’t lobby for it, but the NMCA was still a nice little victory for us,” says Jim, as he fires up Raptor for the trip home on Monday afternoon. He casts off lines and accelerates gradually from the calm harbour. “I can’t say anything’s really changed because of the NMCA,” he calls above the sound of the engine. Which, as every good Nirivian understands, is a nice little victory in itself.a Charles Wilkins cottages in Muskoka. His latest book is Little Ship of Fools.
NO SMALL SACRIFICE { Continued from page 64 } Thomson founded Sustain Design Studio in Toronto and produced its first model miniHome—a 282 sq. ft., solarpowered trailer. It’s the Swiss Army knife of housing, packed with built-in, changeable, and multi-functional features: a table that can be adapted to the size of the dinner party; fold-out desks, benches, and sofas; even a stairwell that doubles as a bookshelf. “In conventional housing, a typical bed serves one purpose,” he says. “In a small house, everything needs to serve five or six.”
LAST JUNE, Shafer and Thomson jointly led a tiny house weekend workshop at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works. Shafer is the effusive, effervescent evangelical—proud to be self-taught, still feeling his way through the practical knowledge, inviting his audience to help him find the tools to match his ideas. His enthusiasm is difficult to resist, and it’s easy to see why he’s been a hit on television. Thomson
has an encyclopedic command of the material; his approach is grounded, sober, and empirical, and he answers every question, no matter how obscure, with some reference to his own varied experience. Together, they play off each other’s strengths and those of their audience. About 40 people are in attendance, true movementarians for the most part— a committed, even expert crowd who arrived already knowledgeable about construction, engineering, codes, sustainable practices, and the philosophy of tiny living. During breaks in the workshop, they press to the front of the class with self-drafted building plans, hoping to get an expert assessment. It’s also a crowd with diverse reasons for being here—although family space-sharing conflict appears to be a common theme. An unemployed architect wants to get out of his parents’ home and live independently in the country, without acquiring debt. A young Toronto couple wants to build a tiny residence in a parent’s large midtown backyard. A middle-aged couple plans to downsize their home to prevent the return of “boomerang kids.”
Most here are interested in tiny homes for full-time living, but others see their cottage potential. Mississaugabased Tammy Christiansen and her husband own a small river island near Stirling-Rawdon, Ont. “People are seeing cottages as out of reach financially,” says Christiansen. But tiny buildings open up new possibilities. Their unconventional property is affordable, scenic, and secluded, but its buildable area is limited by size and zoning restrictions. This summer, the couple plans to apply the seminar’s principles and build a tiny house on pontoons. Peter Koetsier of Barrie already has an old cottage on Georgian Bay. But his children are approaching adulthood and may eventually have their own families, which will strain the space available. One option is to build a “cottage mansion,” but Koetsier would rather construct a self-sufficient tiny bunkie for himself on the property. As an accessory building to the existing cottage, if it’s designed small, his bunkie may escape building permits and fit within code restrictions. He’s watched everything
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NO SMALL SACRIFICE { Continued from page 113 }
• Docks • Boat Lifts • Marine Railways
get bigger on the lake, but insists that there’s another way. “I’d like people to say, ‘The next boat is going to be two feet smaller; the next project is going to make the cottage more efficient, greener, smarter,’ rather than doubling the size.”
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arguments for tiny homes can only go so far. Few of us will ever live in, or even weekend in, 98 sq. ft. It’s one thing for a single person, but quite another for families and friends—and cottages, it’s true, are built to be shared. (Even Jay Shafer now lives in an arena-like 500 sq. ft., with his wife and two children.) Plus, building codes, with their constraints on tiny places, aren’t going away. The Wanias contracted Altius, the architectural firm that bought Andy Thomson’s Sustain Design Studio and rebranded it as Altius RSA, to design and construct their ultra-efficient, modular cottage. With its footprint of 860 sq. ft., just barely surpassing local building size requirements, the Wanias’ two-bedroom cottage is on a modest scale rather than a tiny one. And modest is perhaps the smallest size a cottager can build now. In a former airport hangar in Parry Sound, Altius spent six weeks manufacturing the cottage in two separate 12-foot-wide units, each built on a steel foundation frame. The units were towed and then barged to the island, where they were connected and placed on footings. On-site, the cottage needed only about two weeks of work before it was livable. Part of livability, for the family, was avoiding the maintenance a larger place would bring. “We decided we’d have all the creature comforts, but we didn’t want a lot of responsibility,” says Xerxes. Low maintenance helps the family shift gears from their large home to the compact cottage. There’s almost no work when they arrive, or when they pack up at the end of the weekend. “We can leave the cottage in 20 minutes and not worry about it,” says Xerxes. “It’s a relief.” The Wanias are growing into their new cottage in other ways. In the first winter, they rented snowmobiles to cross the frozen lake, and were delighted to find that they had the island almost 114 cottagelife.com
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to themselves. They also experienced another benefit of efficient design. In -5 degree weather, the pellet stove heats up the whole cottage in about 30 minutes. “We didn’t want to feel guilty about heating up a big space,” says Xerxes. The first summer in the cottage was a time of discovery. Island neighbours introduced Zain and Cyrus to archery; the boys have decided to set up targets in the large back acreage. Charis is fairly new to cottaging, and she had some doubts. “I saw it, at first, as just another place to take care of,” she recalls. But the low-maintenance space has allowed her to relax into the lifestyle, and she loves what the isolation of the place provides her: “My own time with my kids.” Xerxes is an enthusiastic fisherman (pike is plentiful, even off the dock), and he’s used the summer to master the pellet smoker that sits on the wide deck. The size of the cottage hasn’t prevented the Wanias from having guests almost every other week, thanks to a space-efficient hidden loft, tucked above the bathroom, which provides a third sleeping option, big enough for two. The loft has just enough headroom to sit up in bed, and it’s reached by a ladder integrated into the wall, occupying no extra space at all. The extra sleeping space doesn’t detract from another design element: 12-foot ceilings throughout the rest of the cottage, which make the building feel spacious and bright. Small cottages aren’t for everyone, and they shouldn’t be. Grand architectural ambition is ennobling in its own right, and no one should wish away the distinguished old estates of historic cottage regions such as Muskoka. But the Wania cottage does connect with another very old, equally grand notion of the cottage: as a conduit to the out-of-doors, providing human comforts without isolating us from our surroundings. After all, as Thoreau wrote, the most important room of any cabin in the woods lies just outside its walls.a Toronto writer Micheal Morden is slowly converting a 100 sq. ft. shed near Grand Bend, Ont., into an “interim cottage.” To see more beautifully efficient tiny buildings, including Andy Thomson’s miniHome, visit cottagelife.com/tinycottages
YOUR LETTERS { Continued from page 11 } and lighting it on fire is a cool idea? I’m horrified that you would endorse that. It is truly a disgusting idea. —D. Stubbs, via e-mail
FILM FLASHBACK In the Waterfront section of your recent Spring ’14 issue you talk about movies (“Let’s Go to the Lake: Movies on Vacation”). In the early ’50s, Bing Crosby made a movie called Just For You. As I recall, it was about Crosby and his family visiting a lake, and his kids taking the cedarstrip boat with a 10 hp Johnson and going over to a girls’ camp. I was intrigued, as my family owned a similar set-up (I still have the motor). Do you know if this movie was ever released on tape and, if so, where might I get a copy? —Howard Smith, Toronto, Ont. Good news, Howard! The 1952 Crosby film Just For You is available online on VHS, through Amazon.
Siding Colour: Sierra
EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN THE AUTHENTIC. canexel.ca ©2014 Louisiana-Pacific Corporation. All rights reserved. LP and CanExel are trademarks of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.
SHOWERED WITH AFFECTION We love your magazine and have several years’ worth, which our friends and family love to read when they visit our cottage at Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park in Manitoba. After a long, hard day of puttering, boating, swimming, or just lying in the sun, nothing feels better than a hot (or cold) shower under the sun or the stars. My husband, Kriss, undertook this “little” outdoor shower project this year. He used recycled materials—even the door hinges—and we use only environmentally friendly soap. Our friends and family love it, and we do too! —Judy Mathieson, Winnipeg, Man.a
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We love to hear from you! Send your stories and comments to: letters@cottagelife.com.
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Go to cottagelife.com/digital-editions Talk about a bathing beauty. May 2014
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BUGS SUCK! { Continued from page 53 } further, injecting an anaesthetic that conceals their presence until the “What’s on my neck?” moment. Dog ticks even secrete an adhesive that makes them harder to dislodge. Why us? Mosquitoes and the other biting flies prefer flower nectar; however, they need protein from blood to produce eggs, so adult female mosquitoes, blackflies, stable flies, biting midges, horseflies, deer flies, and ticks search out humans and other animals. Male stable flies do consume blood, as do male ticks (and immature ticks of both sexes). While carbon dioxide, body heat, and skin odour are major draws for most biting flies, motion also lures them in, especially horseflies and deer flies, which use their huge eyes to detect action from a distance. They are particularly drawn to shiny, moving objects (think swimmers). Not ticks: These hitchhikers climb high on vegetation, raise their front legs, and hook onto us as we brush by them. These clans of vampires transmit diseases including yellow fever, malaria, and river blindness, which in many parts of the world cause death and misery. Canada is a relatively safe zone, but it’s not entirely without risk. “I think West Nile virus is the most important concern here in Canada,” says Doug Campbell, a pathologist at the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre. West Nile virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, and its symptoms in humans are either so mild that it goes undetected, or it manifests as flu-like; extreme cases are very rare, but the virus may lead to debilitation or death. Its territory has spread rapidly since the virus’s arrival in Canada in 2001, to include much of Ontario, parts of the Prairies and southern Quebec, and even extends into Alberta and BC. Everyone in affected areas is at risk of exposure, but the likelihood of having the more serious health effects is very slim. “There’s no preventive, no vaccine, so all you can do is reduce your exposure to mosquitoes,” says Campbell. Another risk is Lyme disease, an illness caused by bacteria transmitted by the blacklegged, or deer, tick. Latching 116 cottagelife.com
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onto and sucking blood from a passing animal, usually a bird or a mammal, the nymph or adult tick can acquire the bacteria or, if already infected, pass it on. The range of this tick is spreading, perhaps aided by global warming, but family pets and wildlife, especially birds, also help establish new focal points for Lyme disease by carrying ticks to new areas. Southern parts of BC, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, and various areas in Nova Scotia have reported Lyme disease. Early warning signs include joint pain, general flu-like symptoms, and sometimes a red rash around the bite (often in the shape of a bull’s eye). Treatment with antibiotics is usually effective. Untreated, the disease may progress to include arthritis, joint swelling, cardiac illness, or cognitive disorders due to infection of the central nervous system. “Typically, it’s not considered to be fatal,” says Robbin Lindsay, a research scientist with the Public Health Agency of Canada. So what are these bugs good for? Like the canary in the coal mine, “biting flies are a strong indicator of healthy environments,” says Stephen Smith, an adjunct biology professor at the University of Waterloo. “Virtually all the groups of biting flies we are faced with in this country are associated with water,” using it, or at least wet or moist areas, to breed. Mosquitoes develop in still water, from swamps to plugged eavestroughs; blackflies need clear, running water; and horsefly and deer fly larvae live in wetlands. If biting flies such as mosquitoes and blackflies were suddenly absent, it would be a warning that our water’s quality or quantity was compromised. Then there’s the “link in the food chain” argument. All these blood-eaters fall prey to a host of predators, from invertebrates, such as spiders, to bats and birds. “Blackfly larvae are absolutely critical to many fish—such as trout—in streams and rivers,” says Gordon Surgeoner, a retired medical entomologist from the University of Guelph. Trout anglers who curse blackflies as they fish get the last laugh as they get their own protein back while eating their catch.a Dan Schneider has taught outdoor environmental education for more than 30 years.
A pro’s guide to keeping bugs away Together with a team of volunteer pincushions, Jamie Heal rolled up his sleeve for the good of us all. The head of field studies at Arcturus Testing, a company that tests insect control products and repellents, says staying inside during peak biting times really helps. If you can’t, he adds, “we suggest covering up with clothing, then we start talking about repellents.” Heal says that wearing lighter-coloured clothing slightly reduces bites (possibly because the biters’ normal prey tend to be dark). Most repellents contain DEET (N,N-diethyl-metatoluamide). Developed by the US army in 1946, DEET works against mosquitoes, blackflies, and biting midges, and strong DEET on clothing repels ticks. Initially, heavy use on very young kids caused toxicity reactions, but “if you use it as shown on the label, it’s perfectly safe,” says Heal. Stronger repellents (30 per cent DEET) are not advised for children younger than 12, and even the weakest products are not recommended for babies younger than six months old. Keep DEET away from eyes, mouths, and open cuts. Heal suggests the weaker DEET repellents (seven per cent or
lower) for short jaunts and stronger ones for longer outings (30 per cent will protect for four to six hours). Are there alternatives? Citronellabased repellents work for short durations, and other botanical repellents, such as eucalyptusbased Off! or Coleman Botanicals, give fairly good protection but are more expensive. Then there are the “nice try but doesn’t work” ideas, such as eating bananas or garlic. Heal’s team even tried ingesting a teaspoon of oregano oil each. “All it did was give everyone diarrhea.” Bug zappers don’t kill many mosquitoes. “In fact, 95 per cent of the insects that those light traps kill are beneficial,” he says. Surprisingly, normal and citronella candles both gave the same (minimal) protection. Ultrasonic repellents are useless. As for bug attraction: “It’s all about size and behaviour,” says Heal. “Bigger, more active people put out more heat and CO2. People who get the most bites get about three times more than those who get the least.” The good news? The more you’re bitten, the less you react, both in a given year and in your lifetime.—D.S.
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Isn’t it finally time to get a Jetfloat dock? Jetfloat: the original do-it-yourself modular docking system. To find out more, visit www.jetfloat.com or call 1-877-TO-FLOAT (1-877-863-5628). TM
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COTTAGE SHOWCASE
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All pleasure craft, including canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats, must have one PFD for every passenger. Other equipment to carry includes a buoyant heaving line, a bailer, and a whistle. And, to drive a motorized boat, Canadians must have their Pleasure Craft Operator’s Card. For more cottager tips, visit cottagelife.com
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Cottage Improvements, Furnishings, Rec & Leisure
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Cottage Improvements, Furnishings, Rec & Leisure
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Water.calm WHETHER YOU’RE planning a new system or updating, expanding, or fixing an existing one, the solutions are all here: • Testing your water SOLID, EASY-TOUNDERSTAND ADVICE CLEAR, DETAILED ILLUSTRATIONS EXTENSIVE TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDES THE LATEST METHODS AND TECHNOLOGY DO-IT-YOURSELF TIPS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE HIRING A PROFESSIONAL
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Cottage Properties
COTTAGE PROPERTIES/ CLASSIFIEDS Real estate sales, rentals, and services
SAUBLE BEACH Greg Kirby, Broker Cell: 807-466-8266 www.kenoracottagecountry.com Longbow Lake - $360,000 Ideal for a home or cottage, approx. 1.6 acre low and level profile vacant lot bordering a north exposure sheltered bay with 319 feet frontage. Road access.
Regina Bay, Lake of the Woods - $355,000 Four-season, waterfront, custom built cottage on large lot. Sauble Beach location; a short drive from anywhere in the GTA & SW ON. Premium materials & craftsmanship throughout. Truly a one-of-a-kind property
www.1268SaubleFallsRd.com
Beautiful Cottage on Sand Lake Rideau Waterway
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1,678 s/f 2 bedroom, 2 bath cottage including lower level 1 bedroom guest suite, on 0.89 acre with 269 ft. of level, low and gentle profile shoreline. Detached garage, single slip boathouse. Turn-key. Road access.
NE Bay, Black Sturgeon Lake - $795,000 Open concept 4,200 s/f 3 bedroom, 3 bath vacation home includes fully finished walk-out basement and oversized 2 car garage, 360 s/f self-contained guest cottage on 1.74 acres wooded lot with 165 ft. shoreline in a sheltered cove. Road access.
Route Bay, Lake of the Woods - $839,000 Open design 2,000 s/f 4 bedroom, 2 bath back split cottage with lower level guest suite, double detached garage, dry land boathouse with electric marine railway on 1.82 acres medium profile lot with 146.9 ft. rock shoreline. Road access.
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Beautiful British Columbia Low maintenance 3 bdm., 2 bath, screened porch, basement 110 ft. shoreline on a heavily treed 1 acre lot. Fully furnished and immediate occupancy.Original owner with good documentation for cottage. Direct access to hiking trails throughout Birch Island. Starcraft 14 ft. aluminum boat with outboard motor. A few minutes by boat to mainland parking. This attractive cottage in a beautiful setting offered at $235,600 For more details and photos, please contact: Jeff Hart, Riverview Realty Ltd., 1-888-382-4303 • www.remaxriverview. com • MLS# 14600638
Discover the Kawarthas! Big Bald Lake, Pigeon Lake, Lower Buckhorn, Chemong, Mississauga, Catchacoma...
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Kim Letto Timberframe + Glass + Privacy = Breathtaking For Sale
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Sales Representative
Call direct: FRANK Real Estate 705-313-6057 www.kimlettosells.ca INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED, BROKERAGE
BEAUTIFUL MCGREGOR BAY ISLAND Orville H Marsh_spring14.indd 1
14-02-06 10:40 AM Randall Dale_may14.indd 1
Carl Thomas • Broker - Owner 14-04-01
Royal LePage 1 14-04-01 2:25 Frank_May14.indd PM
2:24 PM
Warm, wooded waterfront describes this renovated home on 2A lot, Vaulted ceilings, stone fireplace, ensuite, new kit. Large wrap around deck with great view over Lake Huron.$259,900.
1.71 acre private Island with excellent protected boat harbour. Classic main cottage constructed 1945 with wood floors, wood beamed ceilings, stone fireplace, 5 bedrooms, 2-2pcs baths, a large dining room with second fireplace, huge kitchen patio with spectacular views of surrounding islands and distant mountains. Direct boat access to the most beautiful cruising waters in the area (Killarney, North Channel etc!). Paradise awaits! $549,000 fully equipped. Offers considered. MLS#1020066
J. James Bousquet Realty Inc. 24 Water Street, Little Current, ON (705) 368-2271 • (705) 368-1096 fax info@manitoulinproperty.com www.manitoulinproperty.com
BAY ESTATES - A perfect 2 bdrm 1400 sq ft home featuring 10’ ceilings, 50 year siding & steel roof located on a waterfront lot just 15 mins from Little Current. A double car square log garage w/insulated workshop & a lovely Bunkie round out this fine offering. Asking $379,000. MLS#1021766
DOMINION BAY LUXERY CHALET - 3 bdrm, year round home is set in an all-natural wooded area with no grass to cut. This quality home features spectacular 10” plank softwood flooring, a great deck & lots of privacy. The lot comes adorned with a nice garage & an attached bunkie. Asking $390,000. MLS#1017698
J.A. ROLSTON LTD., BROKERAGE 1-800-461-0123 www.rolstons.com
Situated on private peninsula with 194ft of flat waterfront with beach, dock, boat launch and 2BR bunkie. 3BR, 2 bath, FP and deck facing the water. Great for summer or year round. $229,900. St. Joseph Island home with sweeping lawns & usable waterfront. Unique open concept style with LR, DR, KIT MBR overlooking the water from 2nd level. Large garage/ workshop for storing all the out door toys. $229,500. For more pics, go to www.carlthomas.ca
705.246.8585 carlthomas@royallepage.ca
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Cottage Properties LAKE SIMCOE
ROWING: The 'WaterDart' by Edon (TS515)
Lagoon City! Beautiful townhome, perfect for w/e getaway or permanent residence. Great for entertaining; 3 bdrms, 4 baths. Close to Orillia & Casino Rama. Listed at $289,900.00
Pamela Park, Sales Rep., Coldwell Banker RMR Real Estate, Brokerage Toll free 1.888.472.2767
“Kid-and-Dog Friendly!” Red Pine Wide Plank Flooring is ˜3x harder than any other pine.
Do-it-Yourself : 12", 10", 8", 6" kiln-dried, T&G, Anti-cupping. Canada-wide delivery sale in effect. Book early! Visit: www.PineFlooring.ca
Douglas Canoes Re-canvasing; repairs; restoration & fibreglass work available for canoes 14-04-01 2:25 PM and small boats. Custom made canoe book cases. Restored canoes for sale. 25 years experience. (705) 738-5648 farrdj@nexicom.net www.douglascanoes.ca
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Waterfront on Ottawa River Ottawa River, 500 ft. of glorious waterfront. Home plus cottage, super garage. Minutes to Deep River. MLS #891166.
Recreational Rowing Shell from Australia. FAST • STABLE • UNSINKABLE • FUN Australian "WaterDart" (Edon TS515) $2650. Carbon/glass sculling oars $548. RowersWorld.ca 1-888-827-9904
Waterfront on Bonnechere River Retirement/Summer retreat. Year round access, 100 ft of waterfront, custom, deluxe bungalow. MLS# 903109.
Off The Grid
Downunder Solar Inc is your Eastern Ontario Off Grid specialist. Solar modules, controllers, batteries, inverters, chargers, generators, proJennifer E. Turcotte at RE/MAX Pembroke Realty Ltd. pane fridges & ranges, gas & woodstoves, on1-866-770-0166 • info@jenniferturcotte.com demand hot water, radiant heating & composting toilets. We’ve been designing and installing Off Grid systems for 15 yrs. Whether you Nova Scotia South Shore require a full turnkey installation or a DIY kit we will make sure you get a system that will Remax Pembroke_may14.indd 1 14-04-01 3:12 PM work for your specific needs. Design-SalesInstallation-Service. kurt@downundersolar.ca (613) 583-0139. www.downundersolar.ca
7.6 A. private oceanfront. Totally renovated 1113 sq. ft. 2BR 1bath home with designer kitchen. $359900. realtor.ca #80124951 or kijiji.ca #460341022 (902) 656-3454 • rose.¿ncham@yahoo.com
138 GROVE ROAD-CAMERON LAKE
Three Mile Lake, Armour Twnsp - $449,000
136 feet of excellent waterfront and open lake view. Newer home with granite, hardwood & ceramic finishes. Walk out to waterside patio. The over sized boathouse & double garage with loft complete the picture. $959,000.00
Sutton Group-Kawartha Lakes Realty Inc., Brokerage Grace Cork, Broker of Record/Owner 1-877-405-8484 ext. 101 www.GraceCork.com • gcork@sutton.com Offices in Coboconk & Fenelon Falls
MAGNIFICENT WATERFRONT HOME FOR SALE
$2,360,000.00
P PA PAGE E
wendyhirschmann.com wendy.hirschmann@sympatico.ca Call 519-581-7537
ffin fi iin ndac ndac dacco ott tttage.ca ag age ge..c .ca ca with ca wiith wit
7705-345-1884 direct
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Great Hand-Operated Cottage Products GUZZLER jet-pump primers, EXCELSIOR, MONITOR, HITZER, BOSHART & OASIS water pumps, WATERLINE ANCHOR brackets, DOCK-A VATOR dock adjusters, VU-FLOW sediment filters, AGI plastic pipe unions & FLAMEOUT fire fighting foam. Rintoul's Hand Pumps, RR 2, Tobermory ON N0H 2R0 Call (519) 596-2612 E-mail: hrintoul@handpumps.com Website: www.handpumps.com
Get Rid of Eavestroughs and Downspouts!! Rainhandler’s water dispersal system eliminates ground erosion, gutter cleaning and ice dams forever! Looks Great! Call: 1-877-266-4949 See video at: www.rainaway.ca
Solar Systems Reduce your hydro bills, create
Firefly Canada Ltd.
Kingston Area and Thousand Islands
table top, pathway, gazebo, pond & pool. Available in natural stone, copper, stainless steel, glass & wood. Organic eco-friendly bio oil, non-petroleum oil candle, oil lamp and tiki fuel. Natural brooms for cottage & home. Advantage: natural plant booster for fruit & vegetable, lawn & turf, agro-field & row crop. View us online and shop. www.firelitecanada.ca
A builder who can deliver the quality in a cottage you hoped for. Michael Sheedy, Carpenter & Builder. (613) 540 3415. michaelsheedy.ca
F.C. Hammond Well Drilling
Huge, private, beautiful. Sleeps 9. Canoe, rowboat, firewood included. All conveniences. $900 per week. (519) 471-5155
Serving Muskoka, Parry Sound, North Bay & surrounding areas since 1926. Complete water well drilling,pump & pressure system intstallations. Hydrofracture procedures.Guaranteed water.Fully licensed buy the M.O.E. If you are looking for the best company with solutions for a drilled water well for your home, cottage, or business, call anytime: 1-800-361-2009 Ask us how you can WIN A FREE WELL! Email: Hamwell@vianet.on.ca www.hammondwelldrilling.ca
FOR SALE - Magnificent cottage bunkie and
New & Old Aladdin Lamps, parts, shades.
bathhouse on lot 1, southern exposure, on western boundary of Killbear Park. Also, prime vacant lot 2 next to lot 1. Please visit www.cottageforsalegeorgianbay.com
Chimneys, wicks etc for other oil lamps plus kerosene heater wicks & frig burner parts, lantern globes and more. Visit Keroseneconnection.com. Cottage Kitsch (705) 636-9530
Flags. All Countries, Provinces and States.
Spring Dock Installations, Winter Removals.
Cottage For Rent
Pirate, Confederate, Military and more. 14-02-07 11:57 AM it's time for a drink at the cottage, When hoist the flag. Visit www.flagme.ca A proud Canadian company.
Wendy Hirschmann_spring14.indd 1
Interior/Exterior Wood Restoration Projects Log Homes/Wood Siding/Decks/Docks/Painting/Staining/Cob-Blasting/Power-Washing www.CedarLaineRestoration.com (705) 644-4619.
backup power, earn money selling back to the grid. GreenLink has a solution for you. Offgrid, Net Metering, Microfit, LED Lighting, Solar Security systems available. 1-888-596-9197 www.greenlinksolar.ca
Crystal Lake1 - Kawartha Lakes - Ontario Grace Cork_may14.indd 14-04-07 5:49 PM Unique property 20 minutes from Wiarton. •15 Rooms •Finest Lake •Finest Bay •Finest Lot •Finest Shoreline •Finest View •Finest Home on the Lake
SPRING INTO SUMMER
3BR; 3.2 acres; 900' lake frontage. Insulated bunkie w/hydro; boathouse; private dock; drilled well; walkout bsmt; private; yr round road. Call: (905) 383-9615 or (289) 339-7602
Outdoor & indoor lighting for patio, deck, 14-02-03 11:11 AM
Rose Fincham_spring14.indd 2
Ontario Land Surveyors Muskoka, ParrySound, Haliburton. COOTE, HILEY, JEMMETT LTD. 127 Keith Road Bracebridge, ON P1L 0A1 1-800-494-1443 www.muskokasurveyors.com surveys@muskokasurveyors.com
Maintenance, Repairs & Restorations. No job is too BIG or too small. We do it all! Contact Andrew Brown @ (613) 403-0449 ardockmaintenance@gmail.com
Nature Scrapbook
Flowers turn from white to pink-tinged once they’re pollinated, usually by bumblebees.
The showy, slow-blooming white trillium is worth the wait
A grand affair May’s beloved blankets of snowy white trilliums are creations of the artful use of scarce resources. Inhabiting dark environs with few pollinators, trilliums make a virtue of patience—some flowers persisting for 40 years or more— in maple forests as far north as Lake Nipissing, although white trilliums are rare on the Shield.
six-sided, raspberry-sized fruits that ripen red, fall, and split open in mid-July, exposing 10 to 30 large brown seeds. Each seed bears a soft, oily hood that smells like a dead insect, quickly attracting ants, which spirit them back to their nests up to 10 metres away. The scavengers eat the oily enticements and chuck the still viable remains into refuse tunnels—ideal fertile, protected germination sites— helping to spread and genetically mix a trillium population.
FLORAL FORTITUDE Most neighbour-
COVERT OPERATIONS Seeds germinate
ing trilliums bloom within days of each other and stay open for two to three weeks in hopes of attracting scarce bumblebee queens, their main pollinators. Cold weather can keep bees away for a week or more, and flowers are usually fertilized by just a single visitor. Ontario’s floral emblem has no nectar or scent, but large, copious globs of sticky yellow pollen ensure that a single slathered portly royal will do. Several days after pollination, petals begin to turn pink.
and produce a small rootlet the following spring, but they wait another year to send up just a single leaf. Each year’s growth is preformed in a tightly packed subterranean bud during the previous growing season, and inflates rapidly after the ground thaws to grab sunlight before the tree canopy closes overhead. A slowly sideways-lengthening rootstock produces two leaves after two to four years and, eventually, three leaves followed, a season or two later, by a flower.a
By Tim Tiner
IN FINE FORM Petal shape and colour of the white trillium and other varieties.
ROBERT MCCAW
White trillium (Trillium grandiĠorum)
TINY PORTERS Fertilized flowers yield
May 2014
Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum)
Red trillium (Trillium erectum)
Drooping trillium (Trillium Ġexipes)
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Weekender
She shells peanut shells. herman bresser, guelph, ont.
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IT GETS 44 MPG HWY. IF YOU’RE EVER ON A HIGHWAY.
2014 CANADIAN UTILITY VEHICLE OF THE YEAR
The All-New 2014 Jeep Cherokee was built for all that Canada has to offer. Its legendary Jeep 4x4 capability is up for any back-road, off-road or no-road challenge out there. For those long drives between adventures, it’s as efficient on the road as it is off of it, getting up to 44 MPG (6.4 L/100 km) highway.± No wonder it beat out every other new SUV in the country to be named AJAC’s Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year for 2014. You won’t find a better way to discover the best country on earth. Starting at just $23,695.* The All-New Jeep Cherokee is taking the mid-size SUV into all new territory.
±
Based on 2014 EnerGuide fuel consumption ratings. Government of Canada test methods used. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. Use for comparison purposes only. As good as 9.6 L/100 km (29 MPG) city and 6.4 L/100 km (44 MPG) highway on Jeep Cherokee 4x2 equipped with a 2.4 L engine. Ask your retailer for EnerGuide information. *MSRP for base model 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Excludes $1,695 freight, insurance, licence, registration, retailer and other fees. Dealers may sell for less. MSRP for 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited shown: $30,195. Jeep and the Jeep Grille are registered trademarks of Chrysler Group LLC.
UNIQUE OFF-GRID PROPANE RANGES
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