Top 10 Boating Safety Tips

These are the minimums the Small Vessel Regulations set for sail-powered and power-driven pleasure craft in Canada. A sailboat with a motor must meet both. Equipment must be in good working order, easy to reach and maintained to the maker's instructions, and lifejackets and PFDs must be Canadian-approved and the right size.

Up to 6 m (19'8")

• A lifejacket or PFD of the right size for each person aboard
• A buoyant heaving line at least 15 m long
• A reboarding device, if the climb from the water onto the boat is more than 0.5 m
• A watertight flashlight or three Canadian-approved flares (Type A, B or C)
• A manual propelling device (paddle or oars) or an anchor with at least 15 m of rope, cable or chain
• A bailer or manual bilge pump
• A sound-signalling device (whistle or horn)
• Navigation lights, if you're out between sunset and sunrise or in reduced visibility
• A magnetic compass (not required on boats 8 m or less that stay within sight of navigation marks)
• A 5B:C fire extinguisher, if the boat has an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank, or a fuel-burning stove, heater or fridge

Over 6 m up to 9 m (19'8" to 29'6")

• A lifejacket or PFD for each person
• A buoyant heaving line at least 15 m long, or a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m long
• A reboarding device (as above)
• A watertight flashlight and six Canadian-approved flares, no more than two of them smoke signals
• A manual propelling device or an anchor with at least 15 m of rope, cable or chain
• A bailer or manual bilge pump
• A sound-signalling device, navigation lights and a magnetic compass (same conditions as above)
• A 5B:C fire extinguisher if the boat has a motor, and another if it has a fuel-burning stove, heater or fridge

Over 9 m up to 12 m (29'6" to 39'4")

• A lifejacket or PFD for each person
• A buoyant heaving line at least 15 m long and a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m long
• A reboarding device (as above)
• A watertight flashlight and twelve Canadian-approved flares, no more than six of them smoke signals
• An anchor with at least 30 m of rope, cable or chain
• A manual bilge pump or bilge-pumping arrangements
• A sound-signalling device, navigation lights and a magnetic compass
• A 10B:C fire extinguisher if the boat has a motor, and another if it has a fuel-burning stove, heater or fridge

Over 12 m (39'4")

Larger boats carry more: a lifebuoy with a self-igniting light or a 15 m buoyant line, an anchor with at least 50 m of rode, bilge-pumping arrangements, 10B:C extinguishers at each fuel-burning appliance, accommodation and engine space, an axe and two buckets. Boats 12 m and over also need a whistle that meets the Collision Regulations. Check the full list in Transport Canada's Safe Boating Guide (TP 511).

Flare exceptions

• Flares aren't required on a river, canal or lake where you can never be more than one nautical mile from shore.
• On boats over 6 m, you may carry as few as half the required flares if you have a two-way radio, a 406 MHz EPIRB, or a 406 MHz personal locator beacon worn by the operator.
• Canadian flares expire four years after the manufacture date stamped on them. Replace them, and dispose of old ones through a retailer or local program, not in the garbage.

Other Canadian requirements

• Proof of competency (Pleasure Craft Operator Card). Required to operate any pleasure craft fitted with a motor, and that includes a sailboat with an auxiliary engine, even while you're under sail. Carry the physical card.
• Pleasure Craft Licence. Required if the boat has motors totalling 10 hp (7.5 kW) or more, unless it's registered. Display the licence number and carry a copy.
• Marine VHF radio. You need a Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime), the ROC(M), to operate one. A DSC radio needs an MMSI number before its distress button will identify your boat.
• Radar reflector. Boats under 20 m, or built mostly of non-metallic materials such as fibreglass or wood, must carry one where practicable. It isn't needed in daylight, light traffic and good conditions, or where the boat's small size makes it impracticable. Mount it at least 4 m above the water if you can.
• Children's lifejackets. Inflatable lifejackets and PFDs aren't approved for anyone under 16 or weighing less than 36.3 kg (80 lb), so children need an inherently buoyant one, sized for their weight.
• Sober operation. Impaired operation of a vessel carries the same Criminal Code penalties as impaired driving.
• In U.S. waters, U.S. Coast Guard rules apply.

This is a summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. The Small Vessel Regulations and Transport Canada's Safe Boating Guide are the official sources.

These are the federal minimums for recreational boats from the U.S. Coast Guard's Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats. Equipment must be Coast Guard-approved, in good condition and readily accessible. Your state can add its own rules, so check with your state boating agency too.

Every boat

• A wearable, Coast Guard-approved life jacket of the right size for each person aboard, where you can put it on quickly, not stowed in plastic bags or locked away. Inflatables must have a full cylinder and green status indicators.
• Children under 13 must wear a life jacket while the boat is underway, unless they're below deck or in an enclosed cabin. If your state has its own child wear rule, the state rule applies.
• A sound-producing device, such as a whistle or horn
• Navigation lights between sunset and sunrise and in restricted visibility, such as fog or heavy rain
• State registration for any boat with an engine: carry the Certificate of Number aboard and display the number on the hull
• Engine cut-off switch: on boats under 26 ft that have one installed, the operator must wear the link whenever the boat is on plane or above displacement speed

Boats 16 ft (4.9 m) and over

• One throwable flotation device (Type IV), within arm's reach on deck. Canoes and kayaks are exempt.
• Day and night visual distress signals on the waters listed below

Visual distress signals

• Where: U.S. coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas, and waters connected to them until they narrow to less than 2 nautical miles wide.
• Boats 16 ft and over: signals for both day and night use. For example, three hand-held red flares approved for day and night, or an orange distress flag for day plus an electric SOS distress light for night.
• Night signals only, when out between sunset and sunrise: boats under 16 ft, boats in organized events such as races and regattas, open sailboats under 26 ft with no engine, and paddled or rowed boats.
• Pyrotechnic flares expire 42 months after manufacture. Expired flares can be carried as extras, but they don't count toward the requirement.

Fire extinguishers

Required if the boat has closed compartments (including under seats where portable fuel tanks may be stored), closed living spaces, closed stowage for flammable materials, double bottoms not sealed or filled with flotation, or permanently installed fuel tanks. For boats from model year 2018 on, the minimum number of 5-B extinguishers is:

• Under 26 ft: one (none if a fixed system protects the engine space)
• 26 ft to under 40 ft: two (one with a fixed system)
• 40 ft to 65 ft: three (two with a fixed system)

One 20-B extinguisher can replace two 5-B extinguishers. Disposable extinguishers expire 12 years after the date stamped on the bottom. Boats from model year 2017 or earlier may keep B-I and B-II extinguishers until they're no longer serviceable.

Gasoline engines

• Ventilation: enclosed compartments with a gasoline engine or fuel tank need ventilation, and an inboard gasoline engine with remote starting needs a powered blower. Run it for at least four minutes before you start the engine.
• Backfire flame arrestor: required on inboard gasoline engines (not outboards).

Larger boats

• 26 ft and over: an oil discharge placard (at least 5 × 8 in.) in the engine space or at the bilge pump controls, and a garbage placard (at least 4 × 9 in.) where crew and guests can see it.
• 12 m (39.4 ft) and over: a whistle that meets the Navigation Rules, and a copy of the Navigation Rules aboard on inland waters.
• 20 m (65.6 ft) and over: a whistle and a bell.
• 40 ft and over, ocean-going, with a galley and berths: a written waste management plan.

Other U.S. requirements

• Toilets: an installed toilet needs a Coast Guard-certified marine sanitation device. Treated sewage can be discharged within 3 nautical miles of shore except in No Discharge Zones; untreated sewage only beyond 3 nautical miles.
• Pollution: never discharge oil, plastic or garbage into U.S. waters. Report oil spills to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.
• Boater education: there's no federal operator licence, but most states require a boater education card for some or all operators, often based on age.
• VHF radio: most recreational boaters don't need an individual licence to use a VHF in U.S. waters, but must follow FCC rules. Register any EPIRB or PLB with NOAA.
• Boating under the influence: a blood alcohol content of 0.08 (0.10 in some states) or more is a federal and state offence.
• Free Vessel Safety Check: the Coast Guard Auxiliary and America's Boating Club will check your boat's required equipment at no cost.
• In Canadian waters, Transport Canada rules apply.

This is a summary of the federal minimums to help you prepare, not legal advice. The official source is the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety Division; your state may require more.