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Davb1947

Davb1947

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
34
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Molly
Vessel Make
Albin 36
Planning to cruise in Canada this summer for the first time and discovering things needed in Canada that aren’t needed in USA. So far:

An operator's license if the boat will be in Canada more than 45 days.

A life ring.

50' of floating throwing line.

A radio license for the VHF.

Do you experienced Canada boaters know of other items?
 
Wonderful. All you need is that your vessel meets the current requirements dictated by the country that has licensed or registered your vessel. Operator's license is as dictated by your state or a NASBLA certificate. VHF operator's license yes, but no station license required. ColRegs are the same except speeds in controlled zones are in kilometres. Ask any question. Have fun planning your cruise.
 
Greetings,
Mr. 1947. Mr. L_t brings up a valid point. Used to be that ONLY official charts were acceptable. Chart books or electronic charts were not recognized. It may have changed.
 
Also depending where you go you will have to comply to more restrictive sewage regulations. At the least you will need to have your discharge valve (if you have one) secured so you cannot accidentally discharge overboard. In some place it is required to have your overboard discharge disconnected and secured.

L
 
You are citing the safety requirements for CANADIAN boats in Canada. You don't need to meet the Canadian requirements.

"Foreign pleasure craft (pleasure craft that are licensed or registered in a country other than Canada) need to comply with equipment requirements of the country in which the vessel is usually kept."

Source: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-obs-quick-quick_visitor-1610.htm#i.

Yes, you need the FCC operator license.

You MAY need paper charts from the Canadian Hydrographic Service. The exception is if you are using Electronic Navigational Charts. Note that if the electronic charts are raster-scan, they do require the paper charts to be aboard:

"Most vessels of any kind in Canada have an obligation to carry and use official charts and publications and to keep them up to date. The chart carriage regulations are listed in the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 of the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995.

-CHS paper charts meet the requirements of the chart carriage regulations.
-CHS digital charts meet the requirements of the chart carriage regulations under certain circumstances:
--CHS Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) meet the requirements provided they are used with an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
--CHS Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) meet the requirements only if paper charts are carried and used as a backup."

Source: http://www.charts.gc.ca/help-aide/faq-eng.asp
 
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Lou_tribal said:
Also depending where you go you will have to comply to more restrictive sewage regulations. At the least you will need to have your discharge valve (if you have one) secured so you cannot accidentally discharge overboard. In some place it is required to have your overboard discharge disconnected and secured.

L
Click to expand...



No problem there. All buttoned up.
 
Cyclone said:
Wonderful. All you need is that your vessel meets the current requirements dictated by the country that has licensed or registered your vessel. Operator's license is as dictated by your state or a NASBLA certificate. VHF operator's license yes, but no station license required. ColRegs are the same except speeds in controlled zones are in kilometres. Ask any question. Have fun planning your cruise.
Click to expand...



Yeah. I am a bit confused about whether a US boat needs to be equipped with things required in Canada but not in US. Like the axe. It looks like you need to have a Canadian operator's license if you are operating in Canadian waters for more than 45 days (which we plan to). I went ahead and did it just in case. Not very onerous.
 
Canadian CG requires an attached boarding ladder for vessels over 6 meters.
 
RT, your axe will enable you to get out of the interior of your burning boat, while the companionway is blocked by the flames. It must, therefore, be located where it can be accessed from the interior of the boat and be visible, so guests unfamiliar with the peculiarities of the captain will still be able to find it.

The location of the axe is one of the most misunderstood safety principles I have encountered, in over 25 years of Safety Checking for the CCGA and for our YC.
 
It's been there since 1981, has never been used and no one has ever asked to see it.
 

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Sabre602 said:
You MAY need paper charts from the Canadian Hydrographic Service. The exception is if you are using Electronic Navigational Charts. Note that if the electronic charts are raster-scan, they do require the paper charts to be aboard:

"Most vessels of any kind in Canada have an obligation to carry and use official charts and publications and to keep them up to date. The chart carriage regulations are listed in the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 of the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995.

-CHS paper charts meet the requirements of the chart carriage regulations.
-CHS digital charts meet the requirements of the chart carriage regulations under certain circumstances:
--CHS Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) meet the requirements provided they are used with an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
--CHS Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) meet the requirements only if paper charts are carried and used as a backup."

Source: http://www.charts.gc.ca/help-aide/faq-eng.asp
Click to expand...


Just because you might have Navioncs ENCs on your iPad, does not mean you are compliant. I’m pretty sure that ECDIS refers to the complex and redundant systems required on commercial vessels as outlined by the International Maritime Organization. Twisted Tree might be compliant but I don’t think most of us are.

“ECDIS (as defined by IHO Publications S-57 and S-52)[2] is an approved marine navigational chart and information system, which is accepted as complying with the conventional paper charts required by Regulation V/19 of the 1974 IMO SOLAS Convention.[4] as amended. The performance requirements for ECDIS are defined by IMO and the consequent test standards have been developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in International Standard IEC 61174.[5]”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Chart_Display_and_Information_System
 
In reading thru the requirements, I see that a person is intoxicated if: "Operators with more than eighty (80) milligrams of alcohol per One Hundred (100) milliliters of blood ......

What the hell does that mean in English?

And, if you're a vampire, you probably have more blood in you so you can drink more..... and how do they measure the quantity of blood in someone?
 
Seevee said:
In reading thru the requirements, I see that a person is intoxicated if: "Operators with more than eighty (80) milligrams of alcohol per One Hundred (100) milliliters of blood ......

What the hell does that mean in English?

And, if you're a vampire, you probably have more blood in you so you can drink more..... and how do they measure the quantity of blood in someone?
Click to expand...

That’s the typical “Point-Oh-Eight” (0.08). It can be measured by a breathalyzer, and also by analysis of a blood sample. Uncertain if this is routinely done on the water. But then I never drink while operating a vessel.

Jim
 
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Seevee, I think that is the metric way of expressing what we know as .08% BAC.


It's interesting to see all of you Eastern side of the US and Canada boaters listing the things that are needed. The Canadian CG must be more stringent than out here. I've boated in Canadian waters a handful of times and have never heard about some of those requirements, even among discussions of PNW boaters who go to Canada much more frequently than I have been there.
 
Seevee said:
In reading thru the requirements, I see that a person is intoxicated if: "Operators with more than eighty (80) milligrams of alcohol per One Hundred (100) milliliters of blood ......

What the hell does that mean in English?

And, if you're a vampire, you probably have more blood in you so you can drink more..... and how do they measure the quantity of blood in someone?
Click to expand...
Alcohol regulation is by province so may differ from province to province.
In Quebec alcohol is allowed on a boat, while cruising or not, within the .8g/l limit.
In Ontario alcohol while cruising is prohibited, and only authorized on boat that have accommodation to sleep and head, within the .8g/l limit.
The funny part now.
The border between Quebec and Ontario is right in the middle of the river where I am cruising. So if on the Ontario side I cannot have a glass on wine before being at anchor but if I move few feet on the other side I can [emoji2]
And yes there are some control from OPD on the river, usually limited to cruisers with young people aboard.

L
 
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Davb1947 said:
Yeah. I am a bit confused about whether a US boat needs to be equipped with things required in Canada but not in US. Like the axe. It looks like you need to have a Canadian operator's license if you are operating in Canadian waters for more than 45 days (which we plan to). I went ahead and did it just in case. Not very onerous.
Click to expand...

No axe. If you pass a USCG Vessel Safety Exam, you'll be fine. We've been to Canada a number of times, we did the trip you're describing last summer, it was terrific! Allow plenty of time, it goes by very quickly!

For the Trent-Severn, buy a mooring pass, well worth the cost. Even if you don't, you can accumulate your receipts for credit toward the pass. You can pick one up at the 1st lock on the Trent-Severn. Be aware the controlling depth is 6ft on the T-S, we draw 5, we touched bottom a few times- and the water levels were abnormally high! If you're under 5 ft draft, you should have absolutely no depth issues if you stay in the marked channels. All well-marked, and charts are quite accurate.

Don't forget, you'll need a Customs decal for re-entry into the US, and you'll have to check in with customs when you return to the US.

Enjoy the trip!
 
As I understand it, there are certain requirements regarding porta-potties (if you have one). In Ontario, basically they must be fixed in place (not removable) and have pump out fittings. You are better off not to have a porta-pottie but a bucket instead. Go figure.

Some of the porta-pottie manufacturers make securing and pump out kits that allow you to secure your porta-pottie in place.
 
JDCAVE said:
That’s the typical “Point-Oh-Eight” (0.08). It can be measured by a breathalyzer, and also by analysis of a blood sample. Uncertain if this is routinely done on the water. But then I never drink while operating a vessel.

Jim
Click to expand...



I just listened to a webinar by Great Lakes Cruising club on cruising Georgian Bay and the presenter said the Canadian authorities are strict about enforcing it.
 
In some places where I boat, the LEO will set up DUI checkpoints at the ramps and will check you when you return to take your boat out. Actually they will board your boat when you reach the dock.

While I have been stopped when on the water, I've never had a sobriety check when that occurs, but I suppose they could do that if they suspect something.

I know of one situation where someone was stopped on the water and made to do the sobriety drill. Since this person had a hard time standing they charged them with DUI. In court it came out that the test was done on a boat floating on a busy lake and no wonder the person could not stand sufficiently. Case dismissed.
 
My advice is to get up there as early as you can and stay as late as you can. It is some of the finest cruising in the world!
 
I would guess that the axe regulation was put in place back when the vast majority of boats were entirely made of wood.
 
Probably goes without saying but i don't think anyone mentioned to bring your passports...
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Mr. 1947. Mr. L_t brings up a valid point. Used to be that ONLY official charts were acceptable. Chart books or electronic charts were not recognized. It may have changed.
Click to expand...

You are correct, times have changed. Paper Charts are no longer needed IF you have back ups, such as another MFD with Canadian charts. I was told this by Canadian officials at the Seattle Boat Show.

As far as an FCC license, well its up to you. Most folks that I know don't bother with one and I have never been asked for one.
 
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