Required Boat Equipment in Canada

This is a summary of federal regulations provided as a convenience ONLY. The Small Vessel Regulations are changing. Please use the official Government Links for details.

Small Vessel Regulations, 2007 will require all equipment carried on board be in good working order, maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions, and available immediately, in case of emergency.

Equipment is required in a dinghy in the size category even when rowing a short distance to shore. Note you may be charged up to $200 for each item you don't comply with!

Powered Craft up to 6 metres in length (19'8")

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• 15 m (50') buoyant heaving line
• 1 manual propelling device [oar] OR anchor with 15 m (50') of cable, rope or chain
• 1 bailer OR manual pump with enough hose to pump water overboard [Not required for multi-hull vessel that has subdivided multiple-sealed hull construction.]
• 1 Class 5BC fire extinguisher if vessel has inboard engine OR a fixed fuel tank OR fuel-burning heater, stove, or refrigerator.
• 1 watertight flashlight OR 3 flares* of Type A, B or C
• Sound signalling device (horn)
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]

Unpowered Craft up to 6 metres in length (19'8")

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• 1 buoyant heaving 15 metres
• one manual propelling device OR an anchor with 15 m (50') of cable, rope or chain
• one Class 5BC fire extinguisher, if equipped with an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank, or a fuelburning stove, fridge or heater.
• 1 hand-bailer OR manual pump with enough hose to pump water overboard [Not required for any self-bailing sealed hull sailboat that cannot contain enough water to make the vessel capsize OR a multi-hull vessel that has subdivided multiple-sealed hull construction.]
• Sound signalling device
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]

Rowing boats (any kind) up to 6 metres in length (19'8")

• One Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board
• One buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
• one manual propelling device OR an anchor with 15 m (50') of cable, rope or chain
• 1 hand-bailer OR manual pump with enough hose to pump water overboard
• Sound signalling device
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]

6 - 8 metres in length (19'8"-26'3")

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• 1 buoyant heaving 15 metres OR a life buoy 610 or 762 mm diameter (24"-30") attached to a buoyant line 15 m (50').
• a reboarding device [ladder] if the freeboard of the vessel is greater than 0.5 m
• 1 manual propelling device (oar) OR 1 anchor with 15 m (50') cable, rope or chain
• 1 hand-bailer OR manual pump with enough hose to pump water overboard
• 1 Class 5BC fire extinguisher if vessel is powered,
• A second Class 5BC extinguisher if there is a fuel-buring stove, fridge, or heater.
• Watertight flashlight
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]
• Sound signalling device
• 6 approved distress flares: three A, B, or C [Not required if vessel is engaged in racing AND has no beds/bunks; not required in inland waters where boat is never more than 1 nautical mile from shore.]

8 - 12 metres in length (26'3"-39'4")

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
• 1 life buoy 610 or 762 mm diameter (24"-30") attached to a 15 m (50') buoyant line
• Reboarding device [ladder] if vessel freeboard is greater than 0.5 m (19")
• 1 anchor with 30 m (100') of cable, rope or chain
• 1 bailer
• 1 manual bilge pump with enough hose to pump bilge water overboard
• 1 Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel is powered
• A second Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel has heater, stove or refrigerator that burns fuel
• 12* approved flares of Type A, B, C or D, not more than 6 of which are of Type D. [Not required if vessel is engaged in racing AND has no beds/bunks; not required in inland waters where boat is never more than 1 nautical mile from shore.]
• 1 watertight flashlight
• Sound signalling device [horn]
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations
• Power-driven pleasure craft longer than 8 m require a properly adjusted compass. If the voyage is more than 37 km (20 nm) from shore a compass bearing device is required.

12 - 20 metres in length (39.4'-65.6')

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• 15 metres (50') of buoyant line
• 1 life buoy 610 mm or 762 mm (24-30") diameter attached to a buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
• 1 reboarding device [ladder]
• 1 anchor with 15 m (50') cable, rope or chain
• Efficient bilge pumping system with enough hose to pump water overboard
• one Class 10BC fire extinguisher at each of the following locations:
  • at each access to any space where a fuelburning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance is fitted
  • at the entrance to any accommodation space
  • at the entrance to the engine room space
• 2 fire buckets
• 1 fire axe
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations
• Sound signalling device must comply with Collision Regulations
• 12 approved destress flares: six A, B, or C type flares AND six A, B, C or D type flares

More than 20 m in length (more than 65.6')

• 1 approved and properly sized lifejacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
• 1 anchor with 15 m (50') cable, rope or chain
• Efficient bilge pumping system with enough hose to pump water overboard
• 2 Class 10BC fire extinguishers, one by entrance and one in the engine space
• 1 Class A-II fire extinguisher in each sleeping cabin (max. 3)
• Power fire pump to reach any part of vessel
• 4 buckets to extinguish fire
• 2 fire axes
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations
• Sound signalling device must comply with Collision Regulations
• 2 life buoys 762 mm (30") diameter, one must have self-igniting light
• 27.5 metres (90') or more of buoyant line
• 12 approved distress flares: six A, B, or C type flares AND six A, B, C or D type flares
• 1 VHF radio telephone installation
• Power-driven pleasure craft longer than 8 m require a properly adjusted compass. If the voyage is more than 37 km (20 nm) from shore a compass bearing device is required.

Personal Watercraft

• One Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board
• One buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
• Watertight flashlight OR 3 approved Type A, B, or C flares.
• Sound signalling device
• Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]
• one manual propelling device (oar) OR an anchor with 15 m (50') of cable, rope or chain
• 1 hand-bailer OR manual pump with enough hose to pump water overboard
• 1 Class 5BC fire extinguisher
  [Equipment is not required if all people are wearing an approved PFD of appropriate size.]

Canadian Red Cross studies show that nearly 90% of drowning victims were not wearing a lifejacket or PFD. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death for Canadians under 44, and the leading cause of preventable death among toddlers. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among Ontario children under five (statistics).

Notes

Flares must be Canadian approved and not beyond the expiry date. Flares are valid for 3 1/2 years from date of manufacture. [Keep your outdated flares - they are often useable if kept dry and not exposed to extreme temperatures.]

Freeboard is the distance from water to gunwale (usually the top edge of the hull).

** Canadian approved lifejacket or PFD (personal floatation device) must fit each person on board properly.

An approved lifejacket or PFD is required for each person on a sailboard.

In Canada, if you have a head on board, it must be permanently installed in the boat and equipped for proper pump out (this includes porta-potties).

In Canada, a horseshoe buoy and Rescue Stick(tm) do NOT fulfil Coast Guard safety requirements, but certainly can be useful in an emergency.

A official copy of the boat's up-to-date licence (i.e. in the owner's name) should be on board. A reasonable length of time is allowed to produce it.

Be sure to dispose of old flares safely if you do not wish to keep them (they work for a long time if stored properly). Please call police, fire department or Coast Guard for help.

All these regulations are for minimum equipment on board a vessel. You are encouraged to add equipment to your boat for additional safety.

For example: a compass, charts, spotlight, first aid kit, medical kit, tool kit, 7x50 binoculars, 200 feet of anchor line with 30' of chain (or all chain if you have a windlass), extra anchors, 3A-40BC fire extinguishers, battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors, life-raft, jacklines, safety harness, handholds, 'man-overboard-pole', VHF radio, depth sounder, knotmeter, hand compass, GPS, Loran-C, etc. (Check out our list of navigation tools and techniques and E-charts.)

Boats under 20 m (65') and non-metal craft should carry a radar reflector at least 4 m (13') above the water when operating in ship channels or offshore.

Related Information

See our Government Directory for information from Canadian Coast Guard, Office of Boating Safety, Transport Canada, etc.

• Related Ppages
• Licensing, registering boats
• PCOC operator card
• Costs of buying and owning a boat
• Links to buying a boat
• Boat loading table
• Spring launch checklist
• Winter checklist (Ontario sailboat)
• Boating Laws
• Boating fees, taxes, HST
• Canadian Boating News

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