As GSAR members who respond to both ground AND inland water Search and Rescue calls here in Canada, boating safety to us means…
Wear Your Lifejacket – Over 80% of Canadians who drown while boating were not wearing their lifejacket or not wearing it properly. Of the many choices for lifejackets / personal floatation devices, pick one that is comfortable and suits your ‘boating style’ while you are on the water.
Boat Sober – prescription drugs, alcohol or cannabis, the use of intoxicants is both irresponsible and illegal. In some provinces, being convicted of impaired operation will also affect your automobile license.
Take a Boating Course – If you are operating a powered recreational vessel, for starters you should have your Pleasure Craft Operator Card or some other proof of competency. Consider taking advanced courses. If your boating preference tends towards paddling, enroll in on-water training. If you are just starting out, earn an AdventureSmart certificate by checking out our E-learning PaddleSmart program:
https://elearning.adventuresmart.ca/courses/paddlesmart/
(The site is not a substitute for on water training, but it does provide a great first step in education about paddling smart)
Be Prepared, You and Your Vessel- Make sure you and your boat are up to your planned on-water activities. That means you are knowledgeable about your upcoming trip, your boat is properly equipped with the required safety equipment, the weather is suitable for the trip, you have sufficient fuel and you have filed a trip plan. It is important to keep in mind that by staying out of trouble you will not be putting pressure on rescue resources.
Be Cold Water Safe – Cold water can severely impact your ability to swim or even just stay afloat. Even the best swimmers will feel the effects of a sudden cold-water immersion. No matter your swimming ability, the best chance of surviving an accidental cold-water immersion is to wear your lifejacket!
With warm weather on the horizon for many, we want to remind you of not only the 5 CSBC Boating Tips but also to stay safe and have fun!