Pleasure Craft Equipment

Buoyant heaving lines

A piece of rope not less than 15 m in length and floats.

used to get person in water (PIW) back along side the boat

  • secure the opposite end of the line to a secure point on the boat before throwing the buoyant device to the PIW
  • It’s a good practice to attach a ball or buoyant object to assist in throwing accuracy & practice throwing the line to develop the required accuracy
  • clean with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • use only for this purpose

Approved Lifebuoy

Look for a Transport Canada approval stamp or label. Small Vessel Lifebuoys must be at least 610 mm in diameter (TC). SOLAS lifebuoys are 762 mm in diameter. Smaller lifebuoys and horseshoe-type devices are not approved. Make sure all lifebuoy have no tears or perforations and that the grab lines are in good working order.

used to get person in water (PIW) back along side the boat

  • secure the opposite end of the line on the lifebuoy to a secure point on the boat before throwing the lifebuoy to the PIW
  • clean with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • secure on board

Re-boarding device

if the freeboard of the pleasure craft exceeds 0.5

  • transom ladder or swim platform ladder meets this requirement but part of the propulsion unit does

used to assist a PIW back into the boat

  • a transom ladder or swim platform ladder meets this requirement
  • becket lines, rope stepped on the windward side are some other examples
  • parts of propulsion system are not considered re-boarding devices
  • ensure you choose an appropriate device to suit your vessel
  • clean with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • secure on board

Manual Propelling Device

can be a set of oars, a paddle or any other device that uses human power to propel a vessel.

can include a set of oars; a paddle; or anything that a person can operate by hand or foot to propel a boat, including the rudder on a small open sail boat or a paddle wheel on a paddleboat

used to propel the boat in the event of a engine failure

  • clean with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • secure on board

Anchor & Line

One anchor and at least 15 – 50 m of cable, rope or chain in any combination. The length of anchor line varies with the size/type of pleasure craft. Consult the Small Vessel Regulations regarding you vessel’s requirements. Types of anchors include danforth, plough, & grapnel.

used to secure a boat in position while at sea

  • secure the opposite end of the anchor line to a secure point on the boat before lowering the anchor
  • use a ratio of 7:1 ( anchor line – depth of water )
  • larger anchors are required for adverse conditions
  • make sure the shackle pin is secured
  • clean anchor and line with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • secure on board

Danforth anchor

is lightweight – easily stored and retrieved.This anchor has difficulty penetrating kelp and weed-covered bottoms, as well as rocky and particularly hard sand or clay bottoms.

Plough anchor

is generally heavier than other types of anchors and require more area for storage. They are generally good in all bottoms, but not exceptional in any.

Grapnel anchor

are lightweight but difficult to stow on board. Grapnels rarely have enough fluke area to develop much hold in sand, clay, or mud. It is not unknown for the anchor to foul on its own rode, or to foul the tines with refuse from the bottom, preventing it from digging in.

  • When selecting the anchor that is best for you – consider the holding power of different types and the bottom
  • If your anchor has a locking device,make sure the pin is

Bailer / Water Pumps

one bailer or one manual water pump fitted with or accompanied by sufficient hose to enable a person using the pump to pump water from the bilge of the vessel over the side of the vessel.

Bailers must hold at least 750 ml and be made of plastic or metal. If you have a manual bilge pump, the pump and hose must be long enough to reach the bilge and discharge water over the side of the boat.

  • used to throw or pump any water that has accumulated on board, over the side
  • clean with mild soap & water – air dry – stow in an easily accessible area
  • secure on board

an electric means of pumping accumulated water back over the side. A bilge pump and float switch are wired to your battery .When a significant amount of water builds up in the bilge, this lifts the float switch and turns on the bilge pump – pumping the water over the side.

  • ensure bilge pump and float switch are secure and nothing is blocking or preventing their proper operation
  • check as part of pre-departure checklist

Axe

required on pleasure craft over 12m in length

used to gain access to areas where fire may be allowing us to extinguish the fire. Make secure to axe is properly located and secure. It’s a good idea to keep the axe out of the elements to prevent damage and or rust. The axe can also be used to cut a towline in an emergency

Buckets

required on pleasure craft over 12m in length (capacity of 10 l or more)

Buckets to be not less than 10 liters in capacity and fitted with a lanyard of sufficient length to reach the water from the location in which they are stored.

Watertight Flashlight

check batteries prior to each trip

Sound Signaling Device/Appliance

All pleasure craft must carry a sound signaling device (manual- whistle or air horn) or appliance (built-in horn)

A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to carry the sound signalling appliances but she shall be provided with some other means of making an efficient sound signal.A vessel of 12 metres or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 metres or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle

Ensure the sound signalling device/appliance is checked prior to departure and that if it is not fixed to the boat,it is secured and stowed properly.

*These devices/appliances are used to communicate manoeuvring;alert others of your presence in restricted visibility;and to draw attention in emergencies.

Navigation Lights

Navigation Lights – A vessel must carry navigation lights for operating from sunset to sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility. Before each trip, check your navigation lights –make sure they are in good condition-burning bright and replace burnt out bulbs. The range of visibilities for the lights varies with the length of the boat. For more info on visibilities – refer to rule 22 of the Collision Regulations. For non-powered vessels and sailing vessels less than 7m,a watertight flashlight qualifies as it’s navigation light.

navigation lights that meet the applicable standards set out in the Collision Regulations (required during darkness and restricted visibility)

Ensure the navigation lights are checked prior to departure and that if they are not fixed to the boat, they are secured and stowed properly.Extra bulbs should be carried.Vessels carry different navigation light depending on their type,size and their activity.Not all vessel are lit the same – from their navigation lights, we can determine their type,size,activity,& their course/direction.