DownUnder
Well-known member
Anyone have a link to good boating forums. Just got a boat and cant wait till the summer. Need info on things like Ontario safety regulations and licensing etc etc.
Cheers
Cheers
Any good Boating forums?
- Thread starter DownUnder
- Start date
what did you get? i frequent iboats.com and classicglastron.com
iboats is pretty well the definitive one that I frequent.
Check out http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/other.shtml#boating and http://www.gorideontario.com/en/boat/travel_tips
Check out http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/other.shtml#boating and http://www.gorideontario.com/en/boat/travel_tips
GSXMAER
Well-known member
Go to the 2012 ...Jan 14 to 22 ...boat show.....get the knowledge first hand......
from the Transport Canada Marine safety BOOTH
www.torontoboatshow.com
from the Transport Canada Marine safety BOOTH
www.torontoboatshow.com
Not sure if they have forums but Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons offer info on their site and many courses. There is probably a local chapter you could join too:
http://www.cps-ecp.ca/
http://www.cps-ecp.ca/
DownUnder
Well-known member
Cool, Ill check all those out.
Got a 02 stingray 180LS. Nothing special, just a boat to get out and hang around on the water when not on a bike. Going to have to do some research on good (cheap) gps/fish finders too.
Been to that bass pro shop a few times and there is so much to see in there you get carried away and forget what you went in for
Got a 02 stingray 180LS. Nothing special, just a boat to get out and hang around on the water when not on a bike. Going to have to do some research on good (cheap) gps/fish finders too.
Been to that bass pro shop a few times and there is so much to see in there you get carried away and forget what you went in for
Regardless of the area you want to boat in, unless your on one of those obscure cottage lakes that never see marine police, get the appropriate list of mandatory safety gear and have it in the boat. Its about $150 worth of stuff and the fine for not having is way more.
If you want to go out in big water, Lake Ontario , Georgian bay ect. take a handheld GPS, when the fog rolls in, and it will, you'll be happy to have a way home. Remember GPS that doesnt display mapping will be a line, it does not take into acct that mile long pier in Port Credit or Bronte. Its up to you to not hit it.
Power Squadron courses are a great way to kill a few evenings over the winter, they are all volunteers and the presenter of the course makes or breaks the course. You bought a power boat but the Squardron course to get a Watercraft operators licence is much more in depth than most. And it is recognized all over North America, its unlikly it will matter to you but not all operators cards are recognized by all US states.
Plus if the company that issued your card goes out of business getting a replacement when you loose your is a PITA.
If you drink and boat, a fine will go against your Motor Vehicle License. It affects your insurance just like you were in a car. If you boat around Honey Harbor, Toronto harbor, Hamilton Harbor or the busy corridor from Toronto to Oakville expect to be spot checked, they'll ask for a visual on safety gear/ life jackets/ operators card. Never have open beers or cans in the boat, put bevies in plastic cups you can just pour on the floor.
They sit about a mile away and use really good binoculars, when they come in at 30mph by the time you figure out its police your cooked. They approach bow first since you can only see the 4ft high police lettering from the sides.
Most drowning victims are found with thier fly open and fall in wizzing over the side.
Take the time to learn what the buoys and signals mean. They are usually put there for a reason. And figure out Right Of Way. Much as it looks like it's a free for all, there are some rules. The basics are
Power boats must give way to sailboats, but only when they are sailing. Otherwise he's a power boat to.
Restricted draft, like a boat with a 7' keel under it get right of way in channels. He needs to stay in the channel.
Boats with a trolling line out the back get right of way over both power and sail.
Never argue with gross tonnage, the freighter or ferry boat may be in the way, and could possibly be wrong, do you really want to test that?
Have fun, its a great way to kill a warm weekend.
If you want to go out in big water, Lake Ontario , Georgian bay ect. take a handheld GPS, when the fog rolls in, and it will, you'll be happy to have a way home. Remember GPS that doesnt display mapping will be a line, it does not take into acct that mile long pier in Port Credit or Bronte. Its up to you to not hit it.
Power Squadron courses are a great way to kill a few evenings over the winter, they are all volunteers and the presenter of the course makes or breaks the course. You bought a power boat but the Squardron course to get a Watercraft operators licence is much more in depth than most. And it is recognized all over North America, its unlikly it will matter to you but not all operators cards are recognized by all US states.
Plus if the company that issued your card goes out of business getting a replacement when you loose your is a PITA.
If you drink and boat, a fine will go against your Motor Vehicle License. It affects your insurance just like you were in a car. If you boat around Honey Harbor, Toronto harbor, Hamilton Harbor or the busy corridor from Toronto to Oakville expect to be spot checked, they'll ask for a visual on safety gear/ life jackets/ operators card. Never have open beers or cans in the boat, put bevies in plastic cups you can just pour on the floor.
They sit about a mile away and use really good binoculars, when they come in at 30mph by the time you figure out its police your cooked. They approach bow first since you can only see the 4ft high police lettering from the sides.
Most drowning victims are found with thier fly open and fall in wizzing over the side.
Take the time to learn what the buoys and signals mean. They are usually put there for a reason. And figure out Right Of Way. Much as it looks like it's a free for all, there are some rules. The basics are
Power boats must give way to sailboats, but only when they are sailing. Otherwise he's a power boat to.
Restricted draft, like a boat with a 7' keel under it get right of way in channels. He needs to stay in the channel.
Boats with a trolling line out the back get right of way over both power and sail.
Never argue with gross tonnage, the freighter or ferry boat may be in the way, and could possibly be wrong, do you really want to test that?
Have fun, its a great way to kill a warm weekend.
DownUnder
Well-known member
Great Info, thanks.
Out of curiosity, what is the rule with passengers drinking? is it illegal for anyone to consume alcohol? Or is it just a "dont give the cops a reason to pull you over" type thing.
http://boating.ncf.ca/alcohol.html
i know its from a unnofficial site,b ut the information posted is correct.
here is the official info.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/boating.shtml
in short. alcohol can only be consumed on boats that have permanent sleeping berth, a galley, and a head. The boat may not be in motion while drinking.
DownUnder
Well-known member
Am i reading some of that right? In Ontario you can lose your licence for having a few drinks and sitting in an inflatable raft? Well, its good to know how anal the laws are.
Cheers
Anal abuse resulted in anal enforcement. When they linked the boat / car drinking stuff an OPP cop (They do the patrols) told me he didn't care if a couple of guys took a few beers along and kept them in the bottom of the boat. If there was a 2-4 or making it obvious it was a different story. That has ended.
Your boat has to have an approved crapper, stove and sleeping accomodations. Check the labels to see if they are CANADIAN approved. A friend bought life jackets from Crappy Tire a few years ago and was nailed by the OPP because they weren't Canadian Approved. The head (Crapper) has to be fixed with a pumpout. Some manufacturer's imply their lift out can be used but the OPP won't accept it. Marine stove as well.
The OPP can be sneaky and come in with a Zodiac and you don't know they are there until too late. Also you can be legal ON your boat but if you anchor at a beach and wade over to another legal boat they can nail you for consuming in a public place.
You must have the operaters permit AND I.D. to prove the permit is yours. No I.D. and the fine is about $300 IIRC.
Maybe one of our legal eagles can advise if closed containers are legal, transporting only, or is there a perception rule.
If you want to drink in a boat, put your beverage in plastic cups. The cops sometimes take photos of people drinking before approaching boats, beer bottles make their job so easy it's laughable. Just take it easy on the booze, I saw people seconds from being killed more than once this year because of drinking and boating.
Consider any drinking in your boat illegal for you or your passenger unless you have a very specific type of boat as others have mentioned.
The benefits of taking the CPS Navigation course is that we had an OPP Officer come as a guest speaker one night, and you will learn everything you need to know about what safety equipment to carry relative to your boat size, how to read charts and what the various markers represent. I was amazed at how much I did not know before hand.
The course has paid off many times over for me and in a way it is similar to bikes that you want to know as much as possible because things can go bad quickly. I have seen people make a few mistakes on the water for sure. There is lots to lose so why not go in with the most knowledge possible?
The benefits of taking the CPS Navigation course is that we had an OPP Officer come as a guest speaker one night, and you will learn everything you need to know about what safety equipment to carry relative to your boat size, how to read charts and what the various markers represent. I was amazed at how much I did not know before hand.
The course has paid off many times over for me and in a way it is similar to bikes that you want to know as much as possible because things can go bad quickly. I have seen people make a few mistakes on the water for sure. There is lots to lose so why not go in with the most knowledge possible?
also, if you are going to be trailering your boat to/from the ramp, then make sure you practice backing and so on. you need to be efficient at the dock otherwise you piss off other boaters.
there have been several instances where i had to back other peoples boat in/out b/c of their complete lack of knowledge of backing trailers.
and remember, one in, one out. get on/off the docks quickly, and be polite when parking. there are too many idiots who don't know how to park.
also. vehicles without trailers are to park furthest from the ramp, not take the prime spots.
all standard ramp etiquette.
there have been several instances where i had to back other peoples boat in/out b/c of their complete lack of knowledge of backing trailers.
and remember, one in, one out. get on/off the docks quickly, and be polite when parking. there are too many idiots who don't know how to park.
also. vehicles without trailers are to park furthest from the ramp, not take the prime spots.
all standard ramp etiquette.
Cool, Ill check all those out.
Got a 02 stingray 180LS. Nothing special, just a boat to get out and hang around on the water when not on a bike. Going to have to do some research on good (cheap) gps/fish finders too.
Been to that bass pro shop a few times and there is so much to see in there you get carried away and forget what you went in for
great boat i had one...did you get the bow style or cudy style...
i was docked last season in Port Credit and it would cost me $150.00 just to go to Toronto Island and back .. not a cheap sport
Stewart, which YC do you sail out of?
What I spend on sails would fund the fuel budget for a large power cruiser all season. The wind is free, catching it efficiently not so much...... but nobody ever said "yachting was for the poor".
Racing sailboats has to be the most expensive hobby possible.
i sail out of wiarton, the niagara escarpment is so beautiful in the fall compaired to lake ont. boaters in lake ont. don't go out into the lake, they stay at their dock and party, the view is boring.
i second that lol.. we had a boat on P dock....or Party dock you could call it....
