Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Julia and Bryan exchange their vows on a private yacht

Celebrating 10 years in the charter business, multi-yacht events are common occurrences at Gone Sailing Adventures. Despite this, each special sail has been unique, meaningful and required special attention. We have hosted many special occasions: corporate events and summer long brand experiences, bachelorette and birthday parties, ash-scatterings, photo shoots and over the last few years, couples have reached out to tie the knot on board.

Usually these intimate events occupy only one yacht (8-12 people). In 2018 we had our first “3 boat” wedding with 26 people on board.

Julia & Bryan’s Flotilla Wedding

The Gone Sailing Adventure’s team and I had such a memorable experience with our guests, we decided to welcome aboard more couples. In 2019, we set a new record as we hosted our largest wedding yet: 45 people – amongst four yachts.

Chris & Carlos Tie the Knot

During each of the previous weddings, I played a minor role in providing the venue coupled with my regular captaining responsibilities. Our couples arranged their own officiant and details.

In 2019, on a charter with guests of Joe Pilati, editor of the Bridal Guide and Canada Gay Weddings, I was introduced to Ray Swash, president of Dream Weddings Canada. His company provides officiant services to couples. We talked about the process of becoming a licensed officiant and how it would be unique to be married by a real ship’s captain. It didn’t take much convincing and at the end of the 2018 sailing season, I enrolled in a one day course, and became an ordained minister and licensed officiant in the Province of Ontario. I am now the first and only Toronto ship’s captain to do so. On June 22, 2019, I presided over the first marriage in Toronto by a ship’s captain aboard the sailing vessel WhiRLygirl.

Captain Howie Officiates

In the spring of 2019, as I was hiring staff for the summer and reacquainting with our existing team from previous year. One of my captains, Bryan described his underwater wedding to Julia (also part of our crew) during their winter holiday. It was fun and spontaneous, but they also wanted to be legal in Ontario. He and Julia discussed it and a plan was put in place. I was all set, my first wedding. In 4 weeks, our first big event of the summer would take place and it was going to be their wedding. Now, in addition to the many “titles” I have, I became a wedding planner as well.

I offered the yachts of Gone Sailing Adventures (3 beautiful Beneteaus and a Dufour, all 38-41′), Bryan arranged for the crew to volunteer that evening. I provided the photographer Samantha Jackson from our team during the sail and hired the florist, Carlene Francis of Casa die Fiori.

I engaged my partner, Heather Henderson (aka ‘the Admiral”) to outfit me. Beyond her day job as an ER nurse, she is a talented artist, decorator, seamstress, and amazing organizer. She designed the Captain’s epaulets for my official uniform. Working with Carlene, the two created a unique floral and textile design on the front of our 41′ yacht WhiRLygirl. The two created a beautiful floral frame while still having an open view forward of the bow.

Wedding Decorations on WhiRLygirl

Being in the City of Toronto, we were required to go east in order to avoid the restrictions on drone flying near Billy Bishop Airport. This event also needed proper video, and Ed Radonic of Radonic Rodgers Strategy, tourism and marketing was engaged to provide drone footage of the evening. We decided Asbridges Bay, just off Woodbine Beach would be far enough away to fly the drone and would create an excellent view of the city as the sun set during the wedding ceremony. The weather was perfect – a sunny and rare warm June evening with just a light wind. The flotilla set off at 6pm from the Gone Sailing Adventures dock at Queens Quay W and Lower Spadina Ave. Motoring close together so that the whole group of 45, spread across the 4 yachts could at least be in sight of each other as we made our way out of the Harbour and east to Woodbine Beach. We were greeted by the Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club racing fleet as we approached the anchorage. It was a beautiful site, spinnakers flying – something special for many of the guests who had never been on a sail boat before. At the Anchorage, the flotilla rafted together and everyone gathered around the foredeck of WhiRLygirl. As the sun started to set I with a long blast of my conch shell I made the call to begin the ceremony. Bryan walked up the port side of the boat and Julia, treading carefully in her heals (an exception was made to the no shoe rule) on the starboard side.

“Pirates, Sailors, Scallywags, and Stowaways… In other words… friends and family”… is how the ceremony began. The couple sealed their wedding vows by tying a knot. Prepared by Cap’t Howie, the wedding (fisherman’s) knot tightened as the two worked together pulling each end to form a single knot from the two pieces of rope. A toast was made and King Neptune was asked “to watch upon this couple and provide fair seas and safe passage to Julia and Bryan on their life long journey together.” This request was sealed with a sacrificial drop of alcohol and a shared swig (“sailor style” from the bottle of iceberg vodka) The party continued upon returning to the dock at the Loch&Quay bistro.

Just Married

Being able to host special occasions have been an incredible way to connect with our guests. The Gone Sailing Adventure’s team always make our guest experience extra special and unique. Sailing is a way to escape from reality and connect with the natural environment. We look forward to creating an event for couples looking for an on the water marriage experience and a memorable moment in their lives. Let us help create your wedding ceremony by the water.

Your Private Wedding on the Water Includes:

  • Intimate Harbour Sail showing city skyline and lake vista
  • Luxury Yacht
  • Professional Captain and Crew
  • Officiant
  • 1 Bottle of Prosecco & Complimentary Water
  • Photographer and Candid Video

Let the journey begin, a world of adventures, relaxation, and memories awaits!

YOUR SAFETY IS AT RISK

When considering chartering a yacht in Canada, we know you have many options. Some of these options look super exciting and at ridiculously great prices. Recent trends in the industry have opened the door for many unqualified individuals to purchase boats and offer charter services to the unsuspecting public. It’s easy to create a website and even easier to just list a boat on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Getmyboat, Boat Setter and many others.

Unfortunately, many of these operators are NOT licensed, insured or qualified to accept your trust on the water.

In order to be licensed and insured a number of items MUST be in place. Listed are just a few.

  • The operator must be licensed by Transport Canada with a commercial license known as either:
    – Limited Master under 60tonne.
    – Small Vessel Operators Permit (SVOP).
  • The name of the vessel must be visible on the stern (back) or the registration number beginning with the letter “C” must be visible on the side of the vessel near the front. Boats with a registration number beginning with “ON” are not licensed for passengers.
  • If the vessel is under 12m (40’) it should participate in the Transport Canada Small Vessel Compliance Program and display a “Blue Decal” and have corresponding certificate.
  • If the vessel is over 12m (40’) or carries more than 12 passengers, it MUST BE INSPECTED by Transport Canada and have an inspection certificate on board.
  • All vessels must have commercial liability insurance and coverage specifically for the number of passengers approved to be carried on board.
  • The vessel must comply with commercial safety requirements beyond recreational standards. Many of these illegal operators do not have the proper training, carry proper safety equipment, nor do their recreational boats meet the design/construction requirements of a commercial, passenger carrying vessel. These illegal operators try to stay under the radar of Police/OPP/RCMP/Transport Canada by:
  • hiding the name of their vessel by hanging items over the stern
  • not letting you know where they will have you board until just before the start of your charter.
  • pick you up at a public park (where docking is not permitted).
  • suggest to you that you are friends of the owner/operator out for a ride and not a paying customer.
  • allow you to drink alcohol while the boat is underway (illegal-same as a car) but tell you to hide your bottles etc.
  • insist on a cash transaction or part of it as a way of defrauding the internet listing company.
  • Make you sign a “Charter Agreement” just before you board without giving you details of the document beforehand.

    Over the last few years there have been a number of deaths and even more accidents resulting from these types of operators. Be safe and know who you are getting on a boat with. All licensed operators should willingly display their credentials, and most are members of the Passenger & Commercial Vessel Association (PCVA).

    Link to Global News Report on Charter Accidents

Check before you book
&
Know before you Go!

Deals

Watch for our December Holiday Specials starting
December 16