Pleasure craft means a boat, however propelled, that is used exclusively for pleasure and that does not carry passengers who have paid a fare for passage. A pleasure craft dock is a special area for these smaller vessels (no less than 6 metres/20 feet in length or 900 kg/1 ton in weight), to dock and phone in to see if the passage through the canal is clear for them to pass through. Except for the approaches to Lock One, up bound at Lake Ontario, and Lock 8, down bound at Lake Erie, there are no other pleasure craft docks throughout the canal.

Pleasure craft transiting the Welland Canal must maintain the order of passage when accompanying commercial vessels and adjust speeds accordingly. Transit time may exceed 12 hours and the crew should be prepared to man the craft continuously for that time. Partial transit of the canal is not permitted except in emergency cases, such as adverse weather or vessel malfunctions. The cost to travel through the canal and the eight locks is $25.00 per lock.

Denise Carpenter, Manager of the Sugarloaf Marina in Port Colborne said that boats approaching the Lock One pleasure craft dock either come from a nearbye marina, or arrive just in time to enter the dock to use the phone, to inquire when they will be allowed passage through the canal. Twenty-three and a half nautical miles south, sailors thinking of doing the same, work through Denise and her marina to organize passage starting at the pleasure dock in Lock Eight.

Lake Ontario, Lock One. Coming by land from Port Weller:

Just before you reach the Welland Canal Bridge, make a right onto Seaway Haulage Road. About 1 km in you will see a side road out to the docks and can park accordingly. Look across and see the Welland Canal Parkway and clear view of Lock One of the Welland Canal.

From Port Dalhousie by land:

Lakeport Road to Lakeshore Road and make a left. Follow untill the Welland Canal Bridge and cross over it. At Seaway Haulage Road make a left and follow about 1 km and see a side road out to the docks. Parking available and clear view of Lock One of the Welland Canal.

Info Niagara, Welland Canal

The St. Lawrence Pleasure Craft Guide

St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

Pleasure Craft Dock, Welland Canal Lock One
Seaway Haulage Road (Seaway Haulage Road / Lakeshore Road)
St. Catharines, Ontario

St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation
202 Pitt Street
Cornwall, Ontario
K6J 3P7
Tel (613) 932-5170
Fax (613) 932-7286
Email marketing@seaway.ca
Website www.greatlakes-seaway.com