Alertness - Safe Boating

Alertness

The Collision Regulations requires that anyone operating a vessel be constantly on the alert, both in sight and sound.

Operating a vessel requires the operator's sustained attention; operators must be constantly alert and watchful to everything around them. Not only must they take account of what is happening in front, behind and on both sides of them, like a road vehicle driver, but they must also pay attention to what is under them. A single glance at the sky is enough to see the early signs of bad weather, or perceive impending dangers (electrical wires or others).

The water surface can also conceal dangers: tree trunks, water plants, rocks near the surface, etc. For that reason, they required deep concentration when operating a boat. This alertness allows the operator to adjust speed to boating conditions, and thereby enhance the safety of the operator and of others.

The Effect of Waves

One of the rules governing the operation of a vessel is that every vessel is responsible for the effects of its wake. Boat operators must therefore ensure that the wake of their vessel does not endanger nearby pleasure boaters or cause property damage to their vessels.

Boaters coming to help must not compound the circumstances of an accident or, for that matter, cause another one. The effect of the boat's wake is extremely important when approaching the victim. Steps must be taken to ensure the wake is not so high that it washes over the victim.

Lastly, pleasure craft operators must know that they cannot interfere with marine signals, as stipulated in section 439 of the Criminal Code of Canada, by:

1. mooring the vessel to a signal, buoy or other sea-mark used for navigation; or
2. willfully altering, removing or concealing a signal, buoy or other sea-mark.

Provisions of the Collision Regulations pertaining to the conduct of pleasure craft in sight of other vessels.

Know that the operator of a pleasure sailing craft, that has the wind on the port side, shall take early and substantial action to keep well clear of other sailing vessels as described in the Collision regulations, Rules 12 and 16.

Know that the operator of a pleasure sailing craft, that has the wind on the same side and is to windward of other sailing vessels, shall take early and substantial action to keep well clear of sailing vessels which are to leeward as described in the Collision Regulations, Rules 12 and 16.

Know that the operator of a pleasure sailing craft, that has the wind on the port side and cannot determine with certainty whether other sailing vessels to windward have the wind on the port or on the starboard side, shall take early and substantial action to keep well clear of the sailing vessels as described in the collision Regulations, Rules 12 and 16.

Know that the operator of a pleasure craft shall take early and substantial action to keep well clear of vessels being overtaken as described in the Collision Regulations, Rules 13 and 16.

Know that the operator of a pleasure craft, which has other power driven vessels on his/her own starboard side and cross them so as to involve risk of collision, shall take early and substantial action to keep well clear and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, avoid crossing ahead of the other vessels as described in the Collision Regulations, Rules 15 and 16.