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MODULE 4

BEFORE HEADING OUT

The best way to keep out of trouble on the water is to be prepared. This means having at least the minimum required safety equipment on board, keeping your vessel and equipment properly maintained, and going through a pre-departure checklist before heading out onto the water. The information that you are required to know for the exam is highlighted in bold-faced print throughout this course (i.e. exam questions are drawn from the topics indicated in bold print in each module).

1.1	LOADING A SMALL BOAT
1.2	PRE-DEPARTURE CHECKLIST
1.3	MARINE WEATHER FORECASTS
1.4	PREPARING AND FILING A SAIL PLAN
1.5	BRIEFING ALL PERSONS ON BOARD
1.4	USING REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT
1.4	FUEL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
	MODULE 4 REVIEW

Any pleasure craft sold in Canada that is under 6 m long and capable of carrying an engine of 7.5 kW (10 hp) or bigger is required to carry a capacity plate attached to the hull. A capacity plate indicates the maximum size of outboard motor for your boat. The plate also indicates your boat’s recommended gross load capacity (the maximum load that can be carried), which includes: the combined weight of people, engine, battery, fuel, safety equipment, and cargo; or the equivalent number of adults allowed onboard.

A vessel is less stable and more likely to capsize when it is overloaded or overpowered. As the operator, you must obey the loading limits indicated on your vessel’s capacity plate. Remember, the maximum load is calculated for fair weather conditions.

To avoid impeding the operation of a pleasure craft, and thus increase the risk of causing injuries or loss of life to persons on board, the operator of a pleasure craft should:
1. not overload the craft in excess of the recommended gross load capacity or the equivalent maximum number of adult persons;
2. Position persons on board and the gear so as to evenly distribute the weight;
3. Keep the load’s centre of gravity as low as possible on board the craft; and
4. Lash the gear or stow it in lockers to prevent uncontrolled movement of the gear.

Always remember to keep the load’s centre of gravity as low as possible and to secure it to keep it from shifting.

When you carry bulky items in your arms, your view in front is restricted. In addition, if your arms are full, it is difficult to maintain your balance while boarding small craft. Thus, never carry bulky or heavy gear when loading a pleasure craft.

The safest way to load heavy or bulky supplies or equipment onto a small vessel is from the shore or from a dock. To do this, before getting aboard lay the gear out where you can reach it easily from the boat or place it where someone can hand it to you after you are in the boat.

There are a few tips that one should keep in mind when boarding a boat. First, the vessel must be kept tied up or held firmly in place until everyone is aboard. When boarding a pleasure craft, grab onto something solid (such as the gunwale or a stanchion) to steady yourself as you board.

If boarding an unstable vessel such as a dinghy or canoe, crouch to keep your centre of gravity low and stretch to step into the boat. Board it near the bow and then move to your seat along the centre line of the hull. Never step onto the gunwale as this may cause the boat to capsize.

Once you and your supplies and equipment are on board, stow them so that they are out of the way (but readily accessible in the case of safety equipment). Remember to distribute the weight of the gear evenly so that your vessel remains balanced; most boating fatalities are the result of capsizings or falls overboard.

A direction that is straight out from the middle of the vessel on the right side is termed "off the starboard beam". Similarly, a direction off the left-hand side at the middle of the boat is referred to as "off the port beam". Moving toward the front of the boat is said to be going forward while moving to the stern of the boat is termed going aft.

Even if you are simply borrowing a boat for a few hours, you become the operator and you are responsible to ensure that it is in seaworthy condition. Being sure to go through a pre-departure checklist may cause a few minutes of delay but it can also prevent hours of delay in an uncomfortable or even dangerous situation.

The operator of a pleasure craft should check the weather forecast before making the decision to head out so as not to put the craft or its passengers at risk. Thus, boaters need to know how to obtain current weather information before they head out as well as how to obtain updates while out on the water, which requires the knowledge and skill to use a marine radio. A receiver for continuous marine weather forecasts is also available through marine supply outlets.

Marine weather forecasts can be obtained from a number of sources, including from:
Your own personal observations;
Newspapers;
Radiotelephones;
Local Environment Canada information lines;
Radio channels 21B, 25B, and 83B on the Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes;
Radio channels 21B, WX1, WX2, and WX3 on the Pacific Coast;
In Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax VHF broadcasts from Weatherradio Canada (a service of Environment Canada);
Via the Internet at http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/marine/index_e.html;
Regular am and fm radio weather forecasts; and
Television weather channels and telephone weather services, where they exist.

A sail plan, also referred to as a float plan or trip plan, is a voyage itinerary that should include the departure time, travel route, duration of the trip, and basic details about your vessel. These details will assist search and rescue personnel in the event of an emergency.

Before heading out, all operators, especially of vessels not equipped with a VHF radio, should file a sail plan with a responsible person familiar with the instructions to follow in case of an emergency. If this is not possible, it can be filed with any Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre by telephone, radio, or in person.

If you are taking a long trip over several days, you should file a daily position report (especially if you change your route or extend the duration of your trip) to avoid initiating an unnecessary search and rescue operation.

Be sure to deactivate your sail plan by reporting that you have returned from your trip. This will prevent launching an unnecessary search. The person holding your trip plan should be instructed to contact the nearest Rescue Co-ordination Centre if you are overdue. The telephone number of the nearest centre can be found at the front of most telephone books. A good sail plan should include the following information:
Name and license number of your vessel;
Your vessel’s type (i.e. whether it is a sailboat or power-driven)
Name, address, and telephone number of the owner;
Number of persons on board;
Size, type, and colour of the craft;
Type of engine;
Distinguishing features of the vessel;
Type of radiotelephone, if any, and channel being monitored;
Safety equipment being carried, including flares, lifejackets, and life rafts;
Description of the trip, including time of departure, time of return, and the
Proposed route, and;
Instructions in case of emergency.

SAMPLE SAIL PLAN
 
Owner’s Name: ____________________________
 
Address: _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
 
Telephone Number(s): ____________ or _____________
 
Vessel’s Name and License Number: _________________________
 
Sail __ Power __ Type and Size: __________________________
 
Colour: Hull: ________ Deck: ________ Cabin: ________
 
Type of Engine: ____________________
 
Other Distinguishing Features: ______________________________
 
Radio channel(s) monitored: HF _____ VHF _____ MF _____
 
Safety Equipment onboard life raft(s): _________________________________
 
Dinghy or small boat (include colour): __________________________
 
Flares (include number and type): ___________________________
 
PFDs or Lifejackets (include number): ___________________________
 
Other: ______________________________
 
Local Search and Rescue Telephone Number: ____________
 
Trip Details (include the details on every trip):
 
Date of departure: ___________ Time of departure: __________
 
Leaving from: _____________________ Heading to: ___________________
 
Proposed Route: __________________________________________________
 
Estimated time and date of arrival _______________________________
 
Stop-over Point _________ Number of persons on board _______________

Before taking passengers out on the water, the operator of a pleasure craft should inform all persons on board about the following safety points:

1. The location of personal flotation devices (PFDs) and/or lifejackets;
 
2. The techniques for putting on a personal flotation device or lifejacket;
 
3. The techniques for putting on a personal flotation device or a lifejacket when in the water;
 
4. The importance of wearing personal flotation devices or lifejackets at all times;
 
5. The location of the emergency kit;
 
6. The importance of keeping oneself low in the boat, on the boat’s centreline, and holding onto a rigid part of the boat while moving around on board;
 
7. The importance of keeping one’s hands, arms, and legs inside the pleasure craft when approaching or leaving a dock;
 
8. The effects of the motion of the pleasure craft, sunlight, waves, wind, sound, and alcohol on a person’s reflexes and senses; and
 
9. The roles of all on board in the event of an emergency.

All of a vessel’s required safety equipment should be in good working order and located in readily accessible places on board the vessel.

The operator of a pleasure craft and all passengers should always wear their approved personal flotation devices or lifejackets to prevent drowning. The operator should also instruct passengers that PFDs and lifejackets should never be used as seat cushions, nor as boat fenders, nor in any other way that might damage them. Any damage to PFDs or lifejackets (such as a broken zipper, a rip, or puncture) voids their approved status (i.e. a repaired PFD is not an approved PFD).

The operator of a pleasure craft should take the following points into consideration when selecting PFDs or lifejackets:
1. PFDs or lifejackets should fit snugly (not tightly) and allow freedom of movement for arms and legs;
2. A PFD or lifejacket should be appropriate to the size of the person who will wear it; that is, adult-sized floatation devices for adults and child-sized flotation for children;
3. The PFD or lifejacket selected should be appropriate for the type of water activity in which it will be used (specially designed PFDs or lifejackets are available for activities such as kayaking, sail-boarding, water-skiing, and whitewater rafting); and
4. Lifejackets should be designed to turn an unconscious person face up in the water.

The operator should place special emphasis on the importance of wearing a PFD at all times while on board. Since some passengers will prefer not to wear their PFD, the operator should also instruct them on how a person can don a PFD while in the water.

A technique for donning a PFD while in the water should include the following steps: 1. Spread the PFD open so that it floats with the inside facing up out of the water; 2. Rotate the device so that you are looking at the end with the neck opening; 3. Extend both of your arms through the arm openings; 4. Lift your arms over your head; 5. Position the PFD around your body; and 6. Fasten it up so that it fits snugly.

The following procedure is a step-by-step guide that you should follow when refuelling a boat fitted with a gasoline or diesel engine. Note: these steps are not only good common sense, they’re the law:
 
1. Moor the boat securely to prevent spillage;
2. Shut off all engines;
3. Ensure that persons not involved in fuelling the craft go ashore;
4. Extinguish all open flames;
5. Ensure no-one smokes in the area while refuelling is in progress;
6. Turn off electrical switches and batteries; do not operate electrical devices;
7. Close all windows, portholes, hatches, and cabin doors;
8. Move portable tanks ashore before refuelling;

Gasoline and diesel fuels are highly volatile and readily give off explosive vapours. A fuel tank that is empty of fuel is dangerous because it is full of vapours given off by fuel residues in the tank. When you fill a portable fuel tank while it is still in a boat, vapours from inside the tank pour out and, because these vapours are heavier than air, settle into the cockpit of the boat. This is an extremely dangerous situation, one spark can ignite the vapour, resulting in fire or an explosion. Never fill a portable fuel tank while it is still in the boat.

9. Sparks must always be avoided when filling a fuel tank. To prevent a spark while filling a tank, first touch the side of the tank with your hand while you insert the fuel-dispensing nozzle into the tank’s fill inlet. This will prevent a spark from jumping between the fill opening and the dispenser. While the dispenser is in the tank opening, keep it grounded against the edge of the fuel tank opening. Maintain this contact as you withdraw the dispenser nozzle when you are finished filling the tank. Before withdrawing the nozzle completely, again touch the side of the tank with one hand while removing the nozzle with the other.
10. Know the capacity of your fuel tank and do not overfill it. You have a duty to prevent the release of fuel into the hull or into the water;
11. Clean up any spillage;

12. Operate the engine compartment ventilation blower for at least 4 minutes immediately before starting the engine; 13. Always sniff the air to check for fuel vapours and odours before starting the engine.

If your vessel is equipped with a blower system, the Small Vessel Regulations require that it be operated for at least 4 minutes immediately before every time you start the engine.

Once the engine is started, allow it to warm up. While you are waiting, check and pump your bilge and check your fuel gauge to verify that you have enough fuel for your trip. In addition, keep an eye on the water temperature gauge, voltmeter, and oil pressure gauge. The water temperature gauge reports the temperature of coolant water circulating in the engine and warns you if it is overheating. The voltmeter tells you the condition of the battery by indicating how long the battery is charging. The oil pressure gauge warns you of low oil pressure, which could damage the engine. You are ready to depart when the engine is warmed up and running smoothly.

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MODULE 4 REVIEW

QUESTIONS

1. Describe how to bring bulky or heavy gear aboard a pleasure craft.
 
2. What items should be on your pre-departure checklist?
 
3. What are some sources of weather information?
 
4. List the following Environment Canada weather terms in decreasing order of wind speed: moderate winds, small craft warnings, strong winds, light winds, gale warnings, storm warnings.
 
5. What information should appear in a sail plan?
 
6. When boarding a small (unstable) boat from a dock or low pier:
    a.) step onto the bow of the boat
    b.) step into the centre of the boat
    c.) step onto the side of the boat
    d.) jump into the boat
 
7. A boat is less stable and more likely to capsize when:
    a.) overloaded or overpowered
    b.) its load is kept low and evenly distributed
    c.) it is empty
    d.) it is in deep water
 
8. Describe a good practice to follow when starting your boat’s engine.
 
9. Most boating fatalities are the result of:
    a.) collisions with other vessels
    b.) heart attacks from excitement
    c.) capsizings or falls overboard
    d.) lightning striking the victim

MODULE 4 REVIEW

ANSWERS

1.  Place bulky or heavy on the dock where you can reach it from in the boat.
2.  See pre-departure checklist.
3.   Newspaper, radio, TV, telephone and Internet.
4.  In decreasing order of wind speed: storm warning, gale warning, small craft warning, strong winds, moderate winds, light winds.
5.  Type, size and colour; equipment on board; number of people on board; and description of the trip.
6.  b.)
7.  a.)
8.  Run the engine compartment ventilation blower for 4 minutes before starting the motor.
9.  c.)
 
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