Safety Must-Haves for Your Vessel

Making sure you have all the required safety equipment detailed below on your vessel is important for keeping yourself, your passengers and other people on the water safe. 

Life jackets: Experienced boaters typically take their knowledge of Personal Floatation Devices for granted. But how up to date are you on the different types currently available? Check out this video from the YouTube channel of a local marina.

Did you know a PFD or lifejacket is even required when on a paddle board?

Navigation lights: Do you like to boat at night? Do it safely.

Signalling devices: Especially if you have more than one type of boat, you might find it useful to review the Safe Boating Guide, especially the sections on ‘ ‘Visual Signals – Types’ (pp. 25-27), ‘Sound Signalling Devices’ (p. 28), and ‘Distress Signals’ (p. 62). Does your type of boat require that you carry flares and do you know about EVDS? Do you have a waterproof flashlight on board, and is it in working order? If not, you face a fine if stopped for a safety inspection. Did you know that you are required by law to give assistance to a boat if you see it giving out a distress signal and it is safe for you to do so?

VHF radios: These are the best ways to get quick assistance from the Coast Guard or neighbouring boats in an emergency. Do you have a license for one? See also the Safe Boating Guide (pp. 60-61).

Reboarding devices: Does your boat have a freeboard greater than 20 inches (or half a metre) and no swim platform or transom ladder? If so, you need a reboarding device or face a fine if stopped for a safety inspection. And, no, your propulsion system does not count as a step. Many older boats are not in compliance. According to the Small Vessel Regulations, a reboarding device is “a ladder, lifting harness or other device that does not include any part of the vessel’s propulsion unit and that assists a person to gain access to the vessel from the water.”

Why Your Membership Matters

TIA is the only organization placing shoal markers for the River Community - this is an essential service. Our mission of river safety is to heighten boater’s awareness of some dangerous shoals to avoid . TIA strongly encourages all boaters to use navigation charts when navigating the St. Lawrence River. Please be a TIA supporter, we rely on membership dues & donations to be sustainable.

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