Equipment
2.4 Testing your Equipment
Testing
Test your lifejacket occasionally by wading into chest deep water, bending your knees and floating on your back. Ensure your lifejacket keeps your chin above the water and that it is easy to breath.
Children should be encouraged to wear their lifejackets or PFDs at all times. Be sure to test them before they are needed and be sure your child knows how to use theirs.
Be aware of special precautions with children.
A child's head, by weight, is more of their overall body weight than an adult. This will affect the performance of the lifejacket.
Many lifejackets, although certified, will not protect children in an overboard fall and may not float them face up.
Children tend to panic in flotation devices so they should be tested before they are needed.
Children under 9 kg do not need to wear lifejackets or PFDs.
Flotation devices are not a substitute for adult supervision.
Mandatory Equipment
Personal Watercraft
- One Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board
- One buoyant heaving line of not less than 15m in length
- A watertight flashlight or 3 Canadian-approved flares of Type A,B or C
- A sound signalling device or a sound signalling appliance
- Navigation lights that meet applicable standards set out in the Collision Regulations if the pleasure craft is operated after sunset, before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.
Note: The Canadian Coast Guard and PWC manufacturers advise against operating at night
- One manual propelling device or, an anchor with not less than 15m of cable, rope or chain in any combination
- One bailer or manual water pump fitted with, or accompanied by, sufficient hose to enable a person using the pump, to pump water from the bilge of the vessel over the side of the vessel
- One Class 5BC fire extinguisher
Powered Pleasure Craft - Not over 6M in length
- One Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board
- One buoyant heaving line of not less than 15m in length
- One manual propelling device or, an anchor with not less than 15m of cable, rope or chain in any combination
- One Class 5BC fire extinguisher, if the pleasure craft is equipped with an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank of any size, or a fuel burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance
- One bailer or manual water pump fitted with, or accompanied by, sufficient hose to enable a person using the pump to pump water from the bilge of the vessel over the side of the vessel
Note: A bailer or manual pump is not required for any multi-hull vessel that has subdivided, multiple-sealed hull construction
- A watertight flashlight or 3 Canadian-approved flares of Type A,B or C
- A sound signalling device or a sound signalling appliance
- Navigation lights that meet applicable standards set out in the Collision Regulations if the pleasure craft is operated after sunset, before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility
Next Page: 2.5 Putting your PFD on in the water