North American Safe Boating Awareness Week – May 21-27

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Ontario’s CONSERVATION OFFICERS ENCOURAGE SAFE BOATING

 

The snow is gone, the blackflies are out – and the May long weekend is within sight. For tens of thousands of Ontario boaters and anglers, it’s the first chance to get the boat into the water for another exciting season. It’s also a time to give some serious thought to making this summer a safe one on the water. With this goal in mind, the Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) proudly joins the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) to mark North American Safe Boating Awareness Week – May 21-27.

 

“Our members actively enforce the laws regarding safe boating”, says OCOA President Mike Duncan, a Conservation Officer, angler, and boater himself. “It is the responsibility of every boater to ensure that they enjoy their favourite activity safely.”

 

The OCOA and CSBC offer the following tips for safe boating:

 

Wear your life jacket or PFD

o   PFDs save lives – but they have to be worn to be useful

o   Have enough life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs) on board for each passenger – it’s the law

Don’t drink and boat

o   It is illegal and unsafe to consume liquor on a vessel unless your boat is equipped with sleeping, cooking, and washroom facilities AND you are anchored

o   Never operate a vessel after consuming alcohol

Take a boating course

o   All operators of recreational vessels in Ontario are required to possess a Pleasure Craft Operator Card

o   In addition to taking the test to get a card, all new boaters are encouraged to take a boating safety course

Be prepared

o   Be sure to carry the safety equipment legally required for your boat

o    Be familiar with the operation of your boat and know its limitations for passengers and gear

o   Check your equipment – winter storage can be hard on your gear

 

 

 

Beware of cold water risks

o   Hypothermia is a serious concern, particularly in Ontario in May

o   Even on warm spring days, being thrown into cold water is a life-threatening emergency if help is not nearby

 

“Our members will be on the water during Safe Boating Awareness Week”, adds Duncan. “I encourage all anglers and boaters to start now to help us make this an accident free season.”

 

Anyone looking for more information about boating safety is encouraged to visit the Canadian Safe Boating Council website at www.csbc.ca . For more information about natural resources regulations and enforcement, please visit the OCOA website at www.ocoa.ca, or contact your local Conservation Officer.

About Peter Wood 1194 Articles
As an avid lifelong angler and hunter, Peter’s outdoor knowledge and experiences keep expanding through his hundreds of hours of hunting and fishing podcast interviews with like minded experts. He has received numerous national writing awards. With thousands of outdoor pictures on Ripple Outdoors and many full-length articles with outdoor magazine and video clips you might say that he not only enjoys his outdoor lifestyle, but he’s quite the fanatic! In 2015 he earned fifth overall on the King of the Wood Contest hosted by Canada In The Rough team, pretty good for a baby boomer deer hunter. His buck was also one of the top bucks taken that season. Through Peter’s deer hunting seminars or by attending outdoor trade shows, like the Toronto Sportsmen Show and The SWOC Big Buck Show, he has connected with thousands of like minded people that love hunting and fishing. As a volunteer or member of local and national outdoor groups like QDMA, SWOC, Outdoor Writers of Canada, Archery Trade Show Association he continues to learn and hone his craft. Read his many articles, listen to his podcasts and rifle through thousands of photos on Ripple Outdoors. Discover Peter’s latest posts about outdoor gear, destinations, how to articles and interviews and you’ll be a better angler and hunter for the experience.