Canadian safety equipment requirements

The Boat U.S. site lists some pretty rigorous safety equipment requirements for Canada (including a fire axe). Canadian Coast Guard Requirements - BoatTECH - BoatUS I was planning to pass in and out of Canada for brief periods on my way out of the Great Lakes. Will they hassle a U.S. boat not meeting Canadian requirements. For example, USCG approved flares and life jackets? Any other gotchas I should worry about from the bureaucracy?

Here, not sure where you got the fire axe from, your requirements are the same as mine, no big deal:

9 - 12 metres in length (29'6"-39'4")

Life buoy
Life jacket or PFD for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Life buoy attached to buoyant line 15 m (50').
Reboarding device / ladder
1 anchor with 30 m (100') of rode
Manual Bilge pump OR bilge pump
Watertight flashlight
12* flares of Type A, B, C or D, not more than 6 Type D.
Sound signalling device [horn]
Navigation lights
Magnetic compass
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel equipped with motor
Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel has fuel-burning heater, stove or refrigerator

No electronic flares are acceptable in Canada, you can use it but it/they don't count towards your flare requirements. Yes, I know, it is stupid.

I've crossed into Canada MANY times and never had any safety equipment issues, questions or inspections.
My understanding is for short term transits / vists (<60 days) if you meet all the reqm'ts in your home jurisdiction you are OK in Canada.
I do believe even the electronic flares are accepted for US boaters in Canada... just not for residents. (its proposed and being reviewed is my understanding).
Some of the regs are good ones (floating line attached to life ring) and is an easy one to add.

Here are the visitor requirements:
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-obs-quick-quick_visitor-1610.htm

"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."

Required Boat Equipment in Canada | Pat's Boating in Canada
As above, visitors need only comply with their home country rules.



Axe is required for 12M to 24M vessels. Above 24M you need 2 axes...

I find that few people I discuss this with during inspections know that the main purpose of having a fire axe (12m and up) is for getting out. When I find theirs hidden away in a lazarette locker we have this discussion.

In the Canadian Navy, we were trained to put out oil fires with water. You kind of make the sign of the cross over the oil moving the fire into a corner then snuffing it out. It works.

RT Firefly said:

Required Boat Equipment in Canada | Pat's Boating in Canada
As above, visitors need only comply with their home country rules.



Axe is required for 12M to 24M vessels. Above 24M you need 2 axes...

Click to expand...

Wifey B: Is that so if you have a big boat you can have an axe fight on board?

If youse gotta axe, youse ain't from around here.