Preparing your Boat for Summer + Necessary Safety Equipment

• Check your life jackets and safety equipment – Check the PFD’s that they are not soiled in mold and are in good order, check that your flares are current, that you have a floating and working flashlight aboard, you have a throw rope/life ring in good order, and any other safety equipment necessary. Check out the bottom of the page for safety equipment necessary.

• Check your fire extinguishers - are in date and fully pressurized.

• Check to make sure you have all your registration papers - The RCMP are checking boats this summer looking for valid boat registrations, Personal Water Craft Operators Certificate, and Radio Operators Certificate papers. Make sure you have them, these are big fines.

• Check your batteries - check to make sure your batteries are charged up, check for leaking, cracks in the batteries, terminals, and loose connections.  If you’re not sure about the batteries condition, you should replace it.  There is nothing worse than not being able to start your boat on the water because of a dead battery.

• Check your electronics - Check your cabin and navigation lights, GPS, sounder, radar, check for frayed wires and loose connections.

• Check Engine and leg - Replace your spark plugs, cap and rotor, fuel filter, oil, leg oil, coolant, belt tensions, check hoses from gas tank to engine, check the coolant hoses and clamps. Check that the steering is fluid and not difficult to turn.  Check the power trim, your hydraulic systems, trim tabs and kicker mount.  Check your kicker motor oil, leg oil, drain the carb of any old gas, start it up and check all the remote cables.  Check the prop for damage and that it spins freely when the motor is out of gear.  Start up both the main motor and the kicker and make sure there are no strange noise and that they operate properly and do not over heat.

• Check the hull - Check for any cracks or abrasions, check all thru hull fittings, hoses and clamps. Remove any old sealant and flaking glue and replace with new glue.  Check your docking lines and bumpers, your anchor rode and anchor line. Check your windows for old seals, windsheild wipers and motors.

• Tune up the trailer - Check your lights, tires, rollers, bunks, bearings, license plate and insurance, brakes and hitch.

• Check your gas - drain the carb if you can, pump out about a gallon of fuel by disconnecting your fuel line to your kicker. This should get rid of any water sitting at the bottom of your tank or in the hoses. Make sure you replace your fuel filter after doing this.

• Check your bilge pumps - dump water in the bilge and see if the pumps come on, check the bilge hoses, clamps and thru hull fitting.
• Check your tow vehicle – Make sure the tow vehicle is 100% capable of safely towing your boat.
• I always take my boat for a test run in the ocean before I take it out fishing with friends.

If there is any doubt at all at the condition of your boat or any safety equipment, before heading out on the water, take it into a mechanic and have them check it out!

Required Safety Equipment:

1. One (1) Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board

2. One (1) buoyant heaving line at least than 15 m (49’3”) long

OR

One (1) lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m (49’3”) long

3. One (1) reboarding device

Note: A reboarding device is only required if the vertical height that must be climbed to reboard the pleasure craft from the water is over 0.5 m (1’8”).

Visual Signals

4. One (1) watertight flashlight

5. Six (6) Canadian-approved flares of Type A (Rocket Parachute), B (Multi-Star) or C (Hand)

Note: Flares are not required for a pleasure craft that:

• Is operating on a river, canal or lake in which it can never be more than one (1) nautical mile (1.852 km) from shore; or
• Has no sleeping quarters and is engaged in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition.

Vessel Safety Equipment

6. One (1) manual propelling device

OR

One (1) anchor and at least 15 m (49’3”) of cable, rope or chain in any combination

7. One (1) bailer or manual bilge pump

Note: A bailer or manual bilge pump is not required for a pleasure craft that cannot hold enough water to make it capsize or a pleasure craft that has watertight compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible.

Navigation equipment

8. One (1) sound-signalling appliance that meets the requirements set out in the Collision Regulations

OR

A sound-signalling device

9. Navigation lights that meet the requirements set out in the Collision Regulations

Note:

1. Sailing vessels less than 7 m in length can meet this requirement with a watertight flashlight
2. Navigation lights are only required if the pleasure craft is operated after sunset, before sunrise, or in periods of restricted visibility (fog, falling snow, etc.).

You can learn more about the requirements for your pleasure craft by consulting the navigation lights section of the Safe Boating Guide

Note: Navigation lights are only required if the pleasure craft is operated after sunset, before sunrise, or in periods of restricted visibility (fog, falling snow, etc.).

10. One (1) magnetic compass

Note: A magnetic compass is not required if the pleasure craft is 8 m (26’3”) or less and is operated within sight of sea marks (navigation marks).

Firefighting Equipment

11. One (1) 5BC fire extinguisher if the pleasure craft is equipped with a motor

AND

12. One (1) 5BC fire extinguisher if the pleasure craft is equipped with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigeration appliance

Category: BC, how to, Uncategorized