Safe Boating

We are a Lake community and so as we near summer and get out on our boats to enjoy the water it is important to remember our boating responsibilities and etiquette.

Follow the Safe Boating Guide and obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator’s Card

Minimize your wake especially in narrow channels and near shore so that natural shorelines are not eroded, loon and duck nesting sites are not disturbed and your neighbours’ floating docks and parked boats are not bounced around and damaged. An excellent report on the dynamics of boat wakes can be found here.

Reduce your speed especially in narrow channels and near shore where other boats and swimmers could be in danger and remember that within 30 metres of the shore your speed should be less than 10 km/hr (it’s the law).

Head for the centre of the lake when travelling at speed or when water skiing, wake boarding, or tubing, etc – don’t ride parallel to the shoreline. Give everyone a wide berth and travel slowly when pulling away from docks, launching ramps or swimming areas.

Respect your neighbours’ TRANQUILITY by moving around the lake rather than operating on one small area.

Protect the environment by treating bays as no wake zones, operating in water over 1.2 metres (4 feet) deep to avoid disturbing the lake bottom, stowing garbage until you return to shore, and avoiding spillage of gas and oil into the water during refuelling.

When anchored take care not to obstruct navigation for other boats.
Clean your boat and trailer when transporting them to other lakes and when bringing them into the Kennisis lakes to avoid transporting invasive species.

Alcohol and drugs in combination with boating are dangerous and illegal.