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Common sense required as Vancouver's boating season gets into full swing

With summer here and Canada Day weekend only a few days away, many Vancouver boaters will soon be hitting the water. Increased water traffic means more collisions, which makes now the ideal time to brush up on boating safety.

With summer here and Canada Day weekend only a few days away, many Vancouver boaters will soon be hitting the water. Increased water traffic means more collisions, which makes now the ideal time to brush up on boating safety.

Cameron Taylor, president of BoatSmart, a boating course provider that is accredited by Transport Canada, said that most safety issues boil down to common sense.

Always wearing [an approved] life jacket is a big one, Taylor said. Eighty per cent of boating accidents could have been prevented by wearing a proper life jacket. Deciding to keep alcohol on shore is important as well. Not everybody knows this, but alcohol can have four times the effect on water as it does on land, and its a factor in 40 per cent of boating fatalities. You should also bring lots of water with you as well to prevent dehydration, especially during the summer.

Another important measure is checking your safety equipment. All equipment should be stored together in an accessible place and should be checked at the beginning of each season to make sure everything is in working order. This includes inspecting life rafts for leaks and replacing batteries in flashlights and other electronics. The big thing is to get equipment, learn how to use it, and make sure your passengers know where it is and know how to use it, Taylor said.

Pleasure Craft Operator Cards became mandatory across most of Canada in 2009 and failure to present one can result in a $250 fine. Yet out of the 10.5 million boaters across the country, only 3.5 million hold a licence. Taylor said that there are multiple reasons for such a staggering

discrepancy.

They might be occasional boaters or be boating on lakes and waterways that arent enforced, Taylor said. They might have been boating for decades and are confident, but even for seasoned boaters its still a good idea. You might learn something new or notice a bad habit that youre picked up.

According to Transport Canada, national boating fatalities have drastically fallen since 1991, from 220 annually to just 108 in 2006. However, recreational boating is now the source of 88 per cent of boating deaths, whereas it was the source of only 83 per cent of boating deaths in 1991.

Taylor believes that this can be attributed to a lack of education for some pleasure craft operators, as commercial and rescue boat operators are more likely to have received proper training prior to going out on the water, and that a further decline in recreational boating fatalities has taken place since Pleasure Craft Operator Cards became mandatory in 2009.

Boating is a safe activity as long as you know what youre doing, Taylor said.

Pleasure Craft Operator Cards require an exam that covers navigation, boating laws, marker buoys and other basic subjects. Exams can be taken online at boatsmartexam.com or in person at Canadian Tire, Granville Island Boat Rentals, Vancouver Rowing Centre or Westcan Inflatables. Licences are valid for life.

Drew_McLachlan@hotmail.com

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