Conservation Corner: Be boat safe this summer
- Lindsey Leko, Conservation Officer | August 16, 2016
A hot summer is expected this year, and with that we will certainly see an increase in boat traffic on the waters. You will see conservation officers and the RCMP patrolling our vast waters, ensuring everyone is boating safely and obeying provincial regulations.
If you’re looking forward to getting some friends and family together and taking the boat out to enjoy the water, please remember that boating and drinking are a bad combination. Alcohol combined with the effects of sun, fatigue, wind and motion can decrease a boater’s reaction time, impede motor skills and impair judgment.
Over my 25-year career as a conservation officer, the question about alcohol and boating keeps coming up. Many seem to think that it is perfectly okay to drink while you are fishing, cruising on a pontoon boat, or while you are pulling someone behind you on a tube. This is far from the truth. Alcohol consumption on a boat is unlawful in Saskatchewan. Although a boat is not considered a motor vehicle under the Alcohol and Gaming Regulations Act, it still is considered a public place. A houseboat that has plumbed-in water, sewer, eating facilities and places to sleep is not considered a public place. However, it is the only place where alcohol can be legally consumed. Even then, the houseboat has to be secured to a permanent mooring structure or dock but cannot be anchored.
Many out there feel that a pontoon boat meets this definition with cushion seating to sleep on, a barbecue on the bow and toilet facilities. This is incorrect; a pontoon boat is always considered a public place. Remember that a boat is considered a motor vehicle under the Criminal Code. Therefore all driving while impaired provisions under the Criminal Code apply on all boats.
There are many other boating rules that must be considered. There are also a variety of boats of varied sizes and horsepower, compounded by many people of varied boating experience all trying to enjoy the water.
Please refer to the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations and the Small Vessel Regulations for a complete list of rules that must be followed when operating a pleasure craft.
A summary of the rules is as follows:
- It is an offence to tow somebody behind a boat without a spotter.
- It is unlawful to tow somebody on a personal watercraft unless that watercraft is large enough to hold three people. This includes the driver, the spotter and the person being towed.
- All operators of a pleasure craft fitted with a motor must have proof of competency and proof of age on board at all times.
- Only persons 16 years of age or older can operate a personal watercraft (PWC) regardless of whether or not they are supervised or there is an adult on board as a passenger.
- When boating within 30 metres (100 feet) from shore, remember that the unposted speed limit is 10km/h (six miles per hour).
- All boats are required to carry safety equipment. What exactly must be carried depends on the type and size of boat (usually expressed in length from bow to stern.) The most important safety practice is the wearing of a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD). All PFDs on a boat must be able to fit those on it. In other words, having a child’s lifejacket on an adult or vice versa is not allowed.
Canadian Red Cross studies show that nearly 90 per cent of drowning victims were not wearing a lifejacket or a PFD. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death for Canadians under 44, and the leading cause of preventable death among toddlers.
A pleasure craft licence is the number placed on the side of each recreational vessel as required under the Small Vessel Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act. The number is used to assist law enforcement and search and rescue organizations in identifying each individual pleasure craft. All boats must have this registration number on the bow.
Remember that a variety of other activities are taking place on the water. This includes swimming, canoeing, paddleboards and fishing, to name a few. If you are operating your boat in a dangerous manner, the consequences are serious enough to bring possible charges under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Lastly, if you are operating your boat in the dark, do so with caution. Remember your perspective has changed. At night, it’s much more difficult to judge distances and recognize landmarks. If operating a boat during darkness, you must have the red and green bow lights, and the white stern light illuminated at all times.
If you are unsure of the rules of the water, there are many references both in government and on the web which will provide you good information. As stated above, common sense and good judgement are the key to enjoying our waters during the summer months. Until next time…keep your rod tip up.
Editor’s note: Ministry of Environment conservation officer Lindsey Leko has spent more than 25 years as a conservation officer in Saskatchewan. For many years, Officer Leko contributed a column to local papers on a variety of issues related to hunting, fishing, and other resource-related issues. If you have questions, please contact lindsey.leko@gov.sk.ca.