What To Do if Your Boat Capsizes
If your boat capsizes, it’s a dangerous situation and it’s possible that you could drown. You need to know how to prevent your boat from capsizing and what to do should you find yourself unexpectedly in the water after your vessel has flipped over.
You’ll need to learn boating safety habits that can prevent capsizing and what to do if you’re thrown out of your boat or fall overboard. Remember to drive your boat responsibly and avoid reckless behavior in your boat.
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How dangerous is capsizing your boat?
Boaters can drown as a result of a capsized boat, falling overboard, or they can have serious injuries as a result.
The danger level is real. Capsizing is a leading cause of boating fatalities in Canada. Your behavior in your boat and your boat driving habits could cause your boat to capsize.
Each year in Canada, there are approximately 100 to 111 recreational boating-related deaths.
What kinds of boats usually capsize the most?
Small recreational boats are the most common type of vessel that capsizes. This includes:
- Dinghies
- Small motorboats
- Small, lightweight sailboats
- Canoes and kayaks
- Rowboats
These small boats capsize more often because they are lightweight, have limited stability, and are more affected by uneven weight distribution and rough water. They can also capsize due to sudden movements by passengers.
How to avoid capsizing your boat
Watch your personal behavior in the boat
Capsizing can happen when a boat is off-balance, which could be due to what is taking place in the boat or on the water. You can avoid this by:
- Not overloading your boat
- Don’t lean overboard
- Don’t sit on a part of the boat that isn’t designed for seating
- Stay low in your boat and stay in its centre
- Always wear a lifejacket
- Do not walk on your boat without holding a rail or some other solid part of the boat. If not, you could lose your balance.
- Don’t drink or do drugs
If you have a small motorboat, make sure you distribute the weight of passengers and objects evenly to prevent it from rolling over.
Watch your boat driving behavior
Your boat driving behavior can contribute to your boat capsizing.
- Do not speed
- Never anchor your boat from the stern, always from the bow to avoid capsizing
- Do not drive your boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Take any corners at a lower speed
- Don’t make sharp turns
- Use a kill switch, also called an engine cutoff switch to prevent injury or death due to a propeller strike if you fall in the water.
- Don’t go boating in bad weather
- Don’t go boating alone
- Take each wake (path of waves) head-on from the bow
What to do if your boat capsizes or rolls over and you’re suddenly in the water
Try to stay calm and account for any passengers. Unless you are very close to shore and it is safe to swim, stay with your capsized boat.
Your boat will be more visible to rescuers than you and your passengers are in the water. The boat can also serve as a flotation aid for you and any passengers to hang onto. You will be able to conserve energy that way. Get on top of the boat if possible.
Keep everyone together to increase visibility. Use any available items to protect yourself from the elements. Stay positive.
Does your boat have a radio and marine distress signals so you can call for help in case of an emergency?
What do I do if a passenger has fallen overboard?
Take the following steps:
- Bring your boat to a stop to avoid the propeller striking the overboard passenger
- Try to visually locate the overboard passenger
- Throw the overboard passenger a life buoy, life jacket or buoyant line and help that person get back onboard.
- To preserve your body heat: Don’t move about in the water. If there is more than one person overboard, huddle together with chests close, arms wrapped around each other, and legs intertwined. This can increase survival time by sharing body heat. If you are alone in the water, bring your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them, clasping your hands together.
If you have fallen into a fast-moving river, float on your back with your feet pointed downstream (the direction that the water flows) so you can push yourself away from any fallen trees or rocks.
Why is boating safety so important?
Recreational boating accidents can result in significant loss of life, injuries, and property damage. Lack of safety instruction and training are factors in boat accidents and fatalities.
In Canada, do you need boat safety training?
In Canada, you need a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). The PCOC is also known as a Canadian boating license.
Operating a motorized boat without the required proof of competency (PCOC) can result in a fine, with a minimum of $250. You can get the card by taking a boating safety course in-person or online and passing the test at the end of the course.
It is mandatory for anyone operating a motorized recreational vessel in Canada, regardless of age, boat size, or engine horsepower, except in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Learn as much as you can about boat safety and take additional courses.
Is boat insurance mandatory in Canada?
If your boat is financed, your lender may require boat insurance. Many marinas require boat insurance with $3 million in liability coverage for docking and mooring.
Boat insurance isn’t mandatory in Canada but it’s recommended because your boat is a valuable asset. Boat insurance is the best way to make sure you’re protected on the water.
It also protects your boat and its motor, boating equipment, and boating accessories like lifejackets, GPS, depth sounders, and many other items.
Boat insurance helps protect you financially if you have an accident with another boat. Can you afford not to have boat insurance?
Final thoughts
A boat that capsizes or rolls over can be frightening, dangerous, and even fatal. A person who falls overboard can drown or be injured (possibly fatally) by a propeller strike. Your driving behavior, your behavior, and your passengers’ behavior in your boat can cause your boat to capsize. When you’re boating, be on your best behavior!
5 FAQs about boat safety
What safety equipment is needed on my boat?
The required safety equipment for boats in Canada is set by Transport Canada and varies based on the type and length of your vessel. Lifejackets: Approved and appropriately sized for each passenger must be onboard your boat. Sound signaling device, flares, manual bilge pump, anchor, navigation lights, buoyant heaving line, fire extinguisher, and magnetic compass.
Do I need to wear a lifejacket on my boat?
No, but you are required by law to have a properly sized, Transport Canada-approved lifejacket or PFD on board for each person on your boat, and it must be easily accessible.
How are boating regulations enforced in Canada?
In Canada, boating regulations are enforced by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), provincial and municipal police forces, and other local authorities.
Why do I need a PCOC as a boater in Canada?
You must have a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) as a boater in Canada because it serves as federally mandated proof that you have the knowledge and competency to safely operate a motorized recreational boat on Canadian waters.
How many people die a year in Canada due to boating fatalities?
Each year in Canada, there are approximately 100 to 111 recreational boating-related deaths. The overwhelming majority of victims are male. Most of these incidents involve not wearing a lifejacket, over 80% of those who died in boating accidents were not wearing one at the time. Alcohol consumption and cold water are also major contributing factors in these deaths.
