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[Sandman]

The requirements can be found here:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-obs-equipment-size-less6m-1791.htm

The fines, like most, are "voluntary" fines and the next time you are stopped and checked, you could be facing a more serious penalty for having failed to pay your previous fine.  You are charged the fine under the Canada Shipping Act (the enabling Act) and the unpaid fine is a "debt to the Crown," and as such it is also subject to "reasonable expenses incurred in attempting to recover an amount [of debt]".  So you could play roulette and hope to never get stopped again, or you could pay your fine and save yourself having to pay considerably more should you be unlucky and get checked again.  

[Sandman]

I was also told they were really stepping up enforcement, I thought to myself if they really wanted to make a difference they'd go to Roche or a popular lake and send the message to the hords that they're stepping up enforcement,  instead of the only boat on a huge body of water.

C'mon wizard...Nicola is not a "popular" lake for boaters? It is also right on the highway (easy for them to get out on, unlike the drive into a lake like Roche or Tunkwa).  It is also a larger lake (windier.. and more likely to be out more than a km from shore).  Furthermore, what were you doing out on Nicola without a life jacket?  The glass calm and only 100 meters from the launch is a pretty weak excuse.  That lake can get whipped up fast and many drowning deaths occur within sight of land.  I think you were right and they let you off easy.  You have got to take better care of yourself.

[Spoonman]

This has been in the works for years....If you've taken the time to get the card but don't know the gear you are required to have let alone don't have a life jacket on board,you deserve to get a fine.Some pretty basic common sense issues here.The basic stuff is not hard to come by or expensive.....$10 at Crappy Tire for a kit with bailer/ whistlle/rope/flashlight(more is required depending o your boat) .Pfds are not expensive either.If I'm not mistaken the safe boating booklet is available free alongside the fishing regs in tackle shops and sporting goods depts.

[wizard]

sandman you're right...self admitted sour grapes on my part.  I just thought a warning would've sufficed under the circumstances, but like I said, they're just doing their job and I hope they do step up enforcement effectively and efficiently.   I'd just like to see a little more enforcement on heavily used fishing lakes where enfractions like I was given and easily more serious enfractions could've been given to dozens of people at any point, including many many many operating a motor boat while empaired, that's all. (sour grapes again, I think? )
As for what I was doing without a lifejacket on Nicola, it is my responsibility in the end, I left it at home without thinking about it, now I must buck up 230 bills.  And I hope everyone reading this will take the time to always have a good quality lifejacket and all the necessary equipment.
Happy and safe boating to all! Don't let it happen to you.

[canuckjgc]

If you don't know the required equipment for various lengths of boats, you should take the boater's course. 

I thought it would be a waste of time but I'm glad I took the course, learned a couple of things I did not know.  Anything that improves safety is worthwhile doing.  As the operator of the boat you are responsible for all souls aboard.  If you don't have your card do yourself and others a favor and take the course.  If you learn nothing it's only a few evenings of your time, but I'd bet you'd learn at least one thing to make you a safer boater.

[vancook]

Do they still offer the free online study guide?

[Kenwee]

Is a pontoon boat with an electric 30 lb trust motor governed by these regulations?

[troutbreath]

Is a pontoon boat with an electric 30 lb trust motor governed by these regulations?

If your wearing a life jacket you should only need a whistle and flashlight, but who knows they might all so say you need the rest of  the gear even though a bailer would be useless. Anyway you need the operator licence. Just do good on the test.

[Sandman]

Is a pontoon boat with an electric 30 lb trust motor governed by these regulations?

Yes, and the regulations for human powered vessels (canoes, kayaks, rowboats) are almost identical to powered vessels under 6m anyway.

[Spooner]

  I found it fairly usefull (  I grew up commercial fishing on a Seine boat.)
  My only gripe would be that when you answer a question ,you can't move on but have to wait the minute or two or THREE to expire before you can move on.(too time consuming) IMO

Tight lines and safe boating

[Butch1949]

Three years ago, I took the course, wrote the exam, had only one wrong , got my card, a couple of months later at the boat show, my wife walks in and not having studied , writes the exam.  We both have our cards...........

[vancook]

Have any of you used the boatsmartexam.com site? Still gets you a valid card. Relatively the same information?

[Sandman]

Have any of you used the boatsmartexam.com site? Still gets you a valid card. Relatively the same information?

I had actually used that site to register for the exam, and read their study guide, but never found anyone to be my cha'dich.  When I took the exam at the boat show a few months later I had my fees refunded by BoatSmart.

[fish fishburn]

I got my Captains licence in 1990, the things I had to do to get it were, get a medical, and eye examination, write a exam and then I had a fellow from oceans and fisheries out of Montreal come up and give me a practical exam aboard the vessel I would be operating (50 foot). Even though I have a captains licence I still had to get my boaters card Worst 50.00 I ever spent, the test was a joke.  I took my 12 year old nephew to get his boaters card last summer and he passed on his first try with only one wrong a (trick question).  But I can understand why they make people take it because some of the things I have seen and still see today out on the water just baffles me. Common sense isn't very common any more.  Up until maybe 7 or 8 years ago if you were fined for no life jacket while boating you had to go to court to pay your fine and stand in front of a judge who would scold you like a little boy in front of a full court room. That would be very humiliating I would think, alot worse then the fine itself.

[Every Day]

I got mine last year...
Only problem is I can't find it now  Do you have to have it on you or can they look you up when you get checked?