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Chapter5
pg68
On this 17-footer, the recommeded weight was 500kgs or 6 adlt persons. Overloading the boat would impede its operation and could cause a capsize and potential drowning.
Stowing Loose Gear
It is important that we mark our lockers with their contents and always put safety gear in locations that are redily accessible. If we have gear that would not fit in the lockers, it should be stowed as low as possible and lashed down, so it cannot move while we are underway.
It is important that when moving around a small boat, we stay as low as practical and we move along the center line of the boat. Always remember to hold onto the boat with one hand, even if it is a larger boat with side decks and a cabin.
pg69
A green buoy with the letters BN and the number 3, leaving it close by on the starboard side of their boat. this is called an Aid to Navigation and had been installed by Coast Guard to help the operators of commercial vessels and recreational boats.
Aids to Navigation are structures or devices external to our boat, that warn us of dangers such as shoals or rocks. They also allow us to determine our position which on the water and can help us in determining the best route to our destination.
The green buoys are port hand buoys. That means they should always be kept on your port or left-hand side when heading upstream from teh sea. As we are heading down the channel towards the sea, we have keep it on our starboard side. Notice it has a flat top and green reflector tape around it. If there was a light on this buoy, it would be a green light and it would flash either once every four seconds (flash) or once every second (quick flash). Green buoys are identified with letters and odd numbers.
pg70
Starboard hand buoy is a red buoy on the opposite side of the channel. Notice that it has a pointed top, and that the number on it is an even number digit. The reflector tape around it is red. If there was a light on that buoy, it would be red adn would flash either once every four seconds or once every second (quick flash). An easy way to remember which side to leave markers when going into and out of harbours, is to remember the three Rs - Red, Right, Return (from the sea)/
Port hand day beacon looks like a telephone pole driven into the water with a white rectangular sheet of metal with a dark green square in the center and a lighter green reflecting border on the top. In the middle of the square was the number 1.
Port hand day beacon has similare characteristics of a port hand buoy, but is usually placed either on land or on a pole driven into the bottom of the harbour. it is not lighted, so it is only visible during daylight. when heading upstream or into a harbour, we must keep it on our port side, just like the green buoy.
Starboard hand day beacon is a white triangular sheet of metal on top of the pole, with a red triangle in the enter and a red reflecting border. In the middle of the triangle, if numbered, would be an even number. When heading into a harbour or up a channel we must keep it on our starboard side. Red, Right, Return.
Pg71
Fairway buoy is a red and white vertical stripes. It marks the channel entrance into the marina. Fairway buoys are also used to mark the center of shipping channels. Although there is safe water on bother sides of the buoy, it is best if you leave this buoy on your port side.
Lateral buoys marks the sides of channels or the safe side to pass hazards. The important thing to remember about lateral buoys is, know which direction is upstream.
Cardinal buoyage system
Cardinal buoys indicate the location of hazards by reference to the four cardinal points of the compass - north, south, east and west.
A north cardinal buoy is positioned so the safest waster exists to the north of it. The top half of the buoy is black and the lower half is yellow. If it carries a top mark, the tope mark consists of two black cones, one on top e of the other, with both pointing towards the sky. If it is lighted, the light is white, and is a quick flashing (1 flash per second) or very quick flashing light (2 flashings per second). All unlit cardinal buoys are normally spar shaped.
pg72
East cardinal buoys are positioned so that the safest water exists to the east of it. The buoy is black with a yellow band around the middle. If the buoy carries a top mark, the top mark consists of blach cones, one pointing towards the sky and the other towards water. If it is lighted, the light is white and flashes in groups of 3, either 3 flashes every 10 seconds or 3 flashes every 5 seconds.
South cardinal buoys look opposite of the north cardinal buoys. The top half of the buoy is yellow and the lower half is black. The top marks would consist of two cones each with the points facing down towards the water. The safest route exist to the south of the sout cardinal buoy. The white light flash 6 times, followed by a long flashing interval over either over either a 15 second or a 10 second cycle.
West cardinal buoy is yellow with a black band around the middle. If the buoy carries a top mark, the top mark consists of two cones with the points joined in the middle. The safest water would be the west of this buoy and the light scheme would be a white light flashing 9 times each 15 second or 10 second cycle.
pg 73
A boat is underway whenever it is not tied to the dock or at anchor. It is still underway even if it is drifting along without the motor running.
It's important to know directions relative to our boat.
Direction in front of the boat- ahead
Direction behind the boat - astern
Direction at 90° angle off the right hand side of boat - starboard side
Direction at 90° angle off the left hand side of boat - port side
Within the boat itself, moving toward the bow is said to be going forward while moving toward the stern is going aft. Abaft is a direction towards the stern; for example, abaft the beam means behind the middle of the boat.
Pg. 73 - 74
Responsibility for wake & wash
The wake is the disturbed column of water around and behind the boat. It includes the bow wave and the stern waves, caused by the motion of the boat.
Wash is the water left behind the boat that has been thrown aft by the propeller. It can be quite dangerous to cross closely behind the stern of a large ship, as you can lose steering control of your boat due to the influence of the ship's wash.
We are responsible for any damage that the wake and wash may cause other vessels. That is why one must motor slowly down the channel at the marina. If you are not careful, the wake of your boat can cause canoes to capsize, can damage shorelines and wetlands and can also put young swimmers at risk (Collision Regulations).
Pg. 74 - 75
Boating Restriction regulations
You must follow Boating Restriction Regulations if you are 30 metres of the shoreline or in certain lakes and rivers.
Look in pg. 75 for the types of signs.
Pg. 75 - 78
Special Purpose Buoys & Restriction signs
'Swimming Buoys' are white and it indicates that the area between the buoys and the shore is a swimming area, and boats are prohibited in that area.
'Cautionary Buoys' are yellow in colour and indicate dangers such as firing ranges, race courses, seaplane bases, or areas where no safe channel exists.
'Keep Out Buoys' have an orange diamond with an orange cross inside the diamond. They also have two orange bands, one above and one below the diamond. Theses buoys mark areas where boats are prohibited, such as off the end of the runways at Toronto Island Airport.
'Control Buoys' have an orange open-face circle with two horizontal orange bands, one above and one below the circle. These buoys mark areas where boating is restricted, which is indicated inside the open circle (e.g. restriction of speed).
'Hazard Buoys' have an orange diamond with two horizontal bands, one above and one below the diamond. This marks random hazards such as rocks and shoals.
'Information Buoys' have an orange square with two horizontal orange bands, one above the square and one below the square. The name of the marina or campsite may be shown inside the square. It is used to display information, which is of use to boaters.
All special purpose buoys, if they are lit, display a yellow flashing light once every 4 seconds.
If you ever scuba dive, you need to mark the area with a diving buoy. The flag must be 50cm by 50cm. If you are diving off a boat, the dive boat must fly Code Flag A to indicate to other boats that it has a diver down or a Red Flag with a white diagonal stripe.
A set of range markers lined up indicates that you are on a deep watercourse up he channel.
Remember - Red, Right, Return are you approach the red and green buoys.
Pg. 78 - 79
Snugging Down the Boat at the Dock
As you approach the dock, tie the fenders on the starboard side. Prepare the bow mooring line and the stern mooring line.
Remember to keep your hands, arms and legs inside the boat until the boat has stopped alongside the dock.
Tie the bow and stern mooring lines to the dock. Then tie spring lines from the bow and stern cleats to a point on the dock approximately amidships to prevent the boat from moving for and aft along the dock.
Steps to take to snug down the boat
1. Disconnect the gas line and run the engine until all the gas is burnt out of the carburetor. Then, tilt the motor until the lower unit is out of the water.
2. Stow all the loose items in their proper lockers and turn off all electronic instruments.
3. Take a quick look in the bilge to see if there is any water there.
4. Throw the master switch, lock the lockers, and cover the boat. If the boat does not have a cover, make sure the automatic bilge pump is on.
