Our good friends were gracious enough to lend us their cabin for the weekend once again, and we were more than happy to get away from the city for a couple of days. They let us know that they had their boat out on the water this time, and since my daughter wanted to bring a friend along for some summertime watersports I started planning ahead.
My husband and I have both operated motorboats umpteen times, but it had been a while for both of us. Being a “safety first” type of person, I thought it wise to brush up on a few pertinent topics, from licensing to boat insurance.
Pleasure Craft Licensing
Even though the open water isn’t patrolled to the same extents as streets and highways, I refused to operate the motorboat without a license, as mine expired about a year ago. Fortunately, my husband’s license was still valid, so we didn’t have to abandon our plan to spend a day on the lake, but I still need to renew mine.
Boat operation is covered by what’s known as a pleasure craft license. A pleasure craft license has a unique identifying number, which is recorded in a searchable database for security purposes. It functions much the same way as a drivers license:
- Boaters must carry their pleasure craft license at all times while operating a motorized vessel
- The boating license number must be displayed on both sides of the boat, and visible while the boat is on the water
- Boaters who do not have a valid license face a $250 fine
There’s no reason to put off getting a boat license. They’re available free of charge, and remain valid for 10 years. Taking a boating safety course is a great way to build the skills needed to earn a pleasure craft license.
Boating Safety Basics
Even though my husband still had a valid boating license, I insisted that he spend a few minutes going over some basic boating safety principles before we headed out for the day:
- Always check the local weather forecast before heading out. Take particular note of wind speed, wind direction, and whether or not any precipitation is expected.
- If unsettled weather is on its way, consider leaving off your boating expedition for another day. Never go boating if a thunderstorm is in the forecast.
- Ensure that the boat is in sound mechanical condition.
- Never operate a motorboat at an excessive speed, even if there is very little traffic on the water.
- Never operate a motorboat under the influence of alcohol; it is just as dangerous (if not more dangerous) than drunk driving.
- Make sure everyone in the boat is able to swim and wears a lifejacket for the entire duration of the outing.
In short: don’t take chances. Always play it safe, and use common sense.
Boat Insurance: How It Works
I did some online research and was surprised to learn that many people assume that boats are covered by home insurance and travel insurance policies. While some inclusive home insurance policies may provide limited protection for boat damage or theft, they are generally only valid if an incident occurs while the boat is on your property. If something happens while the boat is on the water, home insurance and travel insurance probably won’t cover it.
There are two main types of boat insurance:
- Liability coverage: This required type of coverage functions much the same as car insurance, providing the operator with financial protection in the event of property damage or injury.
- Hull and machinery coverage: This is an optional or supplemental form of boat insurance that covers the boat and its mechanical components.
The size of the boat, the type of boat, and its age and relative condition will all affect boat insurance premiums. Generally speaking, boat insurance policies cover the owner as well as other operators. However, this isn’t universal, and it’s vital to completely understand all the terms and conditions of the policy before letting another person operate the vessel.
Boating enthusiasts in Alberta and Ontario can take advantage of the progressive boat insurance products offered by InsureMy. The company is a fantastic resource, and they’re always happy to answer questions about boating insurance and related topics.
