Ask Andrew: Upgrading Safety Part 1
Mar 27, 2025
I worked for a busy boat-tour operation 20+ years ago. Our vessels were inspected by Transport Canada every year, and part of my job was to prepare for the inspection and address any issues that came from it. Our team got to know the inspectors well. Beyond their first names, we also heard stories about their time working aboard, and noted their foibles and particular areas that each would focus on.
My favourite inspector was obsessed with lifejackets. Most inspectors would simply note how many were aboard, and if there were sufficient for the number of passengers. Not my guy. He liked to hug them. One by one. Row by row. Inspections were painfully long. He hugged each life jacket as though it was a beloved family member. Why, you may ask? To see if they’d become moldy, or were degraded internally, and therefore less effective if used. He was making sure that not only were the required number of life jackets on board, but that they were actually in good condition, and ready to be used in the event of an emergency.
I laughed about it at the time.
Over the last 20 years, though, I’ve found myself crawling, folding, creeping, and sometimes upside-down inside the spaces where safety equipment is kept. The stories I could tell: Life rings stowed beneath barbecues. Lifejackets with no straps or buckles. Flashlights with no batteries. Horns that don’t work. Intermittent navigation lights with questionable wiring and burnt-out bulbs.
Our focus on getting out on the water and enjoying the summer sometimes overshadows the purpose of all the gear that Transport Canada requires our vessels to have aboard. The Safe Boating Guide (TP 511E) spells it all out, divided by the type of vessel to be considered – but we sometimes think of these things as annoying burdens, rather than tools to be kept in tip-top shape. We never use them, right? But what if…?
Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide will tell you exactly what you need but doesn’t force you to dig deep. As an example – it may tell you to have an anchor and rode of a particular length, but doesn’t specify what kind or size of anchor, the thickness of the anchor rode, or the condition of the rope or chain.
Here’s the first part of a quick list of some of the items that boat owners/captains should give thought to, from the viewpoint of upgrading safety:
- Navigation Lights. The Safe Boating Guide specifies the type of lights your vessel should show, and the Canada Shipping Act has technical information about those lights. Check to make sure that the wiring and overcurrent protection is sufficient. Check the lenses (light covers) to make sure that are clean and clear. Check bulbs and bulb connections. Clean up any corrosion and remove any obstacle to the lights working and being seen by approaching vessels. Making yourself seen on the water is the first step in avoiding a collision.
- Sound equipment: Make sure that you have a way to signal your presence, and that you have a backup. This could be an electronic horn, an air horn, a whistle, a bell, or a combination of the above, per the Safe Boating Guide.
- Life Jackets: Make sure that you have sufficient life jackets aboard for your and your guests. If you have children aboard, make sure that the life jackets on board match their sizing for the upcoming year (kid grow….lifejackets don’t). Beyond the number of life jackets – make sure that they are clean and free of any mold/mildew, that the straps and buckles work correctly, that they are easily accessible, and that your guests know where they are located. Make sure that everyone aboard is given the option to wear them, and set positive examples for children.
There’s many more safety requirements and we will review those in Part 2 in the next issue.
I hope this list allows you to give some thought to safety as we move into warmer weather. I encourage you to consider the things that could go wrong, and then put into practice all the things that will prevent those challenges from happening in the first place. The Safe Boating Guide is a great starting point – but I also encourage you to look at it as a baseline: Go a step further and make safety a part of your daily boating routine.
Finally: give your life jackets a hug for me.
Andrew McDonald is the owner of Lakeside Marine Services – a boat repair/maintenance firm based in Toronto. Andrew has worked in the marine industry for 12 years and is a graduate of the Georgian College ‘Mechanical Techniques – Marine Engine Mechanic’ program. Questions or comments for Andrew? Email him directly via: info@lakesidemarineservices.ca
