National Boating Safety School

What Safety Equipment is Required on a Boat?

August 31, 2021

The safety equipment required on a boat is one of the most fundamental things you need to know when it comes to boating safety. The Canadian Small Vessel Regulations mandate a minimum level of equipment on board any vessel, whether it is a paddleboat or a large power boat, subject to hefty fines for each item you neglect to carry on board.

Each of the types of boats covered below has its own set of safety equipment that must be carried on board, in good working condition, properly maintained and readily available in case of an emergency.

Human-Powered Pleasure Crafts

Exception: Paddleboats, watercycles and kayaks. (See Note 9)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board (See Note 4)
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) in length
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 bailer or manual bilge pump OR bilge pumping equipment

Visual Signals

If Human-Powered Pleasure Craft is more than 6 m in length:

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 6 pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals (See Note 2)

Navigation Equipment

  • 1 sound-signalling device or appliance
  • **Navigation lights (See Note 8)
  • ***1 magnetic compass
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Pleasure Craft (other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft) up to 6 m (19’8”)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) in length
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 manual propelling device OR 1 anchor and at least 15 m (49’3”) made of cable, rope or chain in any combination
  • 1 bailer or manual bilge pump (See Note 2)

Visual Signals

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 3 pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals (See Note 2)

Navigation Equipment

  • 1 sound-signalling device or appliance
  • **Navigation lights
  • ***1 magnetic compass
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • 1 5BC fire extinguisher if equipped with an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank of any size, or a fuel burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance

Pleasure Craft (other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft) over 6 m and up to 9 m (19’8” – 29’6”)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) in length OR 1 lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m (49’3”) long
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 manual propelling device OR 1 anchor and at least 15 m (49’3”) made of cable, rope or chain in any combination
  • 1 bailer or manual bilge pump (See Note 1)

Visual Signals

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 6 pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals (See Note 2)

Navigation Equipment

  • 1 sound-signalling device or appliance
  • **Navigation lights
  • ***1 magnetic compass
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • 1 5BC fire extinguisher if equipped with a motor
  • 1 5BC fire extinguisher if equipped with a fuel burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance

Pleasure Craft (other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft) over 9 m and up to 12 m (29’6” – 39’4”)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) in length
  • 1 lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m (49’3”) long
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 anchor and at least 30 m (98’5”) made of cable, rope or chain in any combination
  • 1 manual bilge pump OR bilge pumping equipment (See Note 1)

Visual Signals

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 12 pyrotechnic distress signals, not more than 6 of which are of smoke signals (See Note 2)

Navigation Equipment

  • 1 sound-signalling device or appliance
  • Navigation lights
  • 1 magnetic compass
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • 1 10BC fire extinguisher if equipped with a motor
  • 1 10BC fire extinguisher if equipped with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance

Pleasure Craft (other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft) over 12 m and up to 24 m (39’4” – 78’9”)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) in length
  • 1 lifebuoy equipped with a self-igniting light or attached to a buoyant line at least 15 m (49’3”) long
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 anchor and at least 50 m (164’1”) of cable, rope or chain in any combination
  • Bilge pumping equipment

Visual Signals

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 12 pyrotechnic distress signals, not more than 6 of which are of smoke signals (See Note 2)

Navigation Equipment

  • 1 or 2 sound signalling appliances (i.e., a fitted whistle); if the boat is longer than 20 m (65”7”) a fitted bell is also required
  • Navigation lights
  • 1 magnetic compass that meets the requirements set out in the Navigation Safety Regulations
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • 1 10BC fire extinguisher at all of the following locations:
    • at each access to any space where a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance is fitted
    • at the entrance to any accommodation space
    • and at the entrance to the machinery space
  • 1 axe
  • 2 buckets of 10+ L each

Pleasure Craft (other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft) over 24 m (78’9”)

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

  • 1 Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board
  • 1 buoyant heaving line at least 30 m (98’5”) long
  • 1 SOLAS lifebuoys, of which:
    • one is attached to a buoyant line at least 30 m (98 ’5”) long
    • and one is equipped with a self-igniting light.
  • Lifting harness with appropriate rigging
  • *1 reboarding device

Vessel Safety Equipment

  • 1 anchor and at least 50 m (164’1”) of cable, rope or chain in any combination
  • Bilge pumping equipment

Visual Signals

  • 1 watertight flashlight
  • 12 pyrotechnic distress signals, not more than 6 of which are of smoke signals

Navigation Equipment

  • 2 sound signalling appliances s (i.e., fitted whistle and fitted bell) that meet the applicable standards set out in the Collision Regulations
  • Navigation lights
  • 1 magnetic compass that meets the requirements set out in the Navigation Safety Regulations
  • 1 radar reflector (See Note 3)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • 1 10BC fire extinguisher at all of the following locations:
    • at each access to any space where a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance is fitted
    • at the entrance to any accommodation space
    • and at the entrance to the machinery space
  • 1 power driven fire pump located outside the machinery space, with one fire hose and nozzle that can direct water into any part of the boat
  • 2 axes
  • 4 buckets of 10+ L each

Asterisks and notes

* Only required if the vertical height that must be climbed to reboard the boat from the water (freeboard) is over 0.5 m (1’8”).

** Only required if the boat is operated after sunset, before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility (fog, falling snow, etc.).

*** Not required if the boat is 8 m (26’3”) or less and operated within sight of navigation marks.

 

Note 1: Exceptions: Not required for a boat that cannot hold enough water to make it capsize or even a boat that has watertight compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible.

Note 2: Exceptions: A boat operated in a river, canal, or lake, which can never be further than one nautical mile (1.852 km) from shore, is not required to use pyrotechnic distress signals (flares) or a boat without sleeping quarters that is competing in an official competition or preparing for an official competition.

Note 3: Radar reflectors are required on boats under 20 meters (65’7″) and on boats constructed primarily of non-metallic materials. A radar reflector is not required when the boat is in limited traffic and daylight conditions, and where the boat’s safety does not require the use of a radar reflector. Additionally, it is not required if the size of the boat makes installation impractical (should be installed at least 4 metres high).

Note 4: An inherently buoyant PFD or lifejacket is required on any pleasure craft operating on whitewater.

Note 5: N/A

Note 6: This could be a pealess whistle, a compressed gas horn or an electric horn

Note 7: N/A

Note 8: Human-Powered Pleasure Crafts and sailing vessels under 7 m (23’4”) in length can meet this requirement with a watertight flashlight.

Note 9: If every person on board a paddleboat, a watercycle or kayak is wearing a Canadian-approved PFD or lifejacket of appropriate size the only equipment required to carry on board is a sound-signalling device and a watertight flashlight.

Note 10: If a person is operating a sailboard or a kiteboard and is wearing a personal flotation device of appropriate size, the only equipment required on board is a sound signalling device and a watertight flashlight.

Note 11: Exception: if every person on board a personal watercraft is wearing a Canadian-approved PFD or lifejacket of appropriate size then the only equipment required to carry on board is a sound-signalling device, a watertight flashlight OR 3 pyrotechnic distress signals other than smoke signals. A magnetic compass is required if the Personal Watercraft (PWC) is navigated out of sight of seamarks and navigation lights (as per the Collision Regulations) are required if the PWC is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.

Equipment exemptions for certain Pleasure Crafts

The following list shows the vessels which, under certain circumstances, could be exempt from meeting the minimum safety equipment requirements:

  • Racing canoe
  • Racing kayak
  • Rowing shell
  • Sailboard
  • Closed multiple division multihull
  • A bailer type closed hull

Additional safety equipment

In addition to the minimum safety equipment required by law, you can add other safety equipment to deal with unpredictable situations:

  • Knife
  • Medical kit including a wilderness survival guide
  • Emergency rations
  • Drinking water
  • Dry clothes
  • Spotlight
  • VHF radio
  • Binoculars
  • Extra anchors
  • Safety harness
  • Knotmeter
  • GPS
  • Compass
  • A toolbox with spare parts for the engine and other sections of the vessel (i.e., fibreglass repair kit, metal wiring, duct tape, batteries, matches, etc.).

Boat safely with Drive a Boat Canada

For boaters, it’s important to remember that overlooking the above boat safety equipment requirements can result in unsafe boating experiences, resulting in injuries or even deaths. It is also important for operators to demonstrate lifesaving equipment and provide passengers with safety instructions.

Additionally, you must obtain a pleasure craft operator card in order to legally operate a boat on Canada’s waterways. This card is available when you purchase an online boating license in Canada and pass the official online boat license test offered by Drive a Boat Canada.