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The Boater

Your guide to safe boating ^

Welcome to the Safe Boating Guide! Boating is part of our great Canadian heritage. From the traditional use of kayaks and canoes for hunting, fishing and transportation by the Inuit and First Nations people, to the wide variety of recreational uses today, boating has always played a significant role in Canadian life. For many, it’s a passion. Knowing the basics of boating safety gives peace of mind and lets you make the most of your time on the water. Whether you are a boater, diver, angler, hunter or watersports enthusiast there are rules and information to know before setting out.

This guide is an overview of the rules and regulations for recreational boating, but should not be your only resource for boating safety. For most pleasure craft operators, having a Pleasure Craft Operator Card is the law. Of course, to get your card you will need to pass a test offered by a course provider. Taking a boating safety course is a smart choice and the best method of obtaining your operator card.

If you, your family or friends are new to boating thoroughly familiarize yourselves with the following pages. Treat this guide as a piece of safety equipment and keep it on board your boat, refer to it and apply what you have learned. If you are an experienced boater, use it as a refresher for safe boating.

Boating laws change from time to time and it is your responsibility to make sure you have the most current information. This guide is revised periodically so visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca or contact a Transport Canada Centre for the most up-to-date regulations. Make every trip a safe one.

In the event of discrepancies between the Safe Boating Guide and the regulations, the regulatory text takes precedence.

Common sense and maximizing your personal safety ^

Recreational boating is supposed to be fun, so why do roughly 150 people die every year in boating accidents? That’s not even counting the cases involving serious personal injury!

Tragically, almost all boating deaths and injuries are preventable. Most boating accidents are the result of a series of smaller things going wrong. A simple consideration such as wearing your lifejacket at all times could save your life. Use common sense when you are out on the water. Things can change in a split second.

Common sense is managing your own safety. Going on an extended canoe trip? Coastal sailing away from major traffic routes? Be prepared.

• Take a boating safety course. You would not take ballet lessons to learn how to skydive, and operating a pleasure craft is not the same as driving a car. Before you go boating, there is a minimum you need to know.
• Wear the gear and buckle up. Rock climbers and mountaineers buckle up their safety harnesses. Boaters buckle up their flotation devices.
• Look over your shoulder before turning. Not looking can lead to a collision. If you are lucky, all you will wind up with is an expensive repair.
• Have paddles, flares and enough flotation devices on board your pleasure craft. Should anything happen, at least you will have the right equipment to help yourself and your guests.
• Don’t cruise with booze.
• Keep clear of swimmers, divers and other vessels.
• Navigate your boat on the correct side of the buoy.

If you are involved in a serious boating incident you are 5½ times less likely to drown if you are wearing a flotation device.

Don’t cruise with booze ^

It is no coincidence that drinking too much and taking to the water leads to dangerous situations. When you drink and boat you are not just a danger to yourself. Operators are responsible for the safety of their guests and should consider other users of the waterway. They must always be prepared and alert.

Besides the possible legal consequences, mixing alcohol and boating is far more dangerous than you may realize. Fatigue, sun, wind and the motion of the boat dull your senses. Alcohol intensifies these effects, leaving you with poorer fine motor skills (for example, hand-eye coordination) and impaired judgement.

Drinking and driving (whether on land or water) is illegal and punishable under the Criminal Code. Convictions for a first offence can result in heavy punishment: penalties are no less than $600, prohibition from operating a vessel could be up to three years and imprisonment could be for life! Provinces and territories have their own rules to determine when alcohol can be consumed or how it can be transported aboard a vessel. Contact your local authorities for more information.

Whose responsibility is safe boating? ^ Safety is a shared responsibility by the users of the waterways and the agencies that govern them.

Boaters are responsible for operating their vessels safely. This means learning the rules for recreational boating and following them. Those who do not comply with the law could be subject to penalties or fines.

Transport Canada sets minimum requirements for pleasure craft and non-pleasure craft. One of its programs in particular, the Office of Boating Safety (OBS), helps educate boaters about these requirements with the help of tools like this guide.

Safety organizations like the Canadian Safe Boating Council, Canadian Red Cross and others mandated with water safety deliver prevention-based programs to reduce risks and environmental impacts of boating.

The RCMP, provincial police forces, conservation officers and other authorized agencies enforce the rules of the waterways. Through inspection, they verify all necessary safety equipment is on board the boat, operators have their Pleasure Craft Operator Card as required and small vessels are not operated in an unsafe manner.

A Search and Rescue infrastructure is in place in case a vessel is in a distress situation, overdue or missing. Experienced and well-trained personnel from the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and other organizations are ready to respond.

The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, a federally incorporated non-profit volunteer organization, assists the Canadian Coast Guard in Search and Rescue operations and Transport Canada in boating safety activities.

Members receive extensive training in search and rescue and boating safety, and their vessels display a special pennant. Visit www.ccga-gcac.org for more information on the Auxiliary.

Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) centres provide Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and a Maritime Mobile Safety Service. VTS provides traffic and waterway information to vessels via radio communication.

When vessels are close to a VTS area, operators can learn the intended movements of larger vessels by passively monitoring the appropriate VTS sector frequency.

MCTS centres also provide a safety service by monitoring international distress and calling frequencies to detect distress situations and communications needs.

This includes continuously broadcasting Notices to Shipping and weather and ice reports on marine frequencies (that are published along with the VTS sector frequencies in the Canadian Coast Guard publication titled Radio Aids to Marine Navigation).

The Canadian Coast Guard’s Maritime Services-Aids to Navigation keep waterways safe and accessible by providing aids to navigation and advice to those wishing to set up private aids to navigation. This benefits recreational boaters, fishers and commercial vessel operators alike, while ensuring the public’s right to navigate.

Take a boating safety course ^

Knowing and following the rules of the road is basic boating safety. Knowing how to spot danger and how to react are just as important. Taking a course can give you the tools to help yourself, as well as others, if faced with a dangerous situation on the water.

You will learn basic boating safety such as laws and regulations that apply to pleasure craft, preparing for a trip, how to share waterways and what to do in an emergency.

You could be detained, fined or worse — you or someone you love could end up in serious danger if you are not prepared for an emergency. Passing a test and getting your Pleasure Craft Operator Card may be mandatory but it is not enough; take a safe boating course. For a list of course providers visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca.

Relevant laws that apply to pleasure craft ^

In the meantime, all recreational boaters should be very familiar with the provisions set out in the following acts, regulations and code.

Small Vessel Regulations ^

The Small Vessel Regulations outline the minimum mandatory safety equipment that must be aboard your boat, safety precautions to follow before and while boating and construction standards for building pleasure craft. To be capable of saving your life, and to satisfy the regulations, your pleasure craft’s required safety equipment must be in good working order.

As the owner or person entrusted by the owner, you are violating the Small Vessel Regulations if you operate a pleasure craft that does not have all the required equipment on board, or if it is not in good working order. The same applies if you loan it.

They also prohibit careless operation of a vessel. This means no one is allowed to operate a small vessel without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other people.

If you are operating a pleasure craft that is licensed, registered or titled in a country outside Canada, you must comply with the safety equipment requirements of the country in which the vessel is registered or licensed. Foreign visitors operating a Canadian licensed or registered vessel must comply with Canadian regulations.

Collision Regulations ^

The Collision Regulations, in addition to other provisions, require operators to travel at a safe speed, maintain a constant lookout and use every available means (including radar and radio, if applicable) to determine if there is a risk of a collision. These regulations also specify right-of-way.

Canada Shipping Act ^

The Canada Shipping Act is a framework of rules and regulations. It incorporates the requirements of some international conventions that dictate all vessel conduct. One such provision is the requirement to render assistance to those in danger, insofar as the operator can do so without serious danger to their pleasure craft or guests.

Boating Restriction Regulations ^

The Boating Restriction Regulations include items like speed limits both posted and unposted (such as shoreline speed zones), designated waters where boats are prohibited and waters where certain activities are restricted, among others.

The regulations also outline age-horsepower restrictions. These restrictions prohibit those less than 16 years of age from operating craft above specified horsepower limits. If an operator is accompanied and directly supervised in the pleasure craft by someone 16 years of age or older, the age-horsepower restrictions do not apply. These restrictions also prohibit those less than 16 years of age from operating personal watercraft regardless of whether they are accompanied or not.

Age-horsepower restrictions*

Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations ^ The Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations require vessels to carry the latest edition of the largest scale chart (when available), documents and publications for each area you are navigating, and to keep these documents up-to-date. Vessels less than 100 gross tons do not have to carry these charts, documents and publications on board if the operator has sufficient knowledge of the following information, such that safe and efficient navigation in the area where the vessel is to be navigated is not compromised:

• The location and character of charted   
  • Shipping routes
  • Lights, buoys and marks
  • Navigational hazards
• The prevailing navigational conditions, taking into account such factors as tides, currents, ice and weather patterns

Navigation Safety Regulations ^

The Navigation Safety Regulations require certain pleasure craft to carry a magnetic compass and, if more than 20 nautical miles (37 km) from shore, a compass-bearing device. The compass must be fitted and adjusted in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

Pleasure craft less than 8 m (26’3”) in length that are operating within sight of navigational marks*, as well as all vessels using oars, are exempt from this requirement.

* A navigation mark refers to any reference used to successfully determine relative position in relation to route or destination.

Criminal Code of Canada ^

Behaviours that are offences under the Criminal Code of Canada include:

• Operating a vessel dangerously
• Operating a vessel while impaired
• Towing waterskiers without a spotter
• Failing to stop at the scene of an accident
• Operating an unseaworthy vessel

Competency of Operators Pleasure Craft Regulations ^

If you operate a pleasure craft with a motor for recreational purposes, the Competency of Operators Pleasure Craft Regulations require you to carry proof of competency at all times. Proof of competency can take one of three forms:

1. Proof of having successfully completed a boating safety course in Canada prior to April 1, 1999
2. A Pleasure Craft Operator Card issued following the successful completion of an accredited test
3. A completed rental boat safety checklist (for power-driven rental vessels)

The operator card is good for life. Operators of pleasure craft get their card when they receive a mark of at least 75 per cent on the test. You can take the test without first completing a course, but it is not recommended. Further, this guide is not a study guide for the test, it is an overview of the basics.

A list of course providers that offer boating safety courses and tests is available at www.boatingsafety.gc.ca.

* These requirements apply in areas outside the Northwest Territories and Nunavut at this time.

Certificates for boating safety courses completed before April 1, 1999 are recognized. If you have taken a course prior to these regulations, that course certificate or card will be accepted as proof of competency and must be carried on board your boat.

Other regulations ^

Various other regulations prohibit the dumping of pollutants into Canadian waters. Oil, oil-wastes, garbage and hazardous chemicals are prohibited in all Canadian waters. In certain areas, discharging sewage is an offence. For specific “no-dump” sites visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca or contact a Transport Canada Centre.

Operator competency requirements *

Boating law enforcement ^ Most on-water enforcement authorities have a zero tolerance policy regarding missing safety equipment on a boat.

Under the Contraventions Regulations (now in the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia) authorities can ticket offenders on the spot for offences such as disobeying speed limits or careless operation of a vessel, instead of requiring them to appear in court.

Remember, everyone on board your pleasure craft must have, and should be wearing, a Canadian approved, appropriately sized flotation device (either a lifejacket or personal flotation device) that is in good condition. This contravention could cost you over $200 for each violation!

Inspecting your pleasure craft ^ Better a few minutes of delay onshore than hours of waiting in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Knowingly operating a pleasure craft that is unseaworthy is a criminal offence. Your pleasure craft, its engine and equipment must be properly maintained (in good working order).

A surprising number of pleasure craft are stranded each year due to running out of fuel. More than 50 per cent of calls for assistance are from boaters in trouble as a result of the mechanical failure of their vessels.

Pleasure Craft Courtesy Checks ^

Courtesy checks are offered free-of-charge by Transport Canada and, in some areas of Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and other boating and water safety organizations. At your invitation, a qualified professional will board your boat and review with you the safety equipment required by law.

Other equipment will be inspected and any deficiencies identified. There are no penalties for missing equipment and no limit to the number of checks you can request. Arranging for a check every spring is a good idea. Visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca for more information.

Pre-departure checklists ^ Recreational boating should be fun, safe and hassle-free. No matter if you own, rent or are borrowing a pleasure craft, make sure it is in good working order and properly equipped before heading out on the water.

Inspect your pleasure craft:

Inspect your pleasure craft’s hull and check for cracks or other damage. If you are operating a power-driven pleasure craft check its electrical, fuel, propulsion and cooling systems and make sure the throttle is operating smoothly and is not sticking or binding. Make sure the steering is working properly. Check the oil and fuel levels. A good rule of thumb for fuel is: one-third for the trip out, one-third for the return and one-third as reserve. Check all hoses and lines for leaks or cracks and replace if necessary. Make sure all clamps and belts are secure and in good shape. Inspect, clean and replace spark plugs if necessary. Check and change oil and water filters if necessary. Check the battery’s charge and its fluid levels. Be certain the drainage plug is in place. Verify the load on your boat is well distributed.

Make sure your pleasure craft has what it needs for a safe trip:

Are there enough flotation devices of appropriate size for everyone on board? Is all of the required equipment in good working order? Do you have ample reserves of fuel for the trip or will you need to refuel? Do you have maps and charts? Is your VHF radio working properly? Do you have a first aid kit, basic tools and spare parts?

Take a minute to consider your safety preparedness:

Have you checked the weather forecast? Are there any local hazards or boating restrictions? Have you filed a sail plan to let someone know where you are going, when to expect you back and what your boat looks like?

Owners and operators of pleasure craft, including personal watercraft, should brief all guests and future operators about safe operation before heading out. Guests should be told where the safety equipment is kept and how to use it.

These are just a few things to consider before setting out. To be properly prepared, take a boating safety course. Doing so can better sensitize you to possible risks and danger on the water.

Planning on renting out your vessel this season? You may be required to have a rental boat safety checklist on board. Visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca or contact a Transport Canada Centre for more information.

Making and filing sail plans ^

A sail plan is a voyage itinerary that includes a travel route and a basic description of your boat. Sail plans are also referred to as trip or float plans. No matter what you call them, all boaters are encouraged to file one before heading out even if it is just for an hour or two.

File your sail plan with a responsible person and instruct them to contact a Rescue Coordination Centre if you are overdue.

If you are taking a long trip you should file a daily position report (especially if your planned route has changed). To avoid launching an unwarranted search for you, be sure to deactivate the sail plan you filed by reporting that you have returned or completed your trip. Forgetting to do this can result in lost time and resources for Search and Rescue personnel. See this page for a sail plan you can photocopy and use.

Avoiding specific hazards ^

Being prepared goes beyond having your boat and equipment in tip-top shape. Follow these tips:

• Check marine charts for overhead obstacles, bridges or underwater cables you may encounter in the area you will be navigating.
• Read marine charts with related publications like Sailing Directions. Looking at tide tables and current atlases will also help. They may indicate water levels, times of low, slack and high tides and the direction of water flow.
• Stay away from designated swimming areas. Even canoes and kayaks can easily injure swimmers.
• Avoid operating close to shore and look out for diving flags, especially on days when the sun’s glare is strong. Diving or snorkelling operations could be taking place beneath you.

Talk to knowledgeable local residents if you are in an area that is not covered by marine charts. They may be able to point out low-head dams, rapids, white water, local wind conditions, currents and areas of rapid build up of high wave conditions.

Monitoring the weather ^ Understanding weather and water conditions is very important. Operators should seek out current, relevant information before heading out and know how to get updates while on the water. This requires the knowledge and skill to use a marine radio.

A receiver for continuous marine weather forecasts is available and distributed through marine equipment supply outlets.

When heading out, make sure the conditions you see match those predicted. Once under way, remember to keep your eye on the sky. If the sky looks dark and cloudy and conditions are changing rapidly, head for shore (check your charts in advance to know where to seek shelter).

Summer thunderstorms can strike quickly and unexpectedly. Other indicators bad weather is approaching are falling barometric pressure, increasing winds and changes in wind direction that can affect wave action. See this page for ways to obtain marine weather forecasts.

Environment Canada uses special wind terms in marine weather forecasts:

• Light wind (10 knots* or less)
• Moderate wind (11– 21 knots)
• Strong wind (22 – 33 knots)
• Gales (34 – 47 knots)
• Storm force wind (48 – 63 knots)
• Hurricane (64 knots or more)

* One knot is one nautical mile an hour (1.852 km/h)

Using nautical charts ^

An open body of water may seem spacious and accommodating, but remember there are no defined pathways for travelling on water. In fact, it is the absence of defined pathways, as well as signage to clearly tell us where we are, that makes navigation difficult. Operators should know:

• How to use a compass along with marine charts
• How to plot a course
• Positioning methods
• How to use electronic navigation equipment
• Navigational references such as tide tables; the Canadian buoyage system, navigation lights and signals, Notices to Mariners, and Sailing Directions

Small boats should avoid potential danger and steer clear of rapids, currents and commercial shipping channels.

The Canadian Coast Guard publishes monthly Notices to Mariners that have important information and amendments to marine charts and publications. These notices are free and can be obtained at www.notmar.com. Obtain as much information as possible about the area you will be navigating before you go.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service is the top source for information on nautical charts, tide and current tables, Sailing Directions, the Canadian Aids to Navigation System, Radio Aids to Marine Navigation, the List of Lights and Buoys and Fog Signals. Visit www.charts.gc.ca for more information.

Emergency! What are you going to do? ^

Act smart and call early! Knowing how to communicate distress messages and seek assistance in an emergency can make the difference between life and death.

Marine radio communications ^

Regulated marine distress and safety communication equipment such as:

marine VHF radios (with the new digital selective calling (DSC) option, channel 70) marine MF/HF – DSC radios Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) NAVTEX Inmarsat

Pleasure craft do not have to carry GMDSS-compatible equipment, but it is recommended. If your pleasure craft has this equipment, connect it to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to ensure your exact location is automatically transmitted in a digital distress alert in an emergency.

Marine VHF radio and GPS ^ Marine VHF radio is generally the most effective and reliable means of issuing a distress alert. If you have a VHF radio keep it tuned to channel 16. Know where you are at all times and be prepared to describe your specific location.

If you are buying a new VHF radio, make sure it has the new digital selective calling (DSC) feature on channel 70. This feature provides automatic digital distress alerts. The Canadian Coast Guard has upgraded its facilities to provide DSC channel 70 service in many areas.

Remember, VHF radio channel 16 is used for emergency and calling purposes only. Once you call another vessel on channel 16, take your conversation to a working frequency to continue. VHF channel 70 should be used only for DSC (digital) communication and not for voice communications. Anyone who uses a VHF radio must follow the procedures described in the VHF Radiotelephone Practices and Procedures Regulations.

Obtain a nine-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number for your radio to get maximum benefits from this automated system. Your owner’s manual will explain this feature and how to make a DSC call to another vessel or to a shore station that has DSC capability. These numbers are assigned, free-of-charge, by Industry Canada. Call 1-800-667-3780 or visit www.ic.gc.ca for more information.

On a VHF radiotelephone, in case of grave and imminent danger (for example, your boat is taking on water and you are in danger of sinking or capsizing), use channel 16 and say “Mayday” three times. Then give the name of your boat, its position, the nature of your problem and the type of assistance needed.

If you need assistance but are not in immediate danger (for example, your boat’s motor has quit and you are unable to reach shore) use channel 16 and say “Pan-Pan” three times. Then give the name of your boat, its position, the nature of your problem and the type of assistance needed.

An important feature of a VHF/DSC radio is its ability to send a distress alert that tells the Coast Guard and nearby vessels you require immediate assistance. To find out where VHF/DSC services are available visit www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca or contact a Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services centre.

Currently, all VHF marine radio operators are required to have a restricted operator’s certificate (ROC) with maritime qualifications. Contact your local Industry Canada office or the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons at 1-888-CPS-BOAT for more information on procedures and radiotelephone license requirements.

Global Positioning System (GPS) ^ More and more pleasure craft operators rely on the GPS to tell them where they are on the water. The GPS is a worldwide radio-navigation system consisting of a network of satellites and monitoring stations. Its receivers can calculate where you are, anywhere on the planet, to within 30 metres. The Coast Guard supplies a Differential GPS that has an integrity monitoring feature and provides an accuracy of within 10 metres.

If your boat is equipped with a GPS receiver, connecting it to your DSC radio may be a good idea. This ensures that when a distress alert is transmitted rescuers will immediately know your precise location and will arrive sooner.

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) ^

These buoyant radio distress beacons can be manually activated or float free of a sinking or overturned vessel and transmit for hours. Their signals communicate your position to a network of satellites for transmission to Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Centres. In an emergency, their function is invaluable.

Although pleasure craft are not required to carry them, an EPIRB is highly recommended.

EPIRBs must be registered with the Canadian Beacon Registry at 1-800-727-9414 or at beacons@nss.gc.ca.

Cellphones and *16 ^ With a cellular phone, you can contact Rescue Coordination Centres directly by dialling *16 for the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services centres.

However, a cellphone is not a reliable substitute for a marine radio and not the best means of issuing a distress call. Cellphones can lose reception or get wet and damaged. Calling from your cell does not alert other vessels close to you that you are in distress — the occupants of those other vessels could be the ones to help you if they could hear you. Unlike VHF transmissions, some wireless phone signals cannot be followed back to your location by rescuers.

Not all cellular providers offer the *16 service. Contact your wireless provider to find out if the *16 service is available from your phone.

Distress signals ^

If you see a distress signal, it is your legal responsibility to determine if you can assist those in distress without endangering your life or the safety of your boat. When possible, you must also contact the nearest Rescue Coordination Centre to inform them of the type and location of the distress signal you have seen.

Learning the common distress signals will help you recognize those in trouble and place a call for help that much faster. See this page for common distress signals.

Never send a distress signal unless you are in a real emergency. Sending false distress signals is an offence and takes time from Search and Rescue personnel, making them potentially unavailable or farther away from real emergencies.

Overboard recovery techniques ^

In certain weather conditions, and on some boats, wearing a safety harness with a quick release mechanism and a safety line secured to your boat would be wise. This keeps you from falling overboard unless, of course, your boat capsizes. Knowing and practicing the following procedures with your guests will lessen panicked moments in an emergency.

If someone falls overboard, sound the alarm immediately and then:

• Slow down, stop if possible and throw something buoyant to assist the person (this will also mark the spot if the person submerges).
• Assign someone to monitor the person overboard.
• Carefully manoeuvre to recover the person overboard.

Use a buoyant heaving line, or a lifebuoy secured to the vessel with a line, and recover the person from the windward side. A heavy rope, chain or cable secured at both ends and draped over the side (almost touching the water) can provide a makeshift step if necessary. If the freeboard of your boat is more than 0.5 metres (1’8”) you must have a reboarding device.

Sailors and power boaters should be familiar with different overboard recovery techniques and consider how effectively these manoeuvres can be performed, with such things as sea-state and condition of the person overboard in mind.

Could you retrieve a person from water if they could not assist in their own recovery? If you fell overboard, could your guests lift you to safety? When someone’s size or when the freeboard of the vessel makes it difficult to carry out a rescue by hand, equipment such as lifting slings and rigging may be a good idea (if not already mandatory for your size of vessel).

Surviving in cold water ^

It is a warm day — you are on your boat and get up to grab something. Suddenly you lose your balance and teeter off the side, falling into water that is less than 15°C.

Your muscles are instantly paralyzed and there is no one around to help you. You are experiencing cold shock. There is no time to figure things out.

Cold water shock likely causes more deaths than hypothermia. Canada’s typically cold waters are especially dangerous if you are unexpectedly immersed in them. For three to five minutes after sudden immersion you will gasp for breath. You could also experience muscle spasms or a rise in your heart rate and blood pressure. Worse yet, you could choke on water or suffer a heart attack or a stroke. Even strong swimmers can succumb to the effects of cold water shock.

Cold water can paralyze your muscles instantly. Trying to get a hold of a device while in the water, let alone putting one on, will be nearly impossible because of the physiological changes your body will be experiencing.

A lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD) will keep you afloat while you gain control of breathing and prevent drowning from loss of muscle control. Sadly, many people do not understand this danger and how to avoid it.

If you have survived the shock of cold water, hypothermia is the next danger.

Hypothermia is a drop in core body temperature below the normal level that occurs from a prolonged exposure to cold weather, particularly in watersoaked clothing or from direct immersion. At this lower temperature a person’s muscle and mental functions are affected. Someone who is exposed to cold water, and becoming hypothermic, can exhibit progressive signs and symptoms such as:

• Shivering, slurred speech and semi consciousness
• Slow and weak pulse, slow respiration, lack of coordination, irrational, confused and sleepy behaviour
• Weak, irregular or absent pulse or respiration
• Loss of consciousness

If you end up in the water, do everything you can to conserve energy and body heat. Swim only if you can join others or reach a safe haven. Do not swim to keep warm.

Extend your survival time by:

• Wearing a Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD. Valuable energy will be lost keeping your head above water if you are not wearing one.
• Climbing onto a nearby floating object to get as much of your body out of or above the water as possible.
• If possible, adopt a heat escape lessening position: cross your arms tightly against your chest and draw your knees up close to them.
• Huddle with others and make sure the sides of everyone’s chest are close together, with arms around mid to lower back and legs intertwined.

Protect yourself by wearing a lifejacket or PFD, multiple light layers of dry clothing and a water or wind-proof outer layer. Other equipment that comes in a variety of styles and names, and provides additional protection from hypothermia include:

• Floater or survival suits: a full nose-to-toes PFD
• Anti-exposure worksuits: a PFD with a thermal protection rating
• Dry suits: to be used with a flotation device and a thermal liner
• Wet suits: to be used with a flotation device, traps and heats water against the body
• Immersion suits: to be used in extreme conditions when abandoning a vessel (usually for off-shore use)

Knowing how your safety equipment works, especially in water, is a good idea. Test it in a warm swimming pool or in calm water before you may have to use it in an emergency.

If there is warning your boat may be sinking, put on as much clothing as possible beneath your lifejacket or PFD.

Fuel safety and carbon monoxide awareness ^

Enclosed spaces containing fuel-burning engines or appliances should be well ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide build-up. Fuel-burning engines or appliances should also be certified or designed for marine use.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, silent and deadly danger. It is a colourless, odourless gas produced during the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. It cuts off the oxygen supply to the body, causing death in minutes. Symptoms of CO poisoning such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue can be mistaken for seasickness or the flu because the deadly gas is undetectable.

Avoid CO poisoning:

• Do not idle your boat’s engine, heat its cabin or cook unless doing so in well-ventilated areas.
• Be especially careful in modified areas such as cabin extensions and areas fitted with canvas tops.
• Use a carbon monoxide detector designed for a vessel and check the detector’s batteries before every trip.
• Engines left idling in poorly ventilated areas create dangerous concentrations of CO: a tail wind can easily carry CO back on board.
• CO can build up when: two vessels are tied to each other; you are docked alongside a seawall; an improper load distribution causes the bow to ride high; or when your vessel is stationary and a fuel-burning appliance or engine is running.

Engine start-up ^ Enclosed gasoline engine and fuel tank compartments must have a blower and an underway ventilation system in accordance with the Construction Standards for Small Vessels. The blower must be operated for at least four minutes immediately before every start-up.

Fuel-burning appliances ^

Propane and butane, often used on boats for fuel-burning appliances, can be dangerous and must be treated with care. These substances may present more risk than gasoline to use.

Gas fumes and leaking propane or butane are heavier than air and will quickly flow into the lower parts of your boat. These substances are extremely difficult to remove and are highly explosive.

Be sure to provide adequate ventilation for gas-burning appliances, even with just a pilot light on.

Ensure portable cooking or heating appliances are secured to guard against leakage due to unexpected movement of the boat. Secure gas cylinders and tanks in an area with good ventilation.

Always attend to an open f lame heating, cooking or refrigeration system that uses gaseous fuel. Be sure the fuel-burning equipment installation is in accordance with manufacturer’s recommended practices.

Typical ventilation system:	Typical propane installation with ventilation:

Ignition protection ^

Many older vessels, and even some new ones, have been fitted with converted automotive engines. If your boat is being serviced by the novice handyman or backyard mechanic, it is possible marine parts are being replaced with less expensive automotive versions.

Every pleasure craft must have ignition-protected electrical devices. Ignition-protected components are designed and constructed so they will not ignite a flammable hydrocarbon mixture like gasoline or propane under normal operating conditions.

This protection uses seals and flame arrestors to prevent sparks from escaping when the equipment is operating. Most Canadian ignition-protected components are labelled.

Not sure if your pleasure craft’s engine has ignition protected parts in it? Have it serviced by a certified marine technician. They can tell you if a replacement part (or related work done to the engine) has compromised the engine’s ignition-protection.

Fuelling procedures ^

Raw fuel is extremely harmful to the marine environment and its vapours create a fi re hazard. Follow these procedures, step-by-step, when refuelling. It not only makes good sense, it is the law.

1. Moor your boat securely to prevent spillage.
2. Shut off all engines.
3. Send guests ashore.
4. Extinguish all open flames.
5. Do not smoke while refuelling.
6. Turn off electrical switches, power supplies and avoid using electrical devices such as portable radios.
7. Close all windows, portholes, hatches and cabin doors.
8. Remove portable tanks from the vessel before refuelling.
9. Ground the nozzle against the filler pipe.
10. Know the capacity of the fuel tank and do not overfill it — you have a duty to prevent leakage or spillage of fuel into the hull or water.
11. Wipe up spillage and properly dispose of the cloth or towel used.
12. Operate the engine compartment blower for at least four minutes immediately before starting the gasoline engine.
13. Check for vapours from the engine compartment before starting up the engine.

Heads up! New environmental laws are affecting diesel properties. The type of diesel available at the pump will be constantly changing. Follow the safety instructions provided by fuel suppliers, and operate according to your vessel’s engine and system requirements.

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