If you are an avid boater, you will have taken the boat exam and you are aware of all your boating license privileges and restrictions. There once was a time when anyone could get into a boat in Canada and buzz around the lakes and rivers however they pleased. The boating license requirements are a relatively new development and designed to cut down on injuries and fatalities sustained while on the water. Boating rules and laws exist for virtually every element of the boating experience. Now, a boat exam must be taken to earn your boating license, so everyone who is operating a boat on the lakes and rivers has the required knowledge to operate it safely. The boat exam covers aspects of boating safety such as technique, safe operation, passenger safety, alcohol consumption, preparation, docking and anchoring.
Another element that you'll learn about when getting your boating license is horsepower restrictions. Horsepower refers to the amount of power contained in the motor of your boat. Obviously, horsepower is an important issue because the horsepower of your motor dictates how fast your boat will go.
Before more stringent boating restrictions were in place, someone without any real skill or experience could get behind the controls of a high horsepower boat and end up causing a lot of problems. The combination of a powerful motor, alcohol and an unskilled boat operator has caused many fatalities over the years in Canadian waterways. Of course, simply having a boating license doesn't ensure that everyone can handle a boat with any amount of horsepower, which is why there are specific restrictions on who drive operate how much horsepower on a boat in Canada.
The horsepower restrictions for boats in Canada apply to people under the age of 16 who are operating a recreational vessel on the water. Children who are under the age of 12 and are not being supervised directly by someone who is 16 or older are allowed to operate a boat that has a motor with no more than 10 horsepower. Kids who are over 12 but under 16 and not supervised directly by someone who is over 16 are allowed to operate a boat that has a motor with no more than 40 horsepower.
Boaters who are 16 years of age or older can operate a personal watercraft regardless of the supervision. Of course, it's still imperative for anyone who's over 16 to observe all the rules of the waterways and take the necessary boat exam, even though they have no horsepower restrictions. Imposing horsepower restrictions on the younger boaters helps cut down on recklessness that could lead to damage, injuries and fatalities. The goal is to have happy and safe boaters in all of Canada's waterways, so no one gets hurt and everyone enjoys their time on the water. Take the time to take your boat exam, get your boating license and observe the horsepower rule and all other Canadian boating rules and laws.
Author Resource:-
Stay safe on the water with BoatSmart 632 The Kingsway, Peterborough, ON K9J 7C8 (705) 745-2878 (416) 524-8943. Get your boating license ontario and learn what you need to know.
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