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INTRODUCTION 

This booklet, based upon the "Regulations respecting the Construction and inspection of Fishing Vessels not exceeding 24.4 m registered length that do not exceed 150 tons, gross tonnage", is an attempt to present in more readable form much of the material in those Regulations. It does not, however, supersede the "Regulations".

Fishing vessel operators should find this guide particularly useful in ensuring that their vessels are properly outfitted with life-saving and firefighting equipment, together with the lights and signals that fishing vessels must carry for navigation safety.

All the regulations listed or referred to in this guide have been enacted to safeguard the lives and property of the fishing fleet operators and others who use Canadian waters. To this end, fishing vessels must be seaworthy in all respects and equipped to cope with the many emergencies that may arise.

It is the duty of every person in charge of a fishing vessel to know the stability characteristics of the vessel and to become thoroughly familiar with the location and maintenance of all emergency life-saving, firefighting and navigating equipment.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Safety Branch of the Department of Transport administers the inspection regulations under the Canada Shipping Act. The Ship Safety Branch, better known by its former name Canada Steamship Inspection Service, or C.S.l., has its headquarters in Ottawa and maintains Ship Safety offices throughout Canada. A complete list of Ship Safety offices is given at the end of this book.

While fees are charged for the inspection of vessels, the inspector's services are generally available free of charge to assist owners and operators with problems relating to the construction and equipping of their ships. It should be noted, however, that the work of these inspectors is to ensure safety afloat; the suitability of the ship from a business standpoint is outside their responsibility.

Copies of the "Regulations respecting the Construction and Inspection of Fishing Vessels not exceeding 24.4 m registered length that do not exceed 150 tons, gross tonnage" and the "Collision Regulations" may be obtained for a nominal fee from a Ship Safety office.

APPLICATION ^

The sections of the Regulations dealing with construction apply only to vessels larger than 15 tons, gross tonnage, built on or after January 6, 1965, or if engaged in fishing for herring or capelin, after July 6,1977.

The sections of the Regulations dealing with life-saving and fire extinguishing equipment, navigating fights and signals and precautions against fire, apply to all fishing vessels.

The sections of the Regulations dealing with periodic inspections apply to all fishing vessels larger than 15 tons, gross tonnage, and to all steam propelled fishing vessels larger than 5 tons, gross tonnage.

FEES ^

The Canada Shipping Act provides that the Coast Guard shall charge fees for the inspection and measurement of ships. The fees are subject to review and, for the current fee for inspection or measurement, owners should contact any of the Ship Safety offices listed at the back of this book.

LENGTH ^

The application of the Regulations is dependent on the length of the vessel, which is defined as follows:

(a) for vessels required to be registered, the length is the registered length as measured by a Government Measuring Surveyor of Shipping;

(b) for vessels not required to be registered, the length is the horizontal distance measured between perpendiculars erected at the extreme ends of the outside of the hull.

TONNAGE ^

The application of the Regulations also depends on the tonnage of the vessel. Gross tonnage is a measure of the volume of the hull and superstructure of the vessel, one ton being taken to representing 100 cubic feet of volume. Registered tonnage is the gross tonnage less an allowance determined by a Government Measuring Surveyor of Shipping for machinery spaces, crew space, navigation spaces etc.

If the vessel is 15 tons register tonnage or more, it is required to be registered at a Port of Registry; the owner should request that the tonnage be measured by a Government Measuring Surveyor of Shipping, who will charge a fee for this service.

If the vessel is less than 15 tons, register tonnage, and is equipped with a motor of 10 horsepower or more, the tonnage has to be measured for licensing purposes, which the owner may do in person. For this purpose, an approximate tonnage is usually sufficient and a formula for obtaining the approximate gross tonnage is given below:

where L = the distance in feet measured from the foremost part of the stem to the after side of the head of the stern post, or, if there is no stern post, to the forward side of the rudder stock at the deck;

B = the extreme breadth of the vessel in feet measured to the outside of the planking, excluding any moulding or rubbing strake;

D = the depth of the vessel in feet amidships, measured from the underside of the deck, or from the upper strake of the hull planking in open boats, to the upper side of the floor timbers at the side of the keelson. (Note: Floor timbers are the bottom solid transverse timber connecting the side frames);

I = total length in feet of all closed-in superstructures;

b = average breadth in feet of all closed-in superstructures;

d = average height above deck in feet of all closed-in superstructures.

 

It should be noted that if a superstructure has an open side or end, this is not included in the tonnage measurement.

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