Matchless Adventures Inc. — Attraction in District Municipality of Muskoka

We rented a 60hp pontoon boat for an 8-hour outing on a beautiful Saturday morning, expecting a safe and enjoyable day on the water. What we got instead was a harrowing ordeal that could have ended in disaster.

From the outset, we were informed by an attendant named Brad that the boat’s throttle body had issues raising and lowering the outboard motor. While he could manually operate it from the motor itself, the throttle control was faulty. This was noted, but shockingly, no comprehensive test of the boat’s core functionalities was conducted before handing it over. As returning customers who had previously rented a 90hp boat from Matchless Adventures, we trusted that the equipment would be fully operational and safe—especially given the significant rental fee and numerous positive reviews. This assumption, based on basic expectations of safety and professionalism, proved to be a grave mistake.

We were maneuvered out of the dock by hand by the attendant, unaware of the full extent of the issues awaiting us. Our plan was to head to Lake Joseph, stopping at Port Carling for a break. Upon approaching the dock at Port Carling, traveling at a cautious 1-2 km/h to avoid damaging the boat or nearby vessels, we attempted to shift into reverse to properly dock. To our horror, the boat would not engage in reverse. The throttle appeared to shift, but pulling it back produced no movement, despite the motor splashing water behind us. This malfunction left us on a collision course with a docked boat, an absolutely terrifying moment that could have resulted in serious damage or injury. By sheer luck, we managed to shift back into forward gear (which also was not shifting into gear and proved not to shift consistently from neutral for the rest of the journey) after several failed attempts and escaped the situation, but the experience was nothing short of traumatic.

Wisely, we abandoned our plans and returned to the Gravenhurst dock, navigating cautiously in forward gear only, as the boat’s critical functions were clearly compromised. Upon arrival, we reported the issue to the dock attendant, who took the boat out and confirmed a power issue with the motor in reverse, validating our concerns. This was no fault of inexperience on our part, as we initially feared, but a clear and dangerous equipment failure.

When we escalated the issue to the office, we encountered a staff member—possibly Ali, based on other reviews—who was shockingly dismissive and unprofessional. Instead of an apology or any acknowledgment of the severity of the situation, we were met with a veiled accusation that we must have mishandled the boat, with the absurd insinuation that we jerked from full speed to reverse in a crowded dock area—an impossibility given the setting. No remorse, no accountability, just a curt mention that the boat would be “checked the next day.” This response was not only inadequate but outright offensive, considering we had seven passengers, including an infant, on board. The potential for physical harm or financial liability from a collision at Port Carling was very real, and Matchless Adventures’ cavalier attitude was reprehensible.

The staff, largely younger individuals, appeared woefully undertrained in handling customer complaints, particularly those involving life-and-safety issues. Their failure to thoroughly inspect equipment before rental and their dismissive response to legitimate concerns reflect a gross lack of professionalism and care. Matchless Adventures’ negligence put my family and others at risk, and their handling of the situation was an insult to basic customer service standards.

I strongly advise against renting from Matchless Adventures, especially for families or anyone prioritizing safety. Their disregard for proper equipment maintenance and their abysmal handling of serious complaints make them an unacceptable choice for any water-based adventure. Save your money—and your peace of mind—and...

Our experience was a matchless adventure indeed!

Compared to other rental experiences across North America, Matchless was by far the friendliest and most safety-minded. They want to make sure that you are comfortable with the craft and were happy to answer any/all questions about the equipment or tips in navigating the bay and lake.

A notable distinction was that a Matchless staffer (in our case, Ali, one of the owners of Matchless) would accompany you on a quick (10 min) orientation prior to letting us loose into the lake. The orientation is to allow them to walk you through the boat and to assess your handling skills to make sure you know what you're doing. It wasn't a big deal and certainly not an imposition. All the staff were friendly.

Another notable distinction was that our boat was very new and in great shape. I understand that Matchless trades in their boats every two years or so, so all their craft are well maintained.

On our way back to the marina, we encountered a couple guys in the water. They had apparently fallen off their jetski and couldn't manage to get back on. They were in pretty bad shape being in the water without proper clothes/wetsuits. We pulled them aboard and made our way back to shore. Ali was particularly gracious and immediately offered the two guys use of their private shower to warm up.

All in all, an exciting adventure for our family. I would highly recommend Matcheless for boat rentals. We will be renting again the next time we're...

I was recently looking around for a boat rental to take my parents (both seniors) boating for their first time on Lake Muskoka and came across Matchless Adventures. My parents can be very particular and tend to ask a lot of questions when it comes doing activities like this. I have rented a boat in the past from other places on other lakes with friends, and have had good experiences. Comparatively, I must say Matchless Adventures above and beyond what I expected. With my parents always asking questions I had to make calls on multiple occasions to find out the answers about the pontoon boat we rented for the day. Every time I called, both Allan and Ali were extremely patient and kind with me and answered all my questions. They were always willing to help in any way they could to give us the best experience. Their employees handling the boats at the docks were very knowledgeable and provided me with all the knowledge and equipment to operate the boat safely. They were all very accommodating to our many needs and with it being my parents’ first time they also loved the experience as a whole! I can’t thank them enough. I would highly recommend going to these guys and without a doubt I will definitely be coming back to them in the future. Thanks Matchless...