Docks & Boat Lifts from Chaffey's Lock to Seeley's Bay

For the quiet lakes of the southern Rideau, from Indian Lake down to Cranberry and Dog Lake.


South of Newboro, the Rideau Canal winds through a chain of smaller lakes on its way to Kingston. Indian, Opinicon, Sand, Whitefish and Cranberry are cottage lakes with good fishing, locks to pass through and a slower pace than the big water to the north. Our Portland shop is a short drive away.


These lakes carry a history that still shapes every dock built on them. When the canal dams were finished in the early 1830s, some lakes rose by several metres and others were created from flooded forest and marsh. That history sits right under your dock, so we plan for it.


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Lakes and Communities We Serve

  • Indian Lake and Clear Lake, around Chaffey's Lock
  • Opinicon Lake
  • Sand Lake and Jones Falls
  • Whitefish Lake and Morton
  • Cranberry Lake and Little Cranberry Lake
  • Dog Lake
  • Seeley's Bay and the shorelines in between



The Lakes the Canal Made

No two of these lakes started the same way, and each one asks something a little different of a dock.


  • Indian Lake. A natural lake, raised about 2.4 m. The old shoreline sits underwater, so check depth well out from shore.
  • Opinicon Lake. A natural lake, raised about 3.3 m, with a maximum depth near 8 m. Expect sheltered, shallow bays where weeds grow in summer.
  • Sand Lake. A natural lake, raised about 2.4 m and reaching about 15 m deep. Deeper water in many spots, with weeds in the sheltered bays.
  • Whitefish Lake. Created by canal dams flooding a former forest. Expect an uneven bottom and old wood below the surface near shore.
  • Cranberry Lake. Created from a flooded marsh, with the dam at Upper Brewers raising the water about 5.5 m. Drowned stumps sit off the channel, along with shallow margins.
  • Dog Lake. Its southern section was made by canal flooding, while its deepest water tops 30 m. Deep basins in some areas, newer shallows in others.



What That Means for Your Dock

Shallow, weedy bays. Across the Rideau, aquatic plants grow in most sheltered water less than about 3.5 m deep. A dock set too close to shore can end up sitting in the weeds, or touching bottom when the water drops. Pole docks are built for water under six feet, and their modular sections let the dock run out past the weed line to where the boat needs to be.


Stumps and uneven bottoms. On the flooded lakes, the bottom can change from one leg to the next. Each pole dock leg adjusts on its own with a wrench, so the deck stays level over rock, wood or soft ground.


The fall drop. Canal levels come down every fall, and a shallow bay gets shallower. Our post on the Rideau Lakes drawdown explains how to plan for it.


Ice. A tower lift dock winches its frame up out of the water at the end of the season, keeping it clear of spring ice.



Lifting the Boat in Shallow Water

The canal brings steady boat traffic through the season, and a lift keeps your boat up out of the wakes and the weeds.


  • Cantilever lifts are welded from marine-grade aluminum in our own shop. They suit PWCs and aluminum fishing boats up to 1,300 lbs, work well in shallow water and have 18 inches of leg adjustment.
  • FLOE vertical lifts level with FLOE's Easy-Level legs, and FLOE builds them to work in shallower water than most lifts. They carry a 15-year limited warranty.
  • Wave Armor drive-on ports float beside your dock for boats from 1,500 to 8,000 lbs, with a separate port for pontoons up to 28 feet.



Every Dock on the Canal Needs a Permit

These lakes are part of the Rideau Canal, so Parks Canada approves the work. Any structure on, over or under the bed of the canal needs a Parks Canada permit, including seasonal docks, swim rafts and boat lifts. Dog Lake is included.


Parks Canada will also review requests to clear submerged weeds near your dock. Emergent plants, like cattails, pickerel weed and pond lilies, cannot be removed.


Apply online through Parks Canada or email the Rideau Canal permit office at on-rc-cr.permits-permis@pc.gc.ca. Start early, ideally over the winter, so your new dock can go in with the spring.



Questions From Canal Cottagers

My bay is only knee-deep. Is a dock still worth it?
Yes. Shallow water is where pole docks do their best work. We design the layout to reach usable depth, then add a lift or swim platform where the water allows.


I take my dock out every fall. Does it still need a permit?
On the Rideau Canal, yes. Parks Canada requires a permit for seasonal and temporary structures as well as permanent ones.



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Built a Short Drive Up the Canal

Our tower lift docks are hand-built in Portland, and our crew knows these lakes. Send us a photo of your shoreline and a rough depth, or visit the Portland showroom, and we will sketch out what fits your bay.


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