Boating Safely
Minimum Safety Equipment Required for the Size and Type of your Pleasure Craft as per:
www.boatingsafety.gc.ca The Small Vessel Regulations
set out the minimum safety equipment required on board a pleasure craft according to its type and length. To determine the
length of your pleasure craft, refer to your manufacturer's product information or measure it yourself - from the forward
end of the foremost outside surface of the hull shell to the after end of the aftermost outside surface of the hull shell.
To find out the minimum safety equipment
requirements for your pleasure craft, select the appropriate category:
Human-powered
pleasure craft (including canoes, kayaks, Row-boats and rowing shells) Personal Lifesaving Appliances
1. One (1) Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person
on board Note: A personal flotation device or lifejacket carried on board a human-powered pleasure craft
operated in whitewater must be inherently buoyant.
2. One (1) buoyant heaving
line at least 15 m (49’3”) long
3. One (1) re-boarding device
Note: A re-boarding device is only required if the vertical height that must be climbed to re-board
the pleasure craft from the water is over 0.5 m (1’8”). Visual Signals - Only required
if the pleasure craft is over 6 m
4. One (1) water tight 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) bailer or manual bilge
pump or Bilge-pumping arrangements 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
7. One (1) sound-signaling device that meets
applicable standards. Pleasure craft 12 m (39’4”) or greater in length must have a fitted whistle. Pleasure craft
less than 12 m (39’4”) in length need a sound-signalling device if they are not fitted with a sound-signalling
appliance. The sound-signalling device can be a pealess whistle, compressed gas horn or an electric horn
8. 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.). For a human-powered vessel, this requirement can be
met with a watertight flashlight
9. 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
seamarks (navigation marks)
10. One (1) Radar Reflector is required under certain conditions - (Vessels less than 20 m (65’7”)
in length or that are constructed primarily of non-metallic materials must have radar reflectors, unless they are not essential
to the safety of the vessel, or the small size of the vessel or its operation away from radar navigation makes compliance
impractical. If properly positioned, they help larger, less maneuverable vessels detect your presence on their radar screens.
They should be located above all superstructures and at least 4 m (13”1’) above the water (if possible).
