The luxury line of ships docked at the Roberta Bondar Marina for several days as Grand Banks members enjoyed a fun weekend downtown
Over the past three days, locals may have noticed some new boats moored at the Roberta Bondar Marina.
Members of Grand Banks Yachts, a boat company with a luxury line of vessels, visited the Sault this weekend.
The organization, which has more than 170 members, chooses a different travel destination each year in Canada and the United States.
Twelve boats headed to the marina this weekend; some of them were newer Grand Banks models, while others were over 50 years old.
Lauren Finney, an elected official at Grand Banks, says the Sault is a great travel destination and they learned a lot about the city during their visit.
“We are so excited to be here in the Sault,” she says. “It’s such a welcoming and friendly city. We all share this joy of exploring new places and being on the water together.”
Finney says their members try to do as much sightseeing as possible when traveling to a new destination.
During their stay, Grand Banks boaters got to enjoy several attractions and events such as Rotaryfest, the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, and some local restaurants and breweries.
Robert Colwell, a dedicated Grand Banks boater and Gore Bay reunion organizer, echoed many of Finney’s observations about Salt.
“It was a perfect rendezvous, mostly because of where we’re holding it,” he says. “It couldn’t be better. This city has so much to offer.”
Most ships are manufactured offshore, including in places as far away as Singapore.
Organization secretary Bill Wilcox is also among the boaters traveling through the Sault. He says Grand Banks ships are incredibly unique compared to other ships.
“It’s a very appealing design to the eye,” he explains. “The lines of the boats are very nice and have a smooth design. The finish on the vessels is top notch and have some intricate detailing both inside and out.
The group has visited a different destination every year since 1996.
Grand Banks members are looking forward to traveling to Sister Bay on Lake Michigan next summer.
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