2024-May-16
Safe Boating Awareness Week Kicks off the Boating Season
As summer approaches, the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) is launching its annual Safe Boating
Awareness Week, advocating for safe and responsible boating practices across Canada.
Canada’s love affair with boating is stronger than ever, with over 16 million Canadians taking to the
waterways for recreational enjoyment. The pandemic turbocharged this passion, with a surge in new
boaters—some estimating increases as high as 40%. However, along with the influx of enthusiasts came a rise in boating incidents, signaling a need for heightened safety awareness.
To steer boaters towards safety, the CSBC, alongside its partners, underscores five pivotal boating safety
messages:
1. Wear Your lifejacket – Lifejackets only work if you wear them and last year over 80% of Canadians who drown while boating were not wearing their lifejacket or not wearing it properly. There are so many choices for lifejackets/personal floatation devices on the market now, it is easy to pick one that suits your ‘boating style’ and is one that you are comfortable wearing all the time you are on the water.
Watch a video on how to inspect your lifejackets for the start of the season here
2. Boat Sober – the use of prescription drugs, alcohol or cannabis when boating is both irresponsible and illegal. Being convicted of impaired operation in Ontario will also affect your automobile license.
3. 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 and good to have safety equipment, the weather is suitable for the voyage, you have sufficient fuel and you have filed a trip plan. Plus, this is not all about you…it is important to keep in mind that by staying out of trouble you will not be putting pressure on rescue resources.
4. Take a Boating Course – If you are operating a powered recreational vessel, you should have your Pleasure Craft Operator Card or some other proof of competency. But that is just as start, so consider taking some advanced courses.
5. 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, best chance of surviving an accidental cold-water immersion is to wear your lifejacket!
However you choose to cruise Georgian Bay waters, safe and responsible boating is paramount for all of our mutual enjoyment. GBA has some great reaources, including Navigating our Waters, a comprehensive guide to boating and safety on the Bay, and Georgian Bay for Everyone which is a simple guide to boating etiquette developed cooperatively by GBA and Boating Ontario.