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Running Aground: Causes, Risks, and Recovery

Running aground can range from a minor embarrassment to a catastrophic loss. 

Canada has rugged coastlines, fluctuating water levels (such as in the Great Lakes), and other features that make running aground a fairly common, and stressful, experience. The risk is often magnified by the temperature of the water and the remoteness of some of our shorelines.

Running aground is one of the most common types of boating accidents, and while it can be difficult to avoid entirely, there are things you can do to minimize the risk and steps you can take to try to free your boat if it does happen.

Key takeaways

• Running aground is a real risk for Canadian boaters, and can lead to dangerous situations for both vessel and passengers. 
• There are four things you should do if your boat runs aground: stop and assess the situation, check for injuries, check for damage, and try to free your boat.
• You can potentially avoid running aground by keeping a lookout, consulting marine charts and maintaining a safe speed.
• Fuel spills and other forms of pollution resulting from running aground are punishable by Canadian law. 

Table of contents

• Definition of running aground
• 6 Safety Risks Associated with Running Aground
  • 1. Structural Hull Breach
  • 2. Damage to the propulsion system
  • 3. Personal Injury
  • 4. Cold Water Immersion
  • 5. Being Stranded
  • 6. Exposure to Storms
• What to Do if You Run Aground: 4 Steps
  • Step One: Stop and assess the situation
  • Step Two: Check for injuries
  • Step Three: Check for damage
  • Step Four: Try to free the boat
• 3 Ways to Avoid Running Aground
  • 1. Keep a lookout
  • 2. Consult nautical charts
  • 3. Maintain a safe speed
• Running Aground and Environmental Liability
• Frequently Asked Questions

Definition of running aground

If a boat hits the bottom and becomes stuck, it’s known as being grounded or running aground.

Running aground occurs when the water is no longer deep enough for a vessel to float. Shoals, fluctuating tides and various underwater hazards can create a sudden change in water depth. Sudden storms and high winds can blow a boat off course and toward shallow areas or hazards. Navigational error or boater fatigue can also play a role. If you do not have time to change course, you could become stuck.

6 Safety Risks Associated with Running Aground

1. Structural Hull Breach

In regions like the BC coast, rocks are unforgiving. A hole in your hull can lead to rapid flooding, especially if you push off only to find that the rock you hit was plugging the hole.

2. Damage to the propulsion system

Striking a rock can bend or break propellers, rudders, and shafts. If you run aground in sand, silt, or mud, your engine’s raw water intake can suck in debris, causing permanent damage.

3. Personal Injury

Groundings are rarely gentle. A boat hitting a reef or sandbar at cruising speed can cause passengers to be thrown against hard surfaces, resulting in broken bones or head trauma.

4. Cold Water Immersion

If the grounding leads to the boat capsizing or sinking, passengers are at risk of experiencing cold water shock, which is a leading cause of death in Canadian waters.

5. Being Stranded 

If a grounding occurs in a remote area such as Northern Ontario or areas of the Maritimes, you may be stuck for an extended period.

In tidal zones, a boat that runs aground at high tide may be left high and dry for hours. The boat can tip over on its side as the water recedes, making it impossible to stay inside or utilize onboard systems.

6. Exposure to Storms

If a storm hits while you are stuck, you and your vessel could be in grave danger.

What to Do if You Run Aground: 4 Steps

Step One: Stop and assess the situation

If you run aground, turn off the motor so that you can safely assess the situation without causing further damage. When you are stuck in sand or mud, running the engine can suck debris into the cooling intake, destroying your motor.

Step Two: Check for injuries

Check all passengers for injuries. If anyone is seriously injured, use your VHF marine radio (Channel 16) to contact the authorities and/or send out a distress signal to indicate to other vessels that you are in need of assistance.

Step Three: Check for damage

If no one is seriously injured or in immediate danger, the next step is to check the boat for damage. Has the hull been breached? Are you taking on water? Stay alert for any smell of gasoline that could indicate a dangerous leak and take all precautions to prevent a boat fire.

Step Four: Try to free the boat

If there’s no structural damage, you can try to free your boat. There are a few ways you could go about doing this:

Reverse off

If your craft isn’t grounded too severely, you may be able to reverse off. Start by shifting some weight towards the part of the boat that’s still afloat. Then tilt the motor up slightly if it’s an outboard, put it in reverse, and see if you can navigate into deeper water.

Push off

If reversing off doesn’t work, remove the outboard motor (if you have one) from the water. Shift some of the weight towards the part of the boat that’s still afloat. Then try to push off, either using a spare paddle or standing on the sandbar if it’s large enough and pushing your boat manually.

Kedge off

A kedge anchor is a small, lightweight anchor that’s used to haul a grounded boat free.

If you have a dinghy on board, you can use it to take the kedge anchor out to deeper water. Otherwise, you can try to walk or swim it out. In that case, use multiple flotation devices to keep the anchor afloat on your way out to deeper water and make sure to wear a personal flotation device and tether yourself to your boat so that you can get back even if you get tired.

Once the anchor is set and you’re back on your boat, haul on the anchor line to try to pull your vessel into deeper water.

3 Ways to Avoid Running Aground

No prevention strategy is perfect. That’s why it’s best to combine multiple methods to avoid running aground.

1. Keep a lookout

The first and most important prevention strategy is situational awareness. When you’re boating, you should always keep a proper lookout for any indications of underwater hazards.

Don’t assume that every hazard will be clearly marked with a marine buoy—keep an eye out for any changes in wave patterns or the colour of the water that might indicate a shallow patch or shoal. You can also take a look at the route other vessels take through a waterway to find safe passage.

2. Consult nautical charts

If you’re boating in unfamiliar waters, marine charts are an indispensable tool, as they indicate the locations of things like channels, shoals and underwater obstructions.

Take a good look at the charts for the area before you get underway, and keep them handy while you’re on the water so that you can consult them as necessary. There are even marine navigation apps available that provide access to the most up-to-date charts!

3. Maintain a safe speed

To avoid any hazards you have identified, you need to maintain a safe speed and be familiar with your boat’s stopping distance and maneuverability. Be aware of how long it takes your watercraft to come to a standstill at various speeds and how sharply you can maneuver away from an obstacle without capsizing.

If you are concerned about the possibility of running aground, slow down. You’ll shorten your stopping distance and reduce the likelihood of damaging your boat if it ends up grounded.

Running Aground and Environmental Liability

In Canada, pollution laws are strictly enforced by the Canadian Coast Guard and provincial authorities.

If your fuel tank is punctured, you are legally responsible for the cleanup costs of any gasoline or diesel spilled into the waterway, regardless of whether the incident was an accident, negligence, or fault.

In addition, significant fines can be levied for damaging sensitive habitats, such as protected eelgrass beds or spawning grounds.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Government of Canada Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) in Canada Canadian Coast Guard. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-coast-guard/corporate/publications/maritime-search-rescue.html 

• Government of Canada Marine liability and compensation Transport Canada. https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-liability-compensation 

Related content

• Severe Weather While Boating: Emergency Procedures
• Capsizing and Swamping: How to Stay Safe

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