Safe Boating Checklist
With the beginning of the summer boating season, its a good time to review some of the basics of safe boating. All boats are required to carry safety equipment but what exactly must be carried depends on the size and type of boat; items required on a typical vessel 6 meters or less in length include:
- A Canadian approved flotation device, lifejacket or PFD, in good repair and of appropriate size for every person on board.
- The vessels license or registration certificate if powered by a motor of 7.5 kw (10 hp) or more.
- Fire extinguisher (depending on type of engine, gas tank or cooking appliances on board).
- Watertight flashlight or pyrotechnic distress signal requirements (flares).
- Sound signaling device.
- Buoyant heaving line (minimum 15 meters in length).
- Paddle or anchor with at least 15 meters of rode and /or chain.
- Re-boarding device.
- Bailer or manual water pump.
- Navigation lights.
For Transport Canada's full Safe Boating Guide, click here.
Canadian Power Squadrons has partnered with Transport Canada and CIL Dealers on a project on education and awareness of safety equipment, the care and maintenance of that equipment and how to safely and effectively use and dispose of flares.
If your flares have a manufacture date of 2012 or earlier they have or will expire this year. Flares are approved for four years from the date of manufacture. If they have expired or will expire during this boating season, you must replace them... it's the law!
However, disposing of expired flares has been an ongoing dilemma for boaters across the country. You can't light them, throw them in the water or in your household garbage to dispose of them. To help boaters dispose of expired flares in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, CPS-ECP and selected CIL Dealers are hosting Safety Equipment Education and Flare Disposal Days where boaters will have an opportunity to learn about required safety equipment and can bring outdated flares to be properly disposed of, free of charge.
Various locations across Canada will host these events this summer. Local dates include June 4 at Fogh Marine in Toronto and June 10/11 at The Chandlery in Ottawa. Click here for full list of dates and locations, and more detailed information.
Navigational Warning
The boating season on the Rideau Canal opened this past Victoria Day, and it was a very busy weekend on the lake.
The BRLA has installed 108 buoys to mark hazards and shoals this year. Boaters noticed, however, that several Parks Canada navigation buoys are out of position, having migrated over the winter to different positions on the lake. In bringing this potential safety hazard to the attention of Parks Canada, BRLA President Brian Hawkins received the following response:
"I want to assure you that we are working hard towards getting all the floating aids to navigation in their advertised positioned over the next week. There is an active Notice to Shipping for the Rideau Canal that some markers are off position due to the winter months and spring freshet.
I will forward the concerns on to maintenance regarding the two bifurcation buoys. In the future, I encourage you and your members to submit these types of requests to our general information inbox (rideaucanal.info@pc.gc.ca) to be actioned. They will aways be forwarded to the appropriate person who is on duty during the navigation season.
As a reminder, safe navigation on the Rideau Canal is a shared responsibility between vessel operators and Parks Canada. Parks Canada cautions all vessel operators not to rely solely on buoys for navigation purposes. Aids to navigation are always to be used in conjunction with other marine publications and information. In particular, nautical charts, Notices to Shipping (NOTSHIP), Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR), sailing directions, the Canadian Aids to Navigation System and other Government of Canada publications or services."
Free Lockage along Rideau Canal in 2017
As part of the celebrations for next year's 150th anniversary of Confederation, lockage will be free to all boaters along the Rideau Canal system next year.
Click here to read the Government of Canada's news release.
FOCA Elert - May 2016
Click here to read the most recent FOCA newsletter. Just in time for the unofficial kick-off to the summer season with the Victoria Day long weekend, articles in this newsletter include:
- Handy cottage opening tips
- Dock permits
- Invasive species
- Lake Partner Program
- Environmental Grants
- Cottage Succession Seminars - including Sunday August 14th at the Perth Legion
- And more
Shoal Markers are in!
A crew coordinated by the BRLA has now deployed all the shoal markers around the lake. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable boating season!
Check our Lake Safety page for details.
FOCA Elert - April 2016
The most recent edition of the FOCA newsletter is now available. Articles this month:
- Water Levels
- Dock Permits
- Property Tax Re-assessments
- Cottage Succession Seminars
- Shoreline Reading
Click here to read this Elert.
Cottage Succession Seminar planned for Eastern Ontario
The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations has confirmed a number of in-person Cottage Succession Seminars, to be held over the coming months, including one in Eastern Ontario.
· Friday, May 27th (2-4pm) with the Canadian Canoe Museum (Peterborough)
· Saturday, July 9th with the Cavendish Community Ratepayers Association (Kawarthas)
· Sunday, August 14th with the Lake Networking Group (Eastern Ontario)
· Sunday, August 21st with the Salerno Devil’s Lake Cottagers’ Association (Haliburton)
Contact the FOCA office to secure your spot and get location details:
info@foca.on.ca 705-749-3622
These events are free to FOCA members and $10 at the door for non-members. Space is limited, so please pre-register!