Before You Go

• Inspect Your Boat
• Monitor the Weather
• Make and File a Sail Plan
• Carry and Use Nautical Charts and Publications
• Plan to Avoid Local Hazards
• Safe Fuelling
• Carbon Monoxide Awareness
• Fuel-Burning Appliances
• Ignition Protection
• Loading Your Boat
• Pleasure Craft Courtesy Check Program
• Don’t Cruise with Booze
• Pre-Departure Checklist

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Boating is fun, but nearly 150 people die and many more get seriously hurt every year in boating incidents. Boating deaths and injuries can be avoided. This section will help you get your boat, your guests and yourself prepared before heading out on the water.  

Inspect Your Boat

It is better to take a few minutes to make sure you are ready to boat safely before you leave than to risk problems when you are out on the water. More than half of all calls for help are from boaters in trouble because of motor problems, including many boats that are stranded because they ran out of fuel!

Operating a boat that you know is not seaworthy is against the law. Your boat, its engine and all equipment must be kept in good working order. Whether you own, rent or are borrowing a boat, use the Pre-Departure Checklist to make sure you are ready before leaving.

Make sure you explain safe operation to everyone on board before heading out. Tell your guests where the safety equipment is kept and how to use it. Make sure that at least one other person on board knows how to operate the boat in case something happens to you.

Monitor the Weather

Weather and water conditions play a big role in your safety on the water. Before heading out, make sure you get the latest forecast for your area and that you understand what it means. You should also be aware of local factors (like topography) that may cause weather conditions to differ from the forecast. The best source for this information is people who know the area well.

Summer thunderstorms can strike quickly and without warning so while you’re out, remember to keep your eye on the sky. If it starts to look dark and cloudy, and conditions are changing quickly, head for shore. Remember to check your up-to-date nautical charts in advance so that you’ll know where to seek shelter.

Environment Canada provides marine forecasts in many ways. If you have a marine radio, you can get weather updates while you’re on the water. These forecasts provide information on wind speed and direction, weather, visibility and freezing spray (if applicable). Forecasts are issued several times a day. Some forecasts discuss current conditions while others discuss the conditions to expect over several days.

When high wind speeds are expected, Environment Canada will issue a wind warning in the marine forecast:

• Strong Wind Warning (20 – 33 knots) (37 – 61 km/h)
• Gale Warning (34 – 47 knots) (62 – 87 km/h)
• Storm Warning (48 – 63 knots) (88 – 117 km/h)
• Hurricane Force Wind Warning (64 knots or more) (118 km/h or more) (This warning does not mean that a hurricane is expected or is taking place.)

One knot is one nautical mile an hour or 1.852 km/h.

Marine weather forecasts are available 24 hours a day in some areas through Environment Canada’s Weatheradio service on the VHF-FM radio band. To get these forecasts, you need a Weatheradio receiver or a VHF marine radio. For more details, visit www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/msb/weatheradio. You can also get continuous forecasts from the Canadian Coast Guard on marine VHF weather channels.

For a complete list of Environment Canada weather services across Canada, visit www.weatheroffice.gc.ca or contact them.

Make and File a Sail Plan

A sail plan includes your planned travel route and describes your boat. Sail plans are also called trip or float plans. No matter what you call them, you should file one before heading out — even if it is just for an hour or two.

File your sail plan with someone you trust and tell them to contact a Rescue Coordination Centre if you are late. Their telephone numbers are listed at the back of this guide.

If you are taking a long trip, you should file a daily position report (especially if your planned route has changed). Be sure to let people know when you have returned or safely arrived at your next stop. If you don’t, people may worry and launch a search, which can waste Search and Rescue resources. This guide includes a sail plan you can photocopy and use.

Carry and Use Nautical Charts and Publications

An open body of water may seem inviting, but remember that there are no clearly marked traffic lanes on the water. This, as well as the absence of signs that clearly tell us where we are, can make navigation difficult.

 

To help make navigation safer, you must carry the following for each area you plan to boat in:

• the latest edition of the largest scale chart (when available); and
• the latest edition of related documents and publications, including Notices to Mariners, Sailing Directions, tide and current tables, and the List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals.

If you are operating a boat under 100 gross tons, you do not have to carry these charts, documents and publications on board as long as you know:

• the location and type of charted:
  • shipping routes;
  • lights, buoys and marks; and
  • boating hazards; and
• the area’s usual boating conditions such as tides, currents, ice and weather patterns.

Before heading out, you should make sure you know:

• how to plot a course;
• how to determine your position; and
• how to use:
  • a compass along with nautical charts;
  • electronic navigation equipment; and
  • references such as tide tables, Canada’s buoyage system, navigation lights and signals, Notices to Mariners and Sailing Directions.

Avoid potential danger by steering clear of rapids and currents, and be sure not to obstruct commercial navigation in commercial shipping channels.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is the official source for navigational publications, raster BSBs and vector Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) in Canada’s waters. Under the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations made pursuant to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, boaters must use charts issued officially or on the authority of the CHS. You can buy official paper and digital charts from authorized chart dealers. For more information or to find the nearest authorized chart dealer, visit www.charts.gc.ca or contact the CHS at 1-866-546-3613 or at chsinfo@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Plan to Avoid Local Hazards

Being prepared means more than having your boat and equipment in good working order. You should also:

• check nautical charts for overhead obstacles, bridges and underwater cables in your boating area;
• read nautical charts with publications like Sailing Directions – looking at tide tables and current atlases will also help you learn about water levels, times of low, slack and high tides, and the direction of water flow;
• stay away from swimming areas – even canoes and kayaks can injure swimmers;
• avoid boating too close to shore; and
• talk to local residents who know the waters if you are in an area that is not covered by marine charts – they may be able to point out low-head dams, rapids and white water, as well as describe local wind conditions, currents and areas of rapid high-wave build-up.

Safe Fuelling 

Leaking or spilled fuel not only harms the marine environment but is also a fire hazard. Follow these steps when fuelling — it’s the safe thing to do and it’s the law.

Moor your boat securely to prevent spills.
Shut off all engines.
Send guests ashore.
Put out all open flames.
Do not smoke.
Turn off electrical switches and power supplies.
Do not use electrical devices such as portable radios.
Close all windows, portholes, hatches and cabin doors.
Remove portable tanks from the vessel before refuelling.
Ground the nozzle against the filler pipe.
Know how much fuel your tank can hold and do not overfill it — you have a duty to prevent fuel leaks and spills into your boat’s hull and the water.
Wipe up spills and dispose of the used cloth or towel in an approved container.
Run the engine compartment blower for at least four minutes immediately before starting the gasoline engine.
Check for vapours from the engine compartment before starting up the engine.

New environmental laws affecting diesel fuel mean that the type of diesel available at the pump changes often. Follow the safety instructions provided by fuel suppliers, as well as your boat’s engine and system user manuals.

Carbon Monoxide Awareness 

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas you can’t see, smell or taste. CO can come from anything that burns a carbon-based fuel (gasoline, propane, charcoal, oil, etc.) so it can be created by engines, gas generators, cooking ranges, heaters and the like. CO acts a lot like air. It doesn’t rise or fall but spreads evenly throughout an enclosed space.

CO comes in through your lungs and cuts off the oxygen supply to your body, causing death in minutes. Be alert! Symptoms include headaches, nausea and fatigue – but you might think you are just seasick or have the flu.

Here are some tips to help protect yourself and others from CO poisoning:

• Idle your engine only in well-ventilated areas. A tail wind can easily carry CO back on board.
• Heat the cabin or cook when in a well-ventilated area.
• Make sure that cabin extensions and areas fitted with canvas tops are well ventilated.
• Use only fuel-burning engines or appliances that are certified or designed for marine use and make sure they are only used in well-ventilated areas.
• Use a marine-grade CO detector and check its batteries before every trip.
• Be aware that CO can build up when:
  • two vessels are tied to each other;
  • you are docked alongside a seawall;
  • your load causes the bow to ride high; or
  • a fuel-burning appliance or engine is running while your vessel is not moving.

Fuel-Burning Appliances

Gas vapours and leaking propane and butane are heavier than air and will quickly flow into the lower parts of your boat. They are very hard to remove and are highly explosive.
On board appliances that run on propane or butane may present more risk than gasoline. 

Here are some tips for using propane and butane safely. 

• Appliances and systems should be designed for marine use and
  be installed in accordance with a marine standard and the manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Ask a qualified technician to perform installation, maintenance or repairs. 
• Use a fuel-burning appliance only when in a well-ventilated area. 
• Secure portable appliances and heaters so that unexpected movement doesn’t cause a leak. 
• Secure gas cylinders and tanks in an area with good ventilation.
• Always attend to an open-flame heating, cooking or refrigeration system. 

Ignition Protection 

Every boat that has a gasoline engine or uses propane devices must have ignition-protected electrical devices. These parts are designed and made so that, under normal conditions, they will not ignite gasoline or propane fumes or vapour. This protection prevents sparks from escaping during use. Only use electrical components that are clearly labelled as ignition protected.

Many older boats, and even some new ones, have been fitted with converted car or truck engines. If you are not sure that your 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 put the engine’s ignition protection, and you, at risk.

Loading Your Boat

Overloading your boat with people, equipment or both is dangerous. Your boat’s safety on the water depends on how much you put on the boat and where you put it. Too much weight will make your boat unstable and allow small waves to come on board. It will also reduce the amount your boat can roll before its sides dip under water. The higher the weight is carried on board, the more your boat is likely to roll, making it harder for it to return to normal.

As the boat operator, you should follow the recommended maximum safe limits on the Transport Canada compliance notice. But remember – these limits apply only in good weather and they assume that the weight is evenly distributed on board – so you should use your judgment when conditions are less than perfect. Keep the load as low as possible and secure equipment to keep it from shifting and making your boat unstable.

If your boat is over 6 m (19’8”), its compliance notice will not have any recommended limits. However, these boats can also become unstable, if overloaded. You should refer to your boat’s manufacturer for guidance and use your judgment when loading and operating the boat.

Pleasure Craft Courtesy Check Program 

Transport Canada works with boating safety organizations like the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons (CPS) to offer free courtesy checks for pleasure craft. Check the CPS website (www.cps-ecp.ca/public.asp) to learn about the Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check Program.

If you agree to have a check done, a trained boating safety volunteer will board your boat, while alongside a dock or at a boat ramp, to:

• check out the safety equipment and other requirements;
• identify any problems; and
• discuss general boating safety issues.

Education and prevention are the keys to this program. Since there are never any penalties involved, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about boating safety and make sure that you are ready to head out on the water. The knowledge you gain from a courtesy check will help you to stay safe on the water year after year.

Note: The Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check Program is an educational program being delivered on behalf of Transport Canada. The term “on board” means only that the equipment was on board at the time of check. Transport Canada does not warrant the condition of the vessel or any of the equipment on board. Responsibility for meeting all regulations, and for the safety of the vessel and related equipment lies solely with the vessel owner/operator.

Don’t Cruise with Booze

Mixing alcohol and boating is illegal and far more dangerous than you may think. Under normal conditions, sun, wind, the motion of the boat and even just being tired can dull your senses. Alcohol makes things even worse, slowing your hand-eye coordination and clouding your good judgment.

Don’t cruise with booze! You might harm yourself or others. You are responsible for the safety of your guests and for not putting other waterway users in danger. You must always be prepared and alert.

Drinking and driving (whether on land or water) is against the law and the consequences, even for a first offence, can last a lifetime.

Provinces and territories have their own rules on legal alcohol limits — when you can drink and how alcohol can be carried on board. Contact your local law enforcement authorities for more information.

Pre-Departure Checklist

Be Prepared for the Unexpected – Check This List Before Every Trip

Lifejackets – Wear Them!

• Carry a Canadian-approved lifejacket for everyone on board.
• Make sure they are in good condition (check the zippers, buckles, fabric, seams, etc.).
• Check that they are properly sized to fit each person on board.

Operator Competency – Are You Ready to Head Out on the Water?

• Take a boating safety course.
• Keep your Pleasure Craft Operator Card or other proof of competency on board.

Weather – Check and Monitor the Marine Weather Forecast

Sail Plan – File Your Plan Before Heading Out

• (See Quick Refernce Material  for a sample sail plan)
• Tell a person you trust where you are going and when you will be back.

Safety Equipment – Required by Law and Essential for Safety

• (See equipment required for your boat)
• Make sure all equipment is on board, in good working order and easy to reach.
• Carry a first aid kit, basic tools and spare parts.

Charts, Compass and Local Hazards – Know Where You Are at All Times

• Make sure you are aware of all local hazards, water levels and tides.

Fuel – Check Your Tank and Remember: 1/3 to go, 1/3 to return, 1/3 reserve

Boat Condition – Should Your Boat Leave the Dock?

• Check the hull for cracks or other damage.
• Check the electrical, fuel, propulsion and cooling systems.
• Make sure the throttle and steering work well.
• Check the oil.
• 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 needed.
• Check the battery’s charge.
• Make sure the drainage plug is in place.
• Carry spare plugs for all through hull fittings.
• Make sure the load on your boat (gear and occupants) is well distributed.
• Run the blowers for four minutes before starting the engine(s) – check for airflow.

Safety Briefing – You Are Legally Responsible for Your Guests

• Show everyone where the safety equipment is located and how to use it.
• Make sure the communication equipment works and everyone can use it.

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