Unit 2: Mandatory Safety Equipment

Question 1

buoyant heaving line

Answer 1

A floating rope that has a soft buoyant object on one end

Question 2

lifebuoy

Answer 2

A throwable type of flotation device with a line attached; the line is used to pull the lifebuoy once it has been thrown to a person in the water

Question 3

lifejacket

Answer 3

An inherently buoyant flotation device that is designed to be worn

Question 4

personal flotation device (PFD)

Answer 4

A buoyant lifesaving apparatus, other than a lifejacket, that is meant to be worn

Question 5

reboarding device

Answer 5

A ladder, lifting harness, or other device that does not include any part of the vessel’s propulsion unit and that helps a person get into the pleasure craft from the water

Question 6

There are two main types of flotation devices.

Answer 6

Lifejackets will turn most unconscious persons face up in the water. Standard lifejackets are keyhole-style flotation devices that are approved for use on all pleasure craft.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) are designed to be more comfortable to wear than lifejackets, but they may not turn an unconscious person face up in the water.

Question 7

Small Vessel Regulations

Answer 7

All pleasure craft must be equipped with enough Canadian-approved life jackets or PFDs for everyone on board. Each lifejacket or PFD must have enough buoyancy, be in good condition, and very importantly, be readily accessible

Flotation devices also must be the proper size for the intended wearer. Sizing for flotation devices is based on the person’s weight and chest size. The only exceptions to this requirement are:

A person with a chest size in excess of 140 cm
A child weighing less than 9 kg (20 lbs)

Question 8

SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) lifejacket

Answer 8

Type of lifejacket that provides the most buoyancy, is excellent for flotation, and will turn most unconscious persons face up in the water within seconds

Question 9

standard type lifejacket

Answer 9

Type of lifejacket that will turn most unconscious wearers face up in the water, but the turning is not as pronounced as with a SOLAS lifejacket

Question 10

Flotation Device Labels

Answer 10

All Canadian-approved lifejackets and PFDs are labelled in English and French.

The label must show that the device has been approved by:

Department of Transport Canada or…
Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Question 11

Canada’s Small Vessel Regulations (Inflatable PFD Requirements)

Answer 11

Inflatable PFDs are not approved for persons who are:
less than 16 years of age
operating or riding on PWCs
engaging in white-water paddling

Inflatable PFDs must have:
An undamaged inflation cartridge that is in good working condition. If not, the PFD must be worn fully inflated.
Compatible parts for the inflator and CO2 cylinder (see your owner’s manual). If the parts aren’t compatible, the PFD may not inflate properly.

Question 12

Small Vessel Regulations Buoyant Heaving Lines

Answer 12

In order for a buoyant heaving line to meet the requirements in the Small Vessel Regulations and be approved for use on your pleasure craft, it must:
Be made of one continuous piece of rope that is the correct length for your pleasure craft and…
Float and be in good condition and…
Be easily accessible in case of an emergency.

Question 13

Small Vessel Regulations, the lifebuoy

Answer 13

Be at least 610 mm (24 inches) in diameter and be made of inherently buoyant material and…
Be attached to a good-quality buoyant line that won’t kink and is at least 9.5 mm in diameter and 15 metres long and…
Have a Transport Canada approval stamp or label with an approval number in the following format: T.C.xxx.xxx.xxx.

Question 14

freeboard

Answer 14

Vertical height that must be climbed to reboard your pleasure craft from the water

Question 15

The Small Vessel Regulations require certain pleasure craft to carry on board a manual propelling device or an anchor.

Answer 15

Pleasure craft up to 9 metres (29.5 feet) in length, including PWCs, are required to carry either a manual propelling device or an anchor on board. PWCs are exempt from this requirement if everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket or PFD.
Pleasure craft over 9 metres (29.5 feet) in length must have an anchor on board.

Question 16

Manual Propelling Devices

Answer 16

Manual propelling devices can be:

Oars or…
Paddles or…
Rudders on small open sailboats or…
Anything else that can be operated with hands or feet to propel a pleasure craft.

Question 17

Anchors

Answer 17

An anchor must have a line of cable, rope, or galvanized chain attached.

The required length of the line depends on the length and type of pleasure craft you are operating.

Sailboats and powerboats up to 9 metres (29.5 feet) in length and PWCs must have at least 15 metres (49.2 feet) of cable, rope, or chain.
Sailboats and powerboats over 9 metres and up to 12 metres (29.5 feet to 39.4 feet) in length must have at least 30 metres (98.4 feet) of cable, rope, or chain.
Sailboats and powerboats over 12 metres (39.4 feet) in length must have at least 50 metres (164 feet) of cable, rope, or chain.

Question 18

Bailers and Bilge Pumps

Answer 18

To be able to remove water from the hull, the Small Vessel Regulations require you to carry a manual bilge pump. If your boat is not more than 9 metres (29.5 feet) long, you may carry a bailer instead of a pump. PWCs may carry a manual bilge pump or a bailer.

Question 19

Types of Fire-Fighting Equipment

Answer 19

The type and length of your pleasure craft determines what types of fire-fighting equipment, if any, you are required to carry on board. Fire-fighting equipment includes axes, fire buckets, and fire extinguishers.

Question 20

Fire Buckets

Answer 20

Fire buckets must:
Be painted red and…
Have a capacity of at least 10 litres and…
Be made of metal with a round bottom and a hole in the centre and…
Have an attached lanyard that is long enough to reach the water from the location where the bucket is stored.

Question 21

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Answer 21

Class A fires are of combustible solids like wood.
Class B fires are of flammable liquids like gasoline or oil.
Class C fires are electrical fires.

Question 22

Requirement to Carry Fire Extinguishers

Answer 22

Pleasure craft may be required by the Small Vessel Regulations to carry a 5B:C or a 10B:C fire extinguisher, depending upon the type and length of the boat, and the equipment on board.

PWCs must have one 5B:C fire extinguisher on board unless everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket or PFD.
Sailboats and powerboats 6 metres (19.7 feet) or less in length must carry one 5B:C fire extinguisher if they are equipped with an inboard engine; a fixed fuel tank; or a fuel-burning oven, heater, or refrigerator.
Sailboats and powerboats over 6 metres and up to 9 metres (19.7 feet to 29.5 feet) in length must carry:
One 5B:C if equipped with a motor and…
One 5B:C if equipped with a fuel-burning oven, heater, or refrigerator.
Sailboats and powerboats over 9 metres and up to 12 metres (29.5 feet to 39.4 feet) in length must carry:
One 10B:C if equipped with a motor and…
One 10B:C if equipped with a fuel-burning oven, heater, or refrigerator.
Pleasure craft that are more than 12 metres in length up to 24 metres (39.4 feet to 78.7 feet) in length must carry one 10B:C at each entrance to:
Any area where a fuel-burning oven, heater, or refrigerator is located and…
Any sleeping area and…
The machinery space.

Question 23

backfire

Answer 23

To undergo an explosion of prematurely ignited fuel or of unburned exhaust gases in an internal combustion engine

Question 24

Ventilation Systems

Answer 24

Ventilation systems are crucial. Their purpose is to avoid explosions by removing flammable gases. Properly installed ventilation systems greatly reduce the chance of a life-threatening explosion.

The Small Vessel Regulations require that all gasoline-powered boats, constructed in a way that would entrap vapours, must have at least two ventilation ducts fitted with cowls to remove the vapours. At least one exhaust duct must extend from the open atmosphere to the lower bilge. At least one intake duct must extend from a point at least midway to the bilge or below the level of the carburetor air intake.

Question 25

cowl

Answer 25

Hooded opening designed to scoop in air

Question 26

Mufflers

Answer 26

Pleasure craft operators may not hear sound signals or voices if the engine is not adequately muffled. According to the Small Vessel Regulations:

Question 27

Engine Shut-Off Lines

Answer 27

The purpose of an engine shut-off line is to shut off the PWC’s engine if the operator falls off the PWC or is thrown from the proper operating position.

When operating a PWC, you must attach the engine shut-off line securely to your wrist, lifejacket, or PFD. This ensures that your PWC stays close if you fall overboard.

Question 28

Visual Signals

Answer 28

Visual signals allow vessel operators to signal for help in the event of an emergency. The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits sending false distress signals. Visual signals include watertight flashlights and distress flares.

Question 29

Watertight Flashlights

Answer 29

A watertight flashlight is a useful electric distress signal at night. You can use it to flash the international SOS distress signal (dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot) in case of an emergency. Make sure to check your flashlight’s batteries before every outing on the water.

Question 30

Distress Flares: Types of Approved Distress Flares

Answer 30

There are four types of approved distress flares:

Type A: Rocket parachute flare (red)
Type B: Multi-star flare (red)
Type C: Hand-held flare (red)
Type D: Smoke signal—buoyant or hand-held (orange)

Question 31

Sound-Signalling Equipment

Answer 31

Sound-signalling appliances are fitted on the pleasure craft and include whistles, horns, bells, and gongs.

Question 32

Common Navigation Lights

Answer 32

Sidelights
Sternlight
Masthead Light
All-Round White Light