OUR MISSION: To be a leading voice in promoting safe, quiet waterways and respectful boating practices through education, advocacy and legislative change.

August 2023 Newsletter

Chair’s Message

Avoiding Boat Tragedy

So far in 2023, there have been 16 marine fatalities on Ontario’s waters. With rare exceptions, boating tragedies are avoidable. Smart decisions and safe and courteous boating ensure our lakes and waterways can be enjoyed by all. This was the message at a joint webinar held on Aug. 23, by Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL) and the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA). Speakers included Sgt. Dave Moffat, Marine Coordinator with the Ontario Provincial Police, and longtime boating expert and instructor Scott Ferguson.

Marine fatalities are defined by the OPP as deaths from falling into the water involuntarily. Over the past 13 years, 86.7% of the fatalities in Ontario were people not wearing life jackets or PFDs. The top two reasons for dying on the water are capsizing (41.1%) and falling overboard (39.5%).

Moffat provided interesting statistics on the types of boats people are dying in, and they are not all motorized. Over the past 10 years, 86.6% of fatalities occurred in boats under six metres –including paddle craft. In 2023, five fatalities occurred in motorized vessels, five in canoes, three on PWCs, two in kayaks, and one in a rowboat. Half of the fatalities happened when people fell off their boat. Only two were from collisions.

The Shock Factor is one of the main reasons for marine deaths, Moffat explained. While most lake residents are familiar with the involuntary gasp reflex caused by plunging into cold water, what many might not know is the same effect can occur in warm water when involuntarily plunged in -- like falling off a vessel. Moffat, a 28-year veteran of the water participated in a recent Involuntary Gasp Shock Factor study with Canadian Safe Boating Council and Transport Canada to test the principle and was surprised at the results. After being plunged into both cold and warm waters, his heart and breathing rates increased faster in warm water. 

“Temperature of the water is meaningless,” Moffat said. “We have had very good swimmers drown by falling off an SUP,” he told webinar participants. Wearing a good life jacket on a boat or vessel of any size, including a human-powered one, is clearly a good decision to avoid tragedies.  

10 Tips on Avoiding Tragedy

The MLA’s Scott Ferguson also presented his top 10 tips for avoiding tragedies to webinar participants:

1. Avoid complacency, most tragedies occur during routine trips.
2. Be alert –avoid distraction, look in all directions, ask passengers to help lookout, look behind you before you turn or slow down.
3. Manage blind spots such as islands, channels, bays at safe speeds.
4. Keep your distance – if you are less than 30 metres from another vessel, shore or person, lower speeds to 9 km/h in Muskoka. 
5. Manage collision course – indicate your direction intentions and give plenty of space to other boaters.
6. Give right of way. Boats from the right have the right. Paddleboards, human-powered vessels always have the right of way no matter what direction. 
7. Operate PWCs responsibly to compensate for power, speed and their slow ability to stop. No one under 16 years can operate a PWC.
8. Approach persons in the water on the driver’s side and downwind so you can keep sight of them.
9. Turn off boat headlights. They can blind other boaters.
10.  Never look through your boat windshield at night as it reflects lights. Is like driving blind.

Please let us know if you have any other suggestions for boat safety or webinar topics. Write to us at outreach@safequiet.ca.

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Have questions? Contact us at outreach@safequiet.ca