With the nice weather in place, more people are hitting the lakes and enjoying water-related activities and pleasure craft.
Stand-up paddleboards (SUP) are more common today than they've ever been, an activity whereby the operator navigates standing on a surfboard and uses a paddle. Stand-up paddleboarding evolved out of surfing, and has become a means of navigation on water bodies across Canada, including rivers, lakes, and oceans.
There are rigid plastic and inflatable models.
As a relatively new type of small vessel, stand-up paddleboards are not specifically referenced in the Regulations, and are therefore treated the same as other human-powered pleasure craft (e.g. sit-on-top kayaks, canoes), with the same safety equipment carriage requirements according to an OPP release.
When used for navigation, stand-up paddleboards must be equipped with the following:
- an approved personal flotation device or lifejacket,
- 15 m of buoyant heaving line,
- a sound-signaling device (e.g. a whistle),
- navigation lights (if the vessel is operated between sunset and sunrise),
- a magnetic compass when operated beyond sight of seamarks.
Non-navigation activities are not subject to the mandatory carriage of safety equipment (e.g. surfing, stand-up paddleboard yoga).
"In practice, the operation of stand-up paddleboards is similar to the operation of sit-on-top kayaks and other sealed-hull vessels," says Constable Phil Young.
"Currently, an exception is provided under the regulations, stating that if every person on board a paddleboat, a watercycle or sealed-hull, sit-on-top kayak is wearing a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size, the paddleboat, watercycle or kayak is required to carry on board only a sound-signalling device," explains Young. "If the paddleboat, watercycle or kayak is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility, a watertight flashlight should be used."
The exemption removes the requirement to carry 15 m of buoyant heaving line, and motivates the wearing of personal flotation devices or lifejackets.
