Small Vessel Regulations (SOR/2010-91)

304 A person responsible for an enterprise that conducts guided excursions and the leader of a guided excursion shall, before the beginning of the excursion, ensure that all participants are briefed in either or both official languages, according to their needs, on the safety and emergency procedures relevant to the guided excursion.

• 305 (1) The leader of a guided excursion shall, before the beginning of the excursion, report the number of participants in the excursion to a person on shore who has been designated by the leader to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

• (2) If the guided excursion takes place in a remote area and it is not possible to report the number of participants to a person on shore, the leader of the excursion shall leave a record of the number of participants and the area of operation in a known location on shore that is accessible to search and rescue authorities.

• (3) If the guided excursion departs from a support vessel, the leader of the excursion may designate a person on board the support vessel to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

Human-Powered Passenger-Carrying Vessels

306 If the water temperature is less than 15°C, a person who operates or permits another person to operate a human-powered passenger-carrying vessel 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, or falling overboard.

307 The operator of a human-powered passenger-carrying vessel shall, before departure, ensure that all passengers are briefed in either or both official languages, according to their needs, on the safety and emergency procedures relevant to the type of vessel and nature of the activity.

• 308 (1) The operator of a human-powered 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 the case of an emergency.

• (2) If the human-powered 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 a record of the number of persons on board and the area of operation in a known location on shore that is accessible to search and rescue authorities.

• (3) If the human-powered passenger-carrying vessel is operated from a support vessel, the operator of the passenger-carrying vessel may designate a person on board the support vessel to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

Safety Equipment

First Aid Kit

309 A human-powered vessel shall carry on board a first aid kit.

Personal Life-Saving Appliances and Visual Signals

• 310 (1) A human-powered vessel shall carry on board

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket that is

    • (i) of an appropriate size for each person on board, and

    • (ii) inherently buoyant, if the vessel is being used during whitewater paddling; and

  • (b) for the category of life-saving appliance set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection, the additional life-saving appliance set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.

    	Column 1	Column 2
    Item	Category of Life-Saving Appliance	Additional Life-Saving Appliance
    1	personal life-saving appliance	(a) 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 (b) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length that is contained in a throw bag
    2	visual signals	(a) if the human-powered vessel is not more than 6 m in length, a watertight flashlight or three pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals; or (b) if the human-powered vessel is more than 6 m in length, a watertight flashlight and six pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals

• (2) Every person on board a human-powered vessel shall wear

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket; and

  • (b) when on class 3 or above waters, a helmet of an appropriate size.

Vessel Safety Equipment and Navigation Equipment

• 311 (1) A human-powered vessel shall carry on board, for the category of equipment set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection, the equipment set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.

  	Column 1	Column 2
  Item	Category of Equipment	Equipment
  1	vessel safety equipment	(a) a bailer; (b) a manual bilge pump; or (c) bilge-pumping arrangements
  2	navigation equipment	(a) a sound-signalling appliance that meets the requirements of the Collision Regulations, or a sound-signalling device; (b) if the vessel is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility, navigation lights that meet the requirements of the Collision Regulations; and (c) a magnetic compass

• (2) A magnetic compass is not required to be carried on board a human-powered vessel that is not more than 8 m in length and that navigates within sight of seamarks.

Exceptions for Certain Vessels

Racing Canoes and Racing Kayaks

• 312 (1) A racing canoe or racing kayak that is engaged in formal training, in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition that is governed by safety guidelines and procedures established by the governing body is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part if it is attended by a safety craft that is carrying on board a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size

  • (a) for each person on board the canoe or kayak, if the safety craft is attending only one pleasure craft; or

  • (b) for each person on board the canoe or kayak with the most persons on board, if the safety craft is attending more than one pleasure craft.

• (2) However, if the racing canoe or racing kayak is not attended by a safety craft, it is required to carry on board only the following safety equipment:

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a sound-signalling device; and

  • (c) a watertight flashlight if the canoe or kayak is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.

Rowing Shells

• 313 (1) A rowing shell that is competing in a provincially, nationally or internationally sanctioned regatta or competition, or engaged in training at the venue at which the regatta or competition is taking place, is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part.

• (2) A rowing shell that is engaged in activities governed by safety guidelines and procedures established by the governing body is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part if it is attended by a safety craft that is carrying on board a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size

  • (a) for each person on board the rowing shell, if the safety craft is attending only one rowing shell; or

  • (b) for each person on board the rowing shell with the most persons on board, if the safety craft is attending more than one rowing shell.

• (3) However, if the rowing shell is not attended by a safety craft, it is required to carry on board only the following safety equipment:

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a sound-signalling device; and

  • (c) a watertight flashlight, if the canoe or kayak is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.