2018 Rendezvous - Charts, Customs, other considerations?

[toddster]

Another tidbit.... Canada has some things on the list of required equipment which are not currently required by USCG. For example, one must have a "reboarding device" and a lifebouy.

Interesting link... there seem to be additional items required for auxiliary craft all the way down to surfboards, as well. Jeez, those Canadian kiteboarders must look like Inspector Gadget on the water... :0

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/marinesafety/TP-511e.pdf

...and isn't there some prohibition on flare guns? If so, an extra pouch of 12 ga flares wouldn't help...

 

[supersailor]

You have a flare LAUNCHER not a flare gun. A most important distinction in Canada. Bear spray is a weapon in Canada. Also pepper spray, and mace. Don't carry any. If caught with either of them, you will be subjected to years of harassment when in Canada. A member of our YC was caught with a small can of mace in her purse up north and for years they were boarded when were in Canadian waters after that.

As far as the equipment requirements, they are accepting the requirements of the registered country unless you stay for an extended time. I do carry a throwing ball that is required. It might be good for beaning a boarder.

 

[Frank Langer]

Hi,

Most of the requirements of the Canadian Border Security and the Canadian Coast Guard/Transport Canada make sense and are likely not new information for most of us. Living on Vancouver island, we have crossed the Canada/US border several times to sail in the San Juan islands, and have never had an issue with either the US or Canadian officials. In our 12 years of sailing on the coast, we have never been boarded for an equipment check, and I don't know many sailors here who have been. However, I guess it is always a possibility....

So while it's important to ensure that your boat has the required safety equipment, I would not lose sleep over all this. The only requirement that I have heard is vital on both sides of the border is to check in with the appropriate customs officials before anchoring or docking anywhere other than at the customs dock. They do want you to check into the country appropriately.

Frank

 

[Scott B.]

When crossing the border into Canada and sailing in Canadian waters is a small marine porta-potty an acceptable and legal on-board sanitation system? Thanks.

-- Scott

 

[bgary]

When crossing the border into Canada and sailing in Canadian waters is a small marine porta-potty an acceptable and legal on-board sanitation system?

yes, if the boat is under 15 gross tons

see page 52 in the Canadian safe-boating handbook linked above...

Bruce

 

[Frank Langer]

As Bruce indicated, porta potty is fine. However, as with any other "head" system, you can only discharge if you are more than three nautical miles from any shore; some suggest a bit further if you are passing a marine park. Also, most marinas will not want you to empty your porta potty in their bathrooms/shower houses. Some marinas now have dock side pumpout stations, but they are not available everywhere yet.
Frank

 

[Scott B.]

Good new! Canadian chart book 3313 is back in print. Just got one hot off the press.

 

[Teranodon]

New rules for Puget Sound

According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, the entire US portion of Puget Sound is a no-discharge zone as of May 10, 2018. So that's that, after years of bickering. As far as I know, there is still some uncertainty as to what constitutes a disabled discharge system, with the Coast Guard having discretion when they board your boat.

I don't know what the Canadian rules are.

 

[Loren Beach]

According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, the entire US portion of Puget Sound is a no-discharge zone as of May 10, 2018. So that's that, after years of bickering. As far as I know, there is still some uncertainty as to what constitutes a disabled discharge system, with the Coast Guard having discretion when they board your boat.

I don't know what the Canadian rules are.

Thanks for the update.
Here is a link. Same "enforcement" as for any other private vessel in coastal and connecting waterways.
https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Puget-Sound/No-discharge-zone

The legality of the US boat device ban has always been shaky at best, but the actual enforcers are armed and their conviction rate is probably rather high. The irony is that very few Coasties enjoy that part of their basic SAR mission.

Note the line on their chart. All (100%) of the sewage from the BC outfall pipe is obliged to stay north and west of that international demarkation line. That discharge used to be described as six million gallons per day, only a few years ago.

The province is now working on a secondary treatment discharge scheme which is supposed to render the discharges less objectionable. On our side the smallest polluters, like small boat owners, are getting "blocked up", pun alert, but the larger industrial and municipal sources seem to get away with more pollution. No surprise.

For many years now, Oregon boaters have bypassed Washington state waters for expensive tax reasons to spend more vacation time in BC. Now there will be additional motivation.

ps: for some reason I am remembering that PS was already so designated, for recreational boaters. (?) Maybe it's one more thing I believe that's not so.

 

[bgary]

Bump

Bumping this thread back into view, in case it is of use to newbies. Like me.

 

[Kevin A Wright]

I appreciate it. I had not hear of this. Or seen it posted anywhere at marinas, etc.

Kevin Wright
E35 Hydro Therapy