Safety equipment in Canada.

jimmacl

New Member
Just got a new to me laser after a year of hunting for my son's 14 birth day!!!

It's a 1972? (no serial number/new sail, no number) great hull not a drop of water after a few turtles in 12 knot winds. My son tends to push it a bit (sailed most of his life on various boats).

What is the required safety equipment on a laser? Is it like a wind surfer? Where do you store it? I noticed the new hulls have a inspection port.

Going to the wet side again.

jim
 
Sorry if some of this is obvious..
PFD (helps if he's wearing it ;) )
Make sure rudder can not be removed w/o releasing the "rudder lift stop" (see diagram below) or pin the one pintel with the hole thru it.
Make sure daggerboard can not be separated from the hull w/o his hands involved
Make sure clew can not be separated from the boom w/o his hands involved
Make sure vang can't fall out of it's quick disconnect when vang is slack
Make sure mast can't fall out (having a rigged cunningham line, at least snug at all times will do the job)
Have "real" knots in both ends of mainsheet so it can't run free when sailing
Either ~20' long painter attached to the boweye all the time, or needs to know how to use the mainsheet as a tow line
Make sure he tells someone his "sailing plan" (what, when where)
Teach him how to propel the boat when there is no wind (sculling or standing in front of the mast and rocking the boat side to side - also )

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Thanks 49208

I have sailed for 30yrs mostly in dingy's. My son has his sailing bronze IV. We are hoping to do some racing (more questions to come, hehe). I guess what I was trying to ask was, do you need to carry all the safety equipment; bailer, throwing line... on a laser? If so where do you put it?

Most of the time I will be ghosting him in another boat. And Yes he wears a PFD w sound device all the time, he knows first hand what happens if you don't.

We sail on Georgian Bay and the lake temp was 1o C (50 F) on Monday. He was wearing a Ronny.

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

If you don't want to follow the link, it requires the following for pleasure craft under 6m in length (what I do with mine in brackets):

1. PFD for each person on board (I wear mine)

2. 15m buoyant heaving line (I have an inspection port, so it lives in the hull cavity)

3. 1 reboarding device. This is not applicable to a Laser, as it has less than 0.5m of freeboard.

4. Visual signals... Not applicable as the Laser does not have a motor.

5. Manual propelling device. (I use my sail as a manual propelling device. Tie the tiller amidships, heave in the mainsheet and tie it off so it stays tight, then climb around to the fordeck and pump the sail to propel it through the water. It may not be as fast as paddling, but it sure beats tripping over a rarely used paddle.) An anchor may be substituted here, but I don't recommend that option.

6. Bailer or manual bilge pump: Not required if the vessel can not hold enough water to make it capsize, or has watertight compartments that are sealed and not easily accessible. (Cubitainers in the hull fulfill this requirement)

7. Navigation Equipment: Sound signalling device (I use a pealess whistle on a lanyard tied to my PFD).

8. Navigation Lights: Not applicable if you never operate your vessel between sunset and sunrise, or in conditions with reduced visibility (like fog)

9. Magnetic Compass: Readily available for the Laser, and can be mounted on the deck. This is not required if the vessel is always operated within sight of navigation marks.

10. Firefighting eqiupment: Not applicable, as the laser does not have a kitchen, inboard engine, or fixed fuel tank.

11. Radar reflector: only required in certain conditions, none of which I intend to be sailing in.

Summary:

You need a PFD for everyone, a pealess whistle, and a 50' buoyant heaving line, and know how to pump the sail to propel you through the water when becalmed. If you don't know how to do that, bring a paddle.
 
In a similar vein, what does everyone in the US carry on their Laser?

I think in the US all you need is a PFD (I wear mine) and a sound producing device (I should probably get a whistle, just so they can't give me a ticket).

I also have a floating tow line of about 20 feet (which has come in handy at least once) and a cell phone.
 

Does anyone know if this exception actually applies to a Laser? I wonder how sailboard is defined in the Act. I think it could be argued either way.

On the one hand, there is no storage location for some of the equipment (without an inspection port), so I could see it similarly to a conventional sailboard. On the other hand, it is operated in a sitting position with a cockpit, tiller, and rudder, making it more boat-like.

Edit: I found it. On that same web page in the full document of the Shipping Act.

"“sailboard” means a vessel that has a totally enclosed hull fitted with a free-standing mast attached to the hull through a universal joint and that is propelled by a sail. (planche à voile)"

Under this definition, since the mast is not connected to the hull via a universal joint, I would say that the exception does not apply to a Laser.
 
Here is my list of must-haves:

1. PFD
2. Hat
3. Sunglasses
4. Suncreen
5. Plenty of water

In 20+ years of sailing, I have never carried a whistle.
 
I was just worried about the legal side, Coast-guard/OPP side of things. After 30 yrs of sailing only been "pulled over" once.
 
I am referring to #216 which would apply to sailboats..
#219 is about sailboards..

It was late. My eyes must have been a little fuzzy.

If you don't have everything on board if/when you get 'boarded', by that exception, you would have to be attended by a safety vehicle in order to onside of the Act.
 

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