Three Buoys Houseboat Vacations

An absolutely wonderful vacation and worth every penny! So much fun on a wonderful Lake with super friendly and helpful staff!

It’s too bad! It could have been a great cruise but it turned out to be a huge and expensive disappointment. If ever there was a case of a breach of truth in advertising, this was it, which just goes to prove the old adage…..Buyer beware!!I booked our houseboat months before from Australia where I live. I spent over $5000 to rent a houseboat and a 14’ dinghy from Three Buoys Houseboats on Lake Temagami for a week. This was a houseboat that was advertised to cater for 10 people. It was a struggle to accommodate even 5 people!! This houseboat could not possibly accommodate 10 people unless they were all children and I am not exaggerating. It had one cramped private room and an upstairs loft with a ceiling that was so low, about 3 foot high, that the adult couple that had to sleep there could only crawl around. Downstairs, the remaining sleeping quarters consisted of a pull-out couch that was so shabby and so in need of repairs that it took 3 of us about 10 minutes to be able to properly pull it out. According to our friend who had to sleep there, it was dreadfully uncomfortable to sleep on as well. But the worst part of the whole accommodation was that both the front and back sliding doors could not be latched closed let alone locked! The doors would slide open with every rock of the boat or with any substantial winds. Given that we were boating in September, there was plenty of wind and rain and it was very cold and uncomfortable.Upon our return to the dock at the end of the week, the company then advised me that the propeller had a ding in it and that we would be charged an additional $150 for its repair. I then pointed out the faults that we encountered after we were well up the lake on our first day and that we could do nothing about. When asked if Three Buoys would consider a little ‘quid pro quo’ in consideration for the faults and shabby condition of the houseboat that we had to endure, the owner just said “Forget it! It aint happening!”Later, when I was visiting Bobcaygeon, Ontario, I checked out identical houseboats and this rental company never advertised that they could accommodate 10 people but rather that these size houseboats could comfortably accommodate 2 couples and a couple of children. These houseboats were in far better condition inside with modern furnishings and fittings……no comparison to Three Buoys Houseboats!I would never recommend Three Buoys Houseboats so once again, the old adage applies, Buyer beware!

A group of us rented a houseboat for 4 days from Three Buoys, it was a great experience.The introduction is very thorough and the boats are in great condition compared to other houseboat companies that I have rented from.You have to take into consideration that these boats are 30 years old and you are in a very remote area. You are basically a floating RV getting into some very remote and beautiful parts of the country.If you do something stupid like hit a rock then yes, your trip will end early but if you are careful and listen to the briefing you will have a great time.

Overall great trip and experience! Beauty of Lake Temagami is tough to challenge. 40 year old houseboat, however gave it a try. Poorly fitting doors and windows resulted in lots of drafts. We also had 3 unwanted stowaways (mice) as well, which took some creativity to catch (successful!!).Northern reach of the Lake (Henderson Bay) is beautiful! We stayed for 2 nights. Shore campfires were amazing! Waves lulled us to sleep. View of Mount Henderson was an amazing way to wake up! Sunny days steering from the upstairs deck were spectacular!Last day was the biggest challenge. High winds made our journey difficult, from the start. These 22,000lb boats rode well, while requiring some very active steering. Damp weather resulted in the engine stalling 3 times then hesitating. It brought us home safely though!Female staff were very friendly and helpful. Male staff, including Jim, not so much. Had 2 unexpected charges: propeller repair & service call (new battery). Thought about challenging them, but let it go.Our first, and not last experience on a houseboat. Next time, newer boat in a less remote location. Note to self: double wine supply next time ;-)Treat the houseboat like an old RV, go with at least 4 people and expect the unexpected, and you'll have a great time!

We had a very fun weekend on the houseboat. The lake is just beautiful and kids enjoyed jumping, sliding, swimming and hiking! I can’t rate any higher due to the contaminated nature of the boat. Unfortunately 3 out of 6 passengers have been struggling with health issues, hopefully just major allergic reactions, since returning from our trip. There were many mice present on the boat and having no knowledge of this ahead of time we had no way to combat them or clean thoroughly enough. They would run all night. The boat also was moldy in certain areas and floor rotted out. I have an allergy to mold and I should have maybe known better but this experience definitely triggered a bad reaction. These shortcomings should be addressed to increase customer satisfaction. If your okay with mold and mice you will have a great time the lake is truly wonderful.

Boats are pretty old and beat up. Be careful with any damages and document them before hand. We got stuck with a charge for a piece of the boat that was already damaged but fell off while we were using it. Jim could care less and said too bad you have to pay for it. I was told I would get a call from the owner to discuss it but never received a call.

Awesome experience , first trip was fly-in fishing on Fry Lake . They use an.old DeHavolin beaber great experience on the trip out I wasn't to comfortanle we hit a lot of rough air and it wasn't too great , but on the way back I'm like what do u mean the trop is over already can't we go back out ? " They are geeat with they're service they do a fly over everyday to see if ur ok

We rented 2 houseboats for my whole family (7 on one boat and 6 on the other) for 3 days. The boats are large enough to accommodate 10 people. However, there isn't enough space in the fridge to feed that many people, if that had been the case. The boat was clean but looked like it came from the 80s. In addition, one of the couch beds on The Beaver VIII was so sunk in, there was no way anyone could sleep on it.The main reason I am giving it a 3 stars was the condensing (with a touch of misogyny) way the older man (not sure we were given his name) giving the orientation and who took out the boat treated me. I had just gotten my licence and never drove a boat before. When I took over the wheel to see what it was like and to get the hang of it, he told me after 2 seconds that I shouldn't be allowed to drive!". And after asking another question regarding starting the boat

We booked this first and read reviews afterwards, so I was a bit worried, but this whole experience didn't disappoint. But know that this is more of a camping experience than a yacht experience. Still, I found it reasonably clean and well kept considering the age of the boats. Only two of the fleet still have original flooring but apparently even they will have (much needed) replaced linoleum next year. Sure, bugs will find their way in, but no more than a rustic cottage.If you're not experienced with boats/boating, tying up boats, then I'd pay careful attention during your initial instructions. I was glad to have captains. ;) Overnight anchoring can be tricky.So many cool/hidden spots to dock and enjoy beautiful Lake Temagami! The upper deck on this boat was the best feature. Incredible views, lots of bench seating, plus you can drive from up there and listen to music. There is a stereo on the main level that plays the radio or connects to your phone to music on the boat. Also we were able to put a 10x10 camping gazebo up there for sun and rain shelter. Some ppl apparently even pitch overnight camping tents up there for an alternative sleeping arrangement. The water slide is SO MUCH FUN!!!The sleeping set up: two double pull out couches that were pretty comfy, plus a double that the dining room table converts into. Plus a double in the back bedroom and a double in the little bunk upstairs. My kids loved the bunkhouse and it got nice and breezy up there at night. We were 4 adults + 3 kids and had ample room.Kitchen is well stocked but I'd bring a good knife, a cast iron pan, and maybe a platter dish for serving food to your whole crew. I also brought by own French press for coffee but they supply a camping coffee pot. Note: there are no outlets for plugging things in when you're away from dock. So no point in bring kitchen electrics or fans or anything else that requires electricity. Bring various pre charged charging blocks if possible as radio has one usb port to charge devices. Not much reception on the lake either fyi.Definitely also bring kitchen cloths, tea towels, bathroom hand towels. I'd also personally suggest cheap little door mats too to keep floors a bit cleaner from water/sand. And there's a real lack of hooks on board to hang wet towels etc, so bring clothes pins or something to help hang stuff from railings. Fridge/freezer size is decent enough but bring ice for the cooler they provide! BBQ is small and in good condition. Decent enough storage on board but don't pack excessively. Bedroom has a small cupboard and there's a small closet for everyone else's stuff.Bring lighters and firewood for your overnight sleeping/hanging spots. Stores on lake were not open (mid week in August) for us.Great service from Three Buoys. A really fun, unique, memorable experience overall. Would recommend it!!

Hello All!I wanted to share this experience with you all here, as it truly should be shared!While we are avid RV'ers, with 2 trailers set seasonally not far from our home (my health has prevented us from doing much transient travelling), this year we took a family vacation to Temagami (the first big vacation with our son, his wife and their 4 kiddos, and our first family vacation in many, many years). While taking one of our trailers WAS an option, we chose to rent a houseboat at Lakeland Airways & Three Buoys Houseboats - we rented last year for 4 days, 3 of which I spent ill from a crohns/Colitis flare, down and out until the journey back to dock. My husband was determined to make it a week long trip this year, including our kids and grandkids (4 adukts, 4 kids 5-9yrs old, daughter couldnt make it this year, her little one is just 5 months old), and he scrimped and saved to make it happen.... and THIS Wife/Mother/Nana is so very beyond grateful for all he does, for making this trip possible, and for all the wonderful memories we made for our grandkids last week. A wee bit apprehensive of spending an entire week on a boat with them all, we set out in 2 vehicles packed full to Temagami.I cannot even begin to tell you what an amazing week we all had together there! I truly believe we found a piece of actual heaven there... absolutely, incredibly, breath-takingly beautiful. The sights even included some incredibly magical luminescent fungi, daily visits along the way from a few Bald Eagles, and THE BEST FISHING we have done in a REALLY long time, waters so clear you can watch the fish come after your line, 'kangaroo' mice (yes, they are a real thing, and rare to see on the beach), and the bluest skies ever. I have included the miraculous discovery of the fungi pic as well.Although we decided on the houseboat, there are places all along the way where you can access for tenting, and campgrounds around for trailers... and lots of boat rentals around! Canoes galore as well, there are portage routes that are above and beyond worth the journey. Should anyone be thinking about what to do next year, by ALL means, check out Temagami and the area. You will not be disappointed, at all. And if, by chance, you stop at the gas station/sub shop/country style donuts on the highway in, Three Buoys' is located right behind them... stop in and say hello, they are some wonderful, welcoming people around there!