Have you ever wondered what procedures are necessary in order to pass through the Soo Locks with a recreational boat? If a recreational boat requests transit through the Soo Locks for an upbound or downbound passage they MUST have a marine radio and use the following information:

Chief Lockmaster on Channel 14, 156.700Mhz.
Callsign for the Chief Lockmaster is WUE 21.
The Lockmaster will then dispatch the vessel into a Lock.

Pleasure crafts wishing to transit the Soo Locks must have a propulsion motor. Non-motorized personal watercraft are not allowed to transit the United States Soo Locks. Non-motorized watercraft will need to use the Sault Canal Lock. A passport is not necessary because passengers do not disembark the boat. There is no charge for any vessels, whether they are commercial ships or pleasure craft, to transit either the United States Locks or the Canadian Lock. The length of time it takes to transit the Locks will depend on the amount of traffic using the Locks at a particular time. To learn more about the Soo Locks, visit our website here.