All About Boats
Boating season is a short one in Canada, but that doesn't mean you can't make the very most of it. If you're wondering which type of watercraft might suit you and your lifestyle

FAMILY/CRUISING

Bowriders
These family boats are the most popular in the runabout/sportboat category and are equipped with extra seats and forward access to the bow, a convenient spot to relax and sun.

Cabin Cruisers/Cuddy Cabins
Recreational by nature, Cabin Cruisers are generally equipped with cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities and are ideal for those who want to feel the sun above and the ocean below. Cuddy cabins are ideal for day cruising, watersports, and other on-the-water activities such as fishing and swimming.

Deck Boats/Pontoons
Deck boats have wide deck to carry eight to 12 or more passengers (like pontoons) but look and perform more like runabouts. They are powerful, too, making them excellent boats for skiing, tubing and wakeboarding. Pontoon boats give families with younger boaters a secure place to enjoy the ride or toddle about when at anchor, thanks to wide decks and "lay pen-like" side rails and gates. When equipped with larger engines they can be as quick as runabouts.

Houseboats
Houseboats are designed to offer lake house living on the water complete with spacious floor plans and modern amenities for entertaining, dining and sleeping.

Motor Yacht/Cruisers

Large boats equipped with powerful single or twin engines, these craft are ideal for ocean cruising, navigating large rivers or the Great Lakes, as well as entertaining at the dock, and can stay on the water for days.

Personal Watercraft
Lightweight and maneuverable, personal watercraft are the perfect option for boaters looking for an exciting escape and enjoyable time on the water.

SKIING/WAKEBOARDING

Inboard Ski/Wakeboard Boats
Fast, wet and wild — inboard propulsion delivers the power and speed fans of water sports such as skiing and wakeboarding need.

Jet Boats
Like bowriders and deckboats, they offer comfortable seating and sunning areas, plus a speedy and exciting ride. They are distinguished from runabouts by their propulsion system, which is enclosed inside the hull.

FISHING

Fish & Ski
This craft allows boaters to enjoy the two most popular on-water activities; fishing and skiing. This family fishing and recreational boat has enough power to pull a skier or two, and to get to the fishing spot in short order.

All-Purpose Fishing Boats
Built for versatility, these boats can be used in both salt water and freshwater. They are designed to navigate many different types of waterways so you can pursue many different species of fish.

Bass Boats
Bass boats have low, sleek profiles and are built to fish with two or three anglers on board. The minimum length of bass boats starts with 16 feet and can go up to 26 feet.

Centre Consoles
These open fishing boats are built to take rough offshore waters in pursuit of ocean fish. Rod holders, outriggers and other gear are common fittings onboard.

DINGHIES/INFLATABLES

Dinghies are small, easy-to-transport craft, most often used as companion boats for larger vessels. Inflatable boats range in size from 8-foot dinghies for tenders to 30-foot high performance boats. These boats are suitable for saltwater and freshwater fishing, watersports and more.

SAILBOATS

Sailboats differ from other types of boats in that they are propelled partly or entirely by wind; they use sails to transform the power of the wind into power that moves the boat through the water. The term sailboat covers a wide variety of sailing craft, each with its own characteristics and styles. In general, sailboats are distinguished by size, hull configuration, keel type, number of sails, use and purpose.
With info from discoverboating.com

DID YOU KNOW THAT BOATING WITHOUT A LICENSE IN CANADA IS WORTH A $250 FINE?

The Safe Boater Training Course was established in 1999 in response to federal legislation requiring all persons operating a boat in Canada to have licensed certification.

All boat operators in Canada must carry the boater license that proves they have been certified. The Pleasure Craft Operators Cards are valid for life.

The fastest and easiest method of obtaining boat operation certification is to write the Transport Canada boat exam online.

For more information visit safeboater.com

Boater Assist Canada is a member-based organization for the recreational boater in Ontario.

Owned and operated by Boating Ontario with service centres in every major boating area in Ontario, staff is highly trained and ready to serve you. Boating Ontario is an industry leader with such programs as Careers in Boating, the world-renowned Clean Marine ECO program, and the Boating Safety program, and has been in existence for more than 50 years as a Business to Business trade association comprised of more than 530 members

As a member, should you ever need assistance, help is only a 1-800 call away. The call centre is open from May 15 to Oct. 31. The call centre was developed by the same team that put the OPP 911 call system into Ontario, and is designed to allow for fast, effective dispatch of help when you need it most. With the recent addition of the GPS Smartphone app, the call centre can see the boater's longitude and latitude in real time to further assist with coordinating a response.

On May 15, Boater Assist will start its first Boating Season province-wide, with more than 60 service centres covering most major waterways, 95 percent of where boaters navigate, including Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Georgian Bay, Trent Severn, St. Lawrence, Lake Simcoe, North Channel and Muskoka Lake.

Benefits include basic rescue/towing services, fuel delivery and jump starts.

For more informations, contact info@boaterassist.com
visit www.boaterassist.com or call 1-855-262-8222.