Required Boat Equipment in Canada

This summary of federal regulations is provided as a convenience ONLY. Please use the official Government Links to the Small Vessel Regulations and refer to the latest "Safe Boating Guide" for details.

Rowboat PWC 0-6m 6-9m 9-12m 12-24m 24m+ Links

Small Vessel Regulations requires 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 for most boats - even when rowing a small dinghy near shore. You can be charged up to $200 for each safety item you don't have on board! Please read notes at the bottom.

Rowboat, canoe, kayak up to 6 metres in length (19'8")

Life jacket or PDF for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Reboarding device / ladder
Hand-bailer OR bilge pump
Sound signalling device
Navigation lights [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]
Magnetic compass [not required within sight of navigation marks]
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Over 6 metres: Watertight flashlight, 6 Type A, B, or C flares

Personal Watercraft PWC

Life jacket or PDF for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Reboarding device / ladder
Manual propelling device (oar) OR anchor with 15 m (50') of rode
Hand-bailer OR manual pump
Watertight flashlight OR 3 approved Type A, B, or C flares.
Sound signalling device
Navigation lights [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]
Magnetic compass [not required within sight of navigation marks]
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 5BC fire extinguisher

Up to 6 metres in length (19'8")

Life jacket or PFD for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 metres
Reboarding device / ladder
Manual propelling device OR anchor with 15 m (50') of rode
Hand-bailer OR manual pump
If equipped with motor: Watertight flashlight OR 3 Type A, B, or C flares
Sound signalling device
Navigation lights [Not required unless operated at night or in restricted visibility.]
Magnetic compass [not required within sight of navigation marks]
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 5BC fire extinguisher if equipped with inboard engine, fuel tank, fuel-burning stove, fridge or heater.

6 - 9 metres in length (19'8"-29'6")

Life jacket or PDF for each person on board
Buoyant heaving 15 metres
Life buoy attached to buoyant line 15 m (50').
Reboarding device / ladder
Manual propelling device (oar) OR anchor with 15 m (50') rode
Bailer OR manual pump
Watertight flashlight
6 flares: type A, B, or C
Sound signalling device
Navigation lights [if operated at night or in poor visibility]
Magnetic compass [not required within sight of navigation marks]
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 5BC fire extinguisher if vessel equipped with motor
Class 5BC fire extinguisher if fuel-burning stove, fridge, or heater

9 - 12 metres in length (29'6"-39'4")

Life jacket or PFD for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Life buoy attached to buoyant line 15 m (50').
Reboarding device / ladder
1 anchor with 30 m (100') of rode
Manual Bilge pump OR bilge pump
Watertight flashlight
12* flares of Type A, B, C or D, not more than 6 Type D.
Sound signalling device [horn]
Navigation lights
Magnetic compass
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel equipped with motor
Class 10BC fire extinguisher if vessel has fuel-burning heater, stove or refrigerator

12 - 24 metres in length (39'4"-78'9")

Life jacket or PFD for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Life buoy attached to self-igniting light OR 15 m (50') buoyant line
1 reboarding device [ladder]
1 anchor with 15 m (50') cable, rope or chain
Bilge pumping system
Watertight flashlight
12 flares Type A, B, C or D, not more than 6 Type D
Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations
Sound signalling device (Collision Regulations)
Magnetic compass (Safety Regulations)
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 10BC fire extinguisher at each of the following locations:
- entrance to space with a fuel-burning stove, heating or refrigerator
- entrance to accommodation space
- entrance to machinery space
2 fire buckets
1 fire axe

More than 24 m in length (more than 78'9")

1 approved and properly sized life jacket (yellow, red or orange) or PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on board
Buoyant heaving line 15 m (50')
Two SOLAS life buoys - one with buoyant line 30 m, one equipped with self-igniting light
Lifting harness with rigging
Reboarding device / ladder
1 anchor with 15 m (50') cable, rope or chain
Bilge pumping system
Watertight flashlight
12 flares Type six A, B, C or D, not more than 6 Type D.
Sound signalling device (Collision Regulations)
Navigation lights
Magnetic compass (Safety Regulations)
Radar reflector [not required under most day and near-shore use]
Class 10BC fire extinguishers at each of the following locations:
- entrance to space with a fuel-burning stove, heating or refrigerator
- entrance to accommodation space
- entrance to machinery space
4 fire buckets 10+ litres
2 fire axes

Canadian Red Cross studies show that nearly 90% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket 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).

Equipment Notes

Equipment Details are in the "Safe Boating Guide".

Life jackets and PFDs (personal floatation devices) must be Canadian government approved and properly sized for each person on board. View a Red Cross video about using life jackets for adults and kids.

Anchor "rode" can be cable, rope or chain.

Manual pumps require enough hose to pump water overboard, but are not required for a 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.

Reboarding devices are usually a ladder and are not required if the boat's freeboard (distance from water to top edge of the hull) is less than 0.5 metres (1'8").

Navigation lights must comply with Collision Regulations, and are not required on some boat types if operated during daylight in good visibility.

Magnetic compass is not required on boats 8 m or less and within sight of navigation marks.

Head: In most provinces 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).

Horseshoe buoy and Rescue Stick(tm) do NOT fulfil Canadian safety requirements, but certainly can be useful in an emergency.

Flares must be Canadian approved and not beyond the expiry date. Flares are valid for 3 1/2 years from date of manufacture.

Type of Flares:
Type A: Parachute flares (burns for at least 40 seconds)
Type B: Multi-Star flares (burns 4 to 5 seconds).
Type C: Hand held flares.
Type D: Hand held or buoyant smoke flare (day use only).

Outdated flares are often useable if kept dry and not exposed to extreme temperatures. 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, jack lines, safety harness, hand holds, 'man overboard pole', VHF radio, depth sounder, knotmeter, hand compass, GPS, 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.

BOATEREXAM.COM has been helping Canadian boaters get their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) since 2000. Study online and take your exam from a Web browser! (more about BoaterExam.com)