We’ve assembled some great tips to help you enjoy your time out there – and return home safely with some big stories. Read on to learn more about Angling and Small Boats, Loading Your Boat and Landing Fish, Alcohol and Boating and Weather.
Did you know?
- 25% of boating fatalities happened while boaters were fishing
- 27% of deaths happened when passengers fell overboard
- 30% occurred when the boat capsized
- 49% of fatalities happened on a lake, pond, or reservoir— not in the ocean and on rivers?
Topics
Angling and Small Boats
Loading Your Boat and Landing Fish
Lifejackets and PFDs
Alcohol and Boating
Weather or Not?
Hypothermia
Angling and Small Boats
Most angling takes place on boats that are less than 16 feet long. Unfortunately,boats of this length and smaller have the distinction of being involved in the majority of boating fatalities.
Many fishing boats under 16 feet often have flat bottoms or semi-v hulls and are known for their instability. It’s no surprise then that the primary causes of fishing accidents on the water are capsizing, falling overboard and flooding or swamping.
This isn’t to say that anglers should stop using small boats. It’s just a matter of taking the right precautions in small boats - like correctly loading the boat and using caution while moving about the boat and landing fish. Above all, a sportsman should wear his or her life jacket.
Loading Your Boat
Always step into the centre of the boat when getting onboard. If you are loading gear and equipment on your boat, don't try and bring it all with you when you first step aboard. Hand equipment to someone on the boat, or leave it on the dock and load it into the boat once you're onboard.
Always keep in mind: When loading gear and people, it is important to distribute the weight evenly around the boat. This will ensure that your boat handles predictably and will reduce the likelihood that your boat will capsize.
Your Boat's Capacity Plate
Never overload your boat. Loading more people and weight than the boat's maximum capacity can be a fatal mistake. Your boat's capacity plate (which can be found permanently affixed to the hull of your craft) indicates the maximum number of people, weight and horsepower that your boat can safely handle. Whether you’re borrowing a boat, or taking your's on the next fishing trip, refer to the capacity plate and load your boat accordingly.
Moving Around Your Boat
When moving around your craft, keep your centre of gravity low and as close to the middle of the boat as possible. Avoiding standing in small, open boats and make sure your dock and anchor lines are properly stowed to avoid tangling around your feet. Fishing equipment should be stowed and organized in accessible locations aboard your craft so that they don't trip
you up.
Landing Fish
You've hooked the big one! Your adrenaline is pumping, your heart is racing and your focu
s shifts to getting that “big dog” into the boat. This is one of the most critical times onboard your boat. You, you’re net and your fellow fishing buddies are leaning over the side of the boat to get a glimpse of your prize – that’s when the weight in your boat can change suddenly and your boat will capsize.
Avoiding this scenario is a matter of common sense: Keep your weight in the centre of the boat. If you’re reeling in a fish, try to do it in a seated position and use a landing net to get the fish into the boat.
If the boat should capsize, stay with the boat if you are far from shore. If your craft is not fully submerged, climb onto the overturned hull. This will help you retain energy, increase your survival time in cold water, and increase your visibility to other boaters. If you are close enough to the shoreline, swim to shore while making sure you’re visible to other boat traffic.
Remember: Always wearing a lifejacket will increase your chances of
survival significantly.
Lifejackets and PFDs - Don't Go Fishing Without One
It’s the best preventative medicine. Always wear your Lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when boating. More than 90% of all persons who drown while boating were not wearing a PFD or lifejacket. Wearing an approved, properly fitted flotation device greatly reduces the risk of accidental drowning.
How Should It Fit?
Make sure your jacket fits snugly, but allows for the free movement of your arms and legs. Your Lifejacket or PFD must be approved by Transport Canada – this will be indicated on the inside label. Keep in mind: The approved status of Lifejackets and PFDs is void if the flotation device has been damaged, altered, or repaired, or if the label indicating approval is illegible.
Maintaining Your PFD
Lifejackets and PFDs are designed to save lives. As one of the most important pieces of safety equipment onboard your craft, they should be maintained with care:
- Never use your flotation device as a seat cushion or bumper
- Dry wet PFDs/Lifejackets out of direct sunlight and away from direct heat sources
- When not in use, store your PFDs/Lifejackets in a dry,
well ventilated area - Never stow PFDs/Lifejackets in the proximity of gasoline or chemicals
- Inspect your PFDs/Lifejackets regularly – if ripped or damaged they should be replaced immediately.
Inflatable PFDs
Some PFDs are inflatable – A carbon dioxide cartridge is used to inflate the PFD. Once inflated,the PFD is able to keep a person afloat. Inflatable PFDs are becoming the number one choice among anglers because they allow for unrestricted movement and are more comfortable in hot weather. If you’re planning on using an inflatable PFD, keep the following in mind:
- Inflatable PFDs are only approved for use by persons 16 years of age or older that weigh more than 36 kilograms
- Inflatable PFDs must be worn at all times while on deck or in the cockpit of an open vessel
- Inflatable PFDs must be readily available to persons below deck on vessels equipped with cabins
 Mustang Survival produces high quality lifejackets,personal flotation devices and inflatable PFDs. Click here to learn more. |
Remember: A lifejacket stowed under your seat is not going to do you much good in an emergency. Your flotation device only works if you wear it!
Alcohol and Boating - It Doesn't Mix
You wouldn’t drink and drive your car, right? But it’s alright to drink and drive a boat - What can a few cold
ones hurt? Unfortunately this is the attitude that leads to more than 35% of boating fatalities each year.
When you’re in a boat, you’re surrounded by potential hazards: falling overboard and drowning, watching for navigational hazards like other boats and waterway obstructions, and keeping mind of your passengers. These potential hazards become more of a risk when you consider the effects of alcohol while boating. Certain factors, including long exposure to engine noise and vibration, the glare of the sun, and the motion of the water amplify the effects of alcohol – In fact, the effects of alcohol are up to 4 times greater when on the water then when on land.
Consuming alcohol either before boating or while onboard will result in:
- Diminished judgment and your ability to process information
- Slower reaction times and reflexes
- Reduced motor skills, peripheral vision and balance
- Poorer depth perception, vision and focus
- Accelerated hypothermia (since alcohol lowers the body’s resistance to cold)
Balance is one of the first things to go when you’re drinking, and maintaining balance is one of the most important things an angler needs - especially when standing up to cast, reel in or retrieve a fish. One false move and you could end up in the water, which could lead to hypothermia or even drowning.
Alcohol also inhibits a person’s decision-making abilities which are critical when on unpredictable terrain like water. A boat operator needs to stay alert and aware in case of a change in weather, a passenger falling overboard, or the sudden need for CPR, first aid, or hypothermia treatment. Consuming alcohol can result in reduced reasoning, which may cause you to take unnecessary risks like boating too close to a dam, venturing into rough waters, or staying out after dark.
There’s no excuse: You should never consume alcohol while boating. Always keep the “Water on the Water and the Beer on the Pier!”
Any passionate angler wants to get out to the fish – rain or shine. Weather can play a very important role to an angler and can very easily ruin a good day on the water unless one is prepared for it. Using some preventative measures can help you avoid a potential emergency.
Always check the weather before heading out. You can obtain reliable weather forecasts from your local newspaper, radio or television station. Your marine radio and the internet are also great sources.
The Meteorological Service of Canada (Environment Canada) classifies all wind speed and weather warnings in Canada and has identified five categories of wind conditions:
| Classification | Wind Speed | |
| Light Winds | Less than 12 knots (22 km/h) | |
| Moderate Winds | 12 to 19 knots (22 to 35 km/h) | |
| Strong Winds and Small Craft Warnings | 20 to 33 knots (37 to 61 km/h) | |
| Gale Warnings | 34 to 47 knots (63 to 87 km/h) | |
| Storm Warnings | 48 to 63 knots (89 to 117 km/h) |
You should never operate your craft in a Strong Winds advisory or greater. Small open fishing boats are very susceptible to high wind and wave conditions – Always keep this in mind before heading out on the water.
Use a Trip Plan
Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. If you become stranded due to bad weather or your boat breaks down, your contacts on shore will know where to find you – this is especially important on large bodies of water such as Lake Ontario.
Letting others know where you plan to be is imperative when going out in a boat, even if you aren’t heading into bad weather. Leaving a trip plan with a friend, family member or the Canadian Coast Guard will ensure that someone will know if you are overdue. They will also know where to look for you. At a minimum, a trip plan should include where you are going and when you’ll be back, who is on board, a description of your boat and its registration numbers, and who to contact if you don’t return.
As a final and less desirable option, if you did not get a chance to file a plan with someone you know, leave a note under your windshield wiper and the authorities will probably find it if you don’t return. Be sure to let the person with your trip plan know that you've returned, or else a needless search could be started. It’s good practice to always carry a marine radio, cell phone, flares and an emergency flag. You’ll appreciate having these on board if the unexpected arises.
Click here to download a sample Trip Plan in PDF format.
What If I Get Caught in Bad Weather?
- First, make sure everyone aboard is wearing a life jacket.
- Determine your location and best course back to shelter.
- Keep a sharp lookout for other boats and obstructions.
- Try to take the heaviest gusts of wind on the bow, not from the side so the boat isn’t blown side to side.
- In heavy winds, even lakes and rivers can have waves. Approach waves at a 45 degree angle. This will keep the propeller underwater, reduce pounding and the boat getting rocked from side to side which could pitch passengers out. Approaching at a 45 degree angle will also reduce the chance that your boat is swamped by high waves.
- Stay low. Don’t make yourself the tallest target for lightning.
- Try not to hold onto any metal with your bare hand.
- Unplug all un-used electronic devices such as your fish-finder.
- If feasible, pull the boat to a protected bank and wait out the storm.
- If you have to anchor, NEVER anchor from the back of the boat.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a drop in core body temperature caused by prolonged exposure to low water and air temperatures. This is of concern to anglers as many of us fish in the early spring and late fall. However, keep in mind: Hypothermia can even strike in the middle of summer. All you need is a cold temperature source and prolonged exposure.
Anglers should use cold water/weather survival gear which delay the effects of hypothermia. Suitable options include:
- Wet Suit
- Dry Suit
- Survival Suit
- Immersion Suit
- Exposure Suit or Exposure Coverall
If you find yourself in cold water, employ one of the following techniques to increase your survival time:
Huddle Position:
If you and your passengers find yourself exposed to cold water and are unable to swim to shore, you should assume the Huddle Position to increase your
survival time:
- Place your arms around each other’s mid to lower back and pull together so your chests are close to each other’s sides
- Intertwine your legs
- Place any children in the middle of the huddle
- Keep unnecessary movements to a minimum in order to
conserve energy
H.E.L.P. Position
If you find yourself alone and exposed to cold water, use the Heat Escape Lessoning Position (H.E.L.P.) to reduce heat loss from your core body temperature and delay the effects of hypothermia:
- Cross your arms tightly against your chest
- Draw your knees up and against your chest
- Keep your head and face out of the water
