Welcome to Adobe GoLive 4

1) Your Legal Responsibilities

2) Registration numbers

3) Safety equipment

4) Personal flotation devices & lifejackets

5) Age-horsepower Restrictions

6) Safe Towing for Water Skiing - coming soon

7) Safe Towing for Wakeboarding - coming soon

8) Boat Driving for Beginner Skiers - coming

9) Boat Driving for Advanced Skiers - coming

10) Slalom Course Etiquette - coming

Do you have a topic you'd like to see covered? Send us an e-mail and we'll see what we can do.

1) Your Legal Responsibilities:
From Canada's Safe Boating Guide

As a boater, you are responsible for equipping yourself, for operating your boat safely, and for ensuring the safety of those on board.

As a boater, you're expected to know the rules that apply on Canada's waterways. The Small Vessel Regulations outline the minimum mandatory safety equipment required to be carried on a boat, safety precautions to follow before and while boating, and construction standards for building a recreational boat.

The offence, "Careless operation of a vessel," is part of the Regulations. Doing any of the following could result in charges: travelling in a way that could adversely affect the safety of people or property considering the weather, boat traffic, hazards or potential hazards, or the number of people around the boat;
operating a vessel in a careless manner, without consderation for other people or for the factors listed immediately above.

The Collision Regulations, require every operator of a vessel to proceed at a safe speed, maintain a constant lookout, and to use every available means to determine whether there is a risk of a collision. These Regulations also specify right-of-way. See Safe Waterways section for more information.

Every boat operator is required to render assistance to someone in distress as long as they can do so without serious danger to their own craft or persons on board.

Certain behaviours are offences under the Criminal Code of Canada such as operating a vessel dangerously, operating a vessel when impaired, towing waterskiers improperly, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and operating an unseaworthy vessel. Contact your local Office of Boating Safety or the toll-free Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687 more more information on any of the subjects.

2) Registration numbers, must be clearly displayed in block characters not less than 75 mm (3 inches) high on each side of the bow, in a colour that contrasts with their background.

3) Safety equipment, for boats under 6 m (19 feet):
From Canada's Safe Boating Guide

* one approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board

* one buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (50 feet) long.

* one paddle, or an anchor with at least 15 m of cabling.

* one bailer or one manual water pump with enough hose to pump water from the bilge over the side

* one Class 5BC fire extinguisher if the boat has an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank, or a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance.

* a watertight flashlight or 3 signals flares (type A, B or C).

* a sound-signalling device.

* if the boat is operated between sunset sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility, applicable navigation lights.

Boats between 6 m and 8 m (19 to 25 feet) in length must have the following additional or alternative equipment.

* a heaving line as described above or a 610 mm or 762 mm wide lifebuoy with a buoyant line at least 15 m long

* a reboarding device, if the freeboard of the boat exceeds 0.5 m.

* another Class 5BC fire extinguisher if the boat has a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance.

* 6 pyrotechnic distress signals of Type A, B or C.

Boats between 8 m and 12 m (25 to 28 feet) in length must have the following additional equipment.

* a 610 mm or 762 mm wide lifebuoy with a buoyant line at least 15 m long

* an anchor with not less than 30 m of cabling.

* a bailer and a manual water pump with enough hose to pump water from the bilge over the side.

* a Class 10BC fire extinguisher if the boat is power-driven, plus another Class 10BC fire extinguisher if the boat has a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance.

* a total of twelve pyrotechnic distress signals of Type A, B, C or D, not more than six of which are of Type D.

4) Personal flotation devices & lifejackets
From Canada's Safe Boating Guide

The law requires boats to be equipped with a Canadian-approved PFD or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board (except for any infant who weighs less than 9 kg or any person whose chest size exceeds 140 cm).

Tip: It won't work if you don't wear it!

The Coast Guard is working towards improving the usage and wearability of PFDs with a wider range of approved types and colours. When shopping keep in mind the need for visibility on or in the water.

Open the PFD and look at the label -- check for the Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans or Department of Transport approval.

Please note that, as of April 1, 1999, lifesaving cushions are no longer accepted as approved PFDs.

Choose a flotation device that meets your specific needs. Wear it.

Take good care of your lifejacket. Flotation devices that are ripped or in poor condition are not considered approved. Check it's buoyancy regularly by wading out until the water is waist deep; bend your knees and see how well you float.

Allow your flotation gear to dry in the open air, not close to a direct heat source. It should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated, easily accessible place.

Clean with a mild soap and running water. Strong detergents or gasoline should never be used. Do not dry clean.

Parents take note
A lifejacket or PFD is no substitute for adult supervision.

Children should be encouraged to wear their lifejacket at all times. They should learn how to put them on in the water. Some lifejackets are designed specially for children; select the one that best suits your child?s size and weight. Because of the way their body weight is distributed, children do not float well in a face up position and tend to panic easily. Diapers, when wet, will adversely affect the performance of flotation devices. Children under 16 years of age cannot wear inflatable PFDs.

5) Age-horsepower Restrictions*
From Canada's Safe Boating Guide

Age-horsepower restrictions came into effect on April 1, 1999. These restrictions prohibit those under the age of 16 year from operating craft above specified horsepower limits. This applies to the operation of pleasure craft fitted with a motor and used for recreational purposes. If they are accompanied and directly supervised in the pleasure craft by a person 16 years and older, the age-horsepower restrictions do not apply. These restrictions also prohibit persons under 16 years from operating personal watercraft regardless of whether they are accompanied by an adult.

The table summarizes how these restrictions apply.

Power restrictions as of April 1, 1999
Under 12 years of age, and not directly supervised** Can operate a vessel with no more than 10 hp (7.5 KW)
Between 12 years and under 16 years of age, and not directly supervised** Can operate a vessel with no more than 40 hp (30 KW)
Under 16 years of age Not allowed to operate a PWC***
16 years of age and over No power restrictions

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

** Directly supervised means: accompanied and directly supervised by a person 16 years of age or older.

***Personal Watercraft

Please follow the rules and practice safe boating. It's way more fun to all come home safe and healthy without any nasty penalties or fines.

Send Us Your Safe Boating Tips