Small Vessel Regulations (SOR/2010-91)

• 402. (1) The operator of a passenger-carrying vessel shall, before departure, report the number of persons on board to a person on shore who has been designated by the operator to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

• (2) If the passenger-carrying vessel is operated in a remote area and it is not possible to report the number of persons on board to a person on shore, the operator of the vessel shall leave the information respecting each voyage in a location on shore that is known and readily available to search and rescue authorities.

• (3) If the passenger-carrying vessel is operated from a support vessel, or if it is used to transfer persons from another vessel to shore, the operator of the passenger-carrying vessel may designate a person on board the support vessel or the other vessel to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

403. If the water temperature is less than 15°C, a person who operates or permits another person to operate a passenger-carrying vessel that does not carry on board a life raft shall ensure that equipment is carried on board the vessel or that procedures are established to protect all persons on board from the effects of hypothermia or cold shock resulting from swamping, capsizing or falling overboard.

• 404. (1) A passenger-carrying vessel shall be designed and equipped to operate safely in its area of operation.

• (2) No person shall operate a passenger-carrying vessel under circumstances that exceed its design limitations, if any.

• (3) Except in an emergency, the operator of a passenger-carrying vessel engaged in towing shall ensure that

  • (a) there are no passengers on board the vessel or the tow; and

  • (b) the vessel meets the requirements of section 521.

405. The owner of a passenger-carrying vessel shall not operate or permit another person to operate the vessel unless, before it is first put in service, the owner has informed the Minister, in a form determined by the Minister, of

• (a) the intention to operate the vessel or permit its operation;

• (b) the physical characteristics of the vessel; and

• (c) the nature of its operation.

406. The owner of a passenger-carrying vessel shall submit to the Minister, on request, information respecting the physical characteristics of the vessel and the nature of its operation.

407. A passenger-carrying vessel shall carry on board a first aid kit.

408. If a lifejacket that must be carried on board a passenger-carrying vessel is to be worn by a person less than 16 years of age, it shall be inherently buoyant.

• 409. (1) A passenger-carrying vessel shall carry on board

  • (a) a lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a reboarding device, unless the vertical height that must be climbed in order to reboard the vessel is not more than 0.5 m; and

  • (c) for the length of vessel set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection, the additional personal life-saving appliances set out in column 2.

    	Column 1	Column 2
    Item	Length	Additional Personal Life-Saving Appliances
    1.	not more than 6 m	a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length
    2.	more than 6 m but not more than 9 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; or (b) a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length
    3.	more than 9 m but not more than 12 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; and (b) a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length
    4.	more than 12 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; and (b) a lifebuoy that is equipped with a self-igniting light or attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length

• (2) The buoyant heaving line set out in the table to subsection (1) shall be fitted at one end with a buoyant mass that will assist in carrying out the end of the line when the line is thrown.