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Severe Weather While Boating: Emergency Procedures

Boating in bad weather poses a risk to the safety of your vessel and everyone onboard. As a boat operator, it is important to know how to avoid being caught in bad weather, and it is your responsibility to know what to do if you are.

Sudden weather changes are not uncommon in Canada, and adapting to the change can be particularly challenging for boaters. Learn how to anticipate and navigate rapid weather changes safely while boating.

Key takeaways

• Bad weather such as storms and high winds can hit suddenly and cause rough water and dangerous conditions.
• Boat operators remain responsible for the safety of their vessel and passengers.
• You can stay safe by: being vigilant (watching the weather and listening to the radio); being prepared (knowing what to do if caught in a storm); preparing your boat for all types do weather (do proper maintenance and keep required safety equipment on board); taking care of your passengers (make everyone wear an appropriate life jacket and learn what to do if a storm hits).
• Boat operators should prepare a list of what to do if a storm hits, and stay alert for the common signs that bad weather is imminent.

Table of contents

• Boating in Bad Weather: 4 Ways to Stay Safe
  • 1. Be vigilant
  • 2. Be prepared: know what to do if you are caught in a storm
  • 3. Prepare your boat for all types of weather
  • 4. Take care of your passengers
• What to Do If Bad Weather Hits While Boating: Complete Checklist
• 12 Signs of Bad Weather Approaching
• Frequently Asked Questions

Boating in Bad Weather: 4 Ways to Stay Safe

Remember, the safety of a boat and its occupants is the operator’s responsibility.

1. Be vigilant

Check the forecast before leaving

Always check the local weather forecast before going out to see if there are any warnings or alerts in your area that indicate a storm is approaching. Make sure that you check the maritime weather forecast, not just the local general forecast, to prevent getting caught in poor conditions. This information is available from a variety of sources, including Environment Canada.

Continue to monitor the weather once out on the water

If you have a VHF marine radio, stay tuned in to weather updates while out on the water. Weather conditions can change quickly, so it is important to regularly check the weather forecast. 

You can also learn to trust your senses. You may spot a sudden shift in the weather or spot a storm moving in your direction before it is announced on the radio. In Canada, storms typically approach from the west or southwest. See below for a complete list of signs that bad weather is imminent.

2. Be prepared: know what to do if you are caught in a storm

If the weather suddenly changes while you are enjoying a day on the water and you get caught in a storm, you won’t have time to decide what to do. You need to be prepared, and to prepare everyone on board, before heading out.

Do a pre-departure briefing

• Explain the importance or even obligation of wearing a PFD or life jacket.
• Encourage passengers to become familiar with the layout of the boat and make sure everyone is familiar with relevant emergency equipment, including where it is located and how to use the VHF Radio.
• Give passengers a brief introduction to the “Rules of the Road” and explain how to move around safely on a boat, especially in rough water.
• It’s also a good idea to brief them on what to do if the boat capsizes or someone falls overboard, including how to treat cold water shock.
• Briefly discuss the current and forecast weather conditions. Explain that marine weather can change quickly. Let them know your general plan for monitoring weather and what actions you might take.
• Have a “No Panic” policy. Emphasize the importance of staying calm and listening to your instructions if conditions worsen. Panicking can make a situation worse.

Everyone on board needs to know what to do if bad weather hits. See below for a complete checklist. 

Learn how to navigate rough water and high winds

Boat operators need to know how to navigate safely in all conditions. This includes:

• Navigating large waves
• Navigating in high winds
• Adjusting boat speed as required
• Knowing how to use navigation lights and sound signals
• Being prepared to use a bilge pump if you take on water
• Knowing how to anchor your vessel
• Knowing how to read a marine chart so you can understand local tides and currents, and navigate to safety if needed.

3. Prepare your boat for all types of weather

It’s always important to do regular maintenance to be sure your vessel is in good working condition. You can even get a free Pleasure Craft Courtesy Check to verify that it is up to standard and likely to survive rough water.

Here are four ways to prepare your boat for stormy conditions:

A. Check the hull

Check the hull for any cracks or damage, and make sure your drain plug is securely in place.

B. Distribute load evenly

Make sure the weight of people and gear is evenly distributed and does not exceed the boat’s safe carrying capacity, as indicated on the Capacity Plate. Remember, bad weather reduces the safe carrying capacity.

C. Secure all loose gear

All loose items on deck or in the cockpit should be stowed away or securely lashed down before you are underway, to prevent them from becoming projectiles or washing overboard in rough seas.

D. Have all required safety equipment on board and accessible

Boating safety equipment includes:

• Personal flotation devices (life jackets and PFDs)
• Navigation lights
• An appropriate sound-signalling device (horn or whistle)
• A manual water pump or bailer
• A boat fire extinguisher
• An appropriate anchoring system
• Communications tools (such as a working VHF marine radio or a fully charged cell phone in a waterproof bag)
• Navigation tools
• A first-aid kit
• A tool kit & spare part
• Boating distress signals (flares or other visual distress signals)
• A reboarding device (depending on boat type)
• A buoyant heaving line

4. Take care of your passengers

Prepare all passengers for the possibility of a storm (as mentioned above).

Above all, make sure everyone is wearing a life jacket, including the boat operator. In the event of capsizing or falling overboard, a life jacket can save your life. Life jackets prevent drowning and also help prevent hypothermia and the effects of cold water shock. Make sure each life jacket is the correct size and type (check the label) for the person who is wearing it.

What to Do If Bad Weather Hits While Boating: Complete Checklist

• Instruct passengers to sit on the floor or as low as possible in the boat, ideally near the centerline. This lowers the boat’s center of gravity, which reduces the risk of capsizing, increases stability and makes the ride less jarring.
• Advise everyone to hold onto secure handholds, and keep their arms, legs, and heads inside the boat.
• For older children or adults, you might also assign simple, safe tasks that keep them engaged and feeling helpful. Explain your actions calmly, and give clear instructions to keep everyone feeling informed and safe.
• Head back to shore as soon as possible.
• If you are unable to make it to shore, reduce your speed and head towards the nearest sheltered area. If that is not an option, anchor your boat and ride out the storm.
• If possible, call for help or request assistance from another boater.
• You can also use your radio or your distress signals to call for help, depending on the severity of the storm and the level of danger.

13 Signs of Bad Weather Approaching

Weather on Canadian lakes and coastal waters can shift quickly. As a boater, you should always trust your senses, as they are often faster to notice a threat than a digital forecast.

Here are the key signs that bad weather is approaching:

1. High, rippled clouds (Cirrocumulus) that look like fish scales indicate a storm within the next 24 hours.
2. Tall, puffy white clouds (Cumulonimbus) that start flattening at the top like an anvil are a definitive sign of a developing thunderstorm.
3. If clouds are getting lower, thicker, and darker, a front is moving in.
4. A ring around the sun or moon usually indicates high-altitude moisture, which often signals an approaching low-pressure system.
5. In the Northern Hemisphere, if the wind shifts counter-clockwise (e.g., from East to North), foul weather might be on the way.
6. A sudden, total drop in wind often precedes the front of a major thunderstorm.
7. A sudden, sharp chill in the air is often the downdraft of an approaching storm cell.
8. A fast decline in barometric pressure (more than 1–2 hPa per hour) is a major red flag for high winds and rain. Tip: if the wind is blowing at your back, the lower pressure is on your left side and higher pressure is on your right.
9. If the waves start coming from a different direction than the wind, or if the distance between crests gets shorter and the waves get steeper, the weather is deteriorating.
10. Sound often travels much further and clearer in the heavy, moist air that precedes a storm. If you can suddenly hear a distant buoy or a shore-side train much louder than usual, take note.
11. Look at the horizon. A dark, flat line on the water moving toward you is a squall line, a high-velocity wind that will hit before the rain does.
12. Lightning is often the first sign of an approaching storm, but you may hear thunder first. Stay alert to both.
13. Most seabirds and gulls will fly toward land or seek low-lying shelter when the barometric pressure drops, as it becomes harder for them to fly in the thinning air.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Government of Canada Lightning safety on the water Lightning Safety. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/lightning/safety/water.html 

• Government of Canada Marine weather tips Weather: Marine. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/general-marine-weather-information/tips.html 

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