Do you know the rules on the water?
North Vancouver RCMP and other local agencies had all hands on deck at Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park Saturday, teaching boaters the rules of the water in an educational exercise.
The event is called Project Wave, an annual initiative between the North Vancouver RCMP’s Traffic Services and ICBC to inform the public about boating rules and safety and get members of the public acquainted with the agencies that patrol local waterways.
Cpl. Mansoor Sahak for North Vancouver RCMP said police checked roughly 70 boaters making sure they met licence and safety equipment requirements.
“We always want as many people as possible to be educated on this topic. What we’re seeing is that not everybody is educated, not everybody does their research,” Sahak said. “We hope to continue spreading that message.”
There are several rules and regulations boaters must follow on the water, Sahak said. Boaters have to abide to the safety tips and requirements under Transport Canada's Safe Boating Guide, plus carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card to operate any motorized vessel, said Chris Hanlon, a boating safety officer for Transport Canada.
Just like a car, a licence number is required on the boat, Hanlon said.
"That's required for all motorized vessels being operated in Canada. A lot of people will not do that, and it makes it hard to track a boat that goes missing, identify owners, that sort of stuff," he said.
Sahak said the common theme police noticed was people misinterpreting safety equipment regulations.
For example, life jackets on recreational vessels must be Government of Canada approved and will have a stamp if so, Sahak said. Police were also checking for flashlights with working batteries on each vessel. Paddle boarders are also required to wear or carry a life jacket and pack a whistle.
“There [were] quite a few that did not, and so we basically directed them back to the shore and escorted them,” Sahak said.
However, no tickets were issued during the two-hour education initiative.
“We were busy, it was a constant flow of vehicles and there was sometimes even a lineup of vehicles that we were called to,” Sahak said. “So, they had to be inspected before they got out on the water.”
Other agencies that patrol local waterways also took part in the event, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, BC Conservation, the Vancouver Police Department Marine Section and the Vancouver Port Authority.
Now in its 11th year, Sahak hopes that the Project Wave initiative will increase awareness about the rules and regulations on the water.
Project Wave may have come with an extra sense of urgency for some participants this year after tragedy struck not far from the site of the educational event. In June, a speedboat collided with an inflatable tube being towed by another boat at Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park, killing 10-year-old Lionel Hall and leaving his friend Onur Yucel facing critical injuries.
With the recent tragedy, Sahak said police continue to spread awareness on boat safety.
“In general, anytime there’s a tragedy, people do tend to focus on that topic,” he said. “We hope to continue this momentum and educating boaters about the consequences of impaired boating, driving recklessly or just unsafe boating.”
Sahak also hopes the educational event serves as a general reminder for people to learn the rules and regulations of the water.
“They’re very different than being on land, so you have to do due diligence before you get on the water,” Sahak said. “Impaired boating is a problem just as much as it is on land, and there’s consequences either way.... By having these events, we hope to educate people so they can better understand their responsibilities, and that way they’re protected on the water, and they could have fun safely, 100 per cent.”
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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