On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 12:10:14 -0500, Gerry Wolfe
wrote:

On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 05:56:07 GMT, "O:P\)" wrote:

I am playing with the idea of a boat. I'm new to boating. What would you
folks recommend, power or sail? Do I need extra skills for sail boats? One
more question, do I need a license? and if yes, where do I get it? I'm in
Toronto.

1. Check out the basic / intro course at a local Power Squadron.
Canadian Yachting Assoc also has certification & courses from intro
thru offshore passagemaking.
2. In Toronto, you require an "operator's permit" for any motorized
boat within the downtown area (basically from Bluffer's Park to Humber
River, within a couple miles of shore). Testing is on basic
rules-of-the-road and a short practical test (back off the dock, pick
up a life-jacket, c'mon back). Marine police check pretty regularly
within the inner harbour (if you've got a powerboat especially).
3. I think you also need a Coast Guard licence. At one time, if you
had the Toronto Port Authority "operator's permit" you could also get
the CG one without further testing; maybe even vice-versa.

Depending on vessel size and engine power, you may need a Pleasure
Craft Operator's Certificate (PCOC) - any everyone will need a PCOC by
2009, so you may as well get one now - it is included in the Power
Squadron Basic course.

4. If your boat has a VHF radio (pretty well a necessity) you need a
"base station" permit and an "operator's permit".

Dunno what a "base station" permit is - in Canada we no longer require
a station license as long as we remain in Canada or the US, but we do
require an operator's certificate (Restricted Radiotelephone
Operator's Certificate(Marine)) - this is now issued through CPS.


--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb (at) interchange.ubc.ca
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