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The summer weather paired with an abundance of local lakes and rivers has many people exploring local waterways on smaller vessels, like canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. While far smaller and less regulated than the operation of a standard pleasure craft, there are rules for users of human-powered watercraft.
Senior Conservation Officer for the Weyburn compliance area, Lindsey Leko, says that contrary to popular belief, these vessels are subject to the clean, drain, dry mandate and the check stops that accompany it.
“We get lots of calls from people when there’s a road spot check and 90% of the vehicles that go by are kayaks and paddleboards because they go, ‘well, it's not a watercraft’. If it floats, it's a watercraft."
“Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, paddle boats, the little foot-propelled ones, boats, pontoon boats, yachts, I don't care what it is, they've got to stop and be checked.”
This means that anyone transporting any kind of watercraft must ensure that all mud, weeds, sand or other debris is cleaned from the vessel, any plugs are removed and water drained, and that the vessel is completely dried. This prevents invasive species from being spread and applies even when returning to the same waterway.
Leko notes one thing they often see regarding non-motorized watercraft is the absence of life jackets, which are mandatory on all boats on the water.
“You have to have a life jacket on that vessel, you don't have to be wearing it, although we recommend you do, but it has to be on there. We see lots of people on paddle boats, and a lot of times it's adults that are just out there and they're paddling around and no one's wearing a life jacket. So once again, by law, you've have to have a life jacket on all human powered vessels.”
While the evening often provides calmer water conditions and cooler temperatures for a quiet evening on the water, however, Leko notes that ones the sun sets it can be an offence under the Navigable Waters Legislation to be on the water without proper lighting.
“I would suggest that you would have to have some type of lighting because if a pleasure craft that is following the law, that has the bow and the stern lights, is going across the lake at night and you're in front of them, they're not going to see you.”
“As far as I know, I do not believe it is an offense to operate a canoe or a kayak or anything at night, but it's not recommended.”
Leko assures that RCMP and conservation officers are actively patrolling local waterways to ensure all vessels, great or small, are operating safely and following the rules.