Boating Safety certificate

[magnum mike]

While you are getting all your documentation ready for your next Canadian adventure, add the boater safety certification to your list. New for 2009 the Ministry of Transportation has made a new requirement for anyone who operates a boat of any size on any Canadian waters. The regulation is enforceable starting September 2009 and the fine is $250 + surcharges. If no one in the boat has a certificate, the boat may be impounded and add those costs to the total.

You can take the Canadian course which means a trip to one of the approved sites listed on the MOT HSOforum OR if you have a valid certificate provided by your home state government (MN DNR). The Minnesota cert is available online and costs $20.

There is no mention of this on the Ministry of Natural Resources site or the OPP site. It is on the MOT site in the boating section.

[SimilarIsland]

Hasn't this been the case if you were in Canada for more than 45 straight days?

[JCR]

This is only required, for non-residents of Canada, if they operate the boat, in Canada, for more than 44 consecutive days.

[Outfitter17]

Mike,

JCR is right, its if you are up there for more than 45 days straight. If you leave the country for 1 day then the 45 days starts over again.

[JCR]

The way it's worded you don't even have to leave the country, as long as you don't operate the boat 45 consecutive days. However it's probably best to be conservative, and interpret the rule as you say.

[marine_man]

Here's where it was discussed before:

Boat Operator Safety Certificate

marine_man

[magnum mike]

After reading the entire regulation it appears that this does not apply to every one who operates a boat in Canada. If you leave your boat in Canada more than 44 days it would apply. I doesn't seem to matter if you operate it or not.

is not a resident of Canada and whose pleasure craft is in Canada for less than 45 consecutive days;

If you have a camp or cabin in Canada and leave boats at the site, this rule applies.

[JCR]

I aggree, that appears to be the wording on the more detailed document. This goes into affect, in Sept 2009, for older adults, and will require some action from those of us that have a place in canada. I took the Minnesota DNR on line test today, and got my Minnesota Adult Boater Education Certificate. It is rather tedious and takes two or three hours, but is pretty easy. You can't skip ahead, or take just the tests, as they force you to read and test each section. It costs twenty bucks.

[magnum mike]

JCR nailed this one. The online version is probably the easiest way to go but it is tedious.

[Wild Thing]

FYI

The law says OPERATE BOAT, not store or keep or dock...

If you are a non-resident and don't operate your boat for more than 44 days in a row, this DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Period.

[JCR]

Read the complete document rather than the first FAQ comment. There is a link to it below the part you are probably reading. It says the rule applies to non-residents if you have your boat in canada for more than 45 consecutive days. The certficate requirement is in Subsection 1.

2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who

(a) is operating the pleasure craft under the supervision of an instructor as part of an accredited course;

( is not a resident of Canada and whose pleasure craft is in Canada for less than 45 consecutive days;

There is no mention of operating the boat.

[john 613]

Magnum Mike,

I have always thought that one could not keep their boat at their Canadian cabin. I transport mine back and forth over the border every trip. Does anyone leave their United States registered boat in Canada at their cabin? If someone has figured out a way to leave it there please let me know. John

[magnum mike]

Our camp is fly-in only and the boats are Canadian registered

[gonorthanychance]

There's a form E-99 that you can get at the border at no cost that allows you to leave your boat and trailer for the season. I have a cabin that I leave my boat at from early May until October each year. You just need to turn the E-99 back in at the border when you take your boat back to the US at the end of the season.

gonorth

[john 613]

Thanks for the information. How would someone from the states register a boat in Canada? I have even considered purchasing some property in International Falls just to store toys. It gets to be a hassle to haul 4 four wheelers and a boat from Indiana. John

[magnum mike]

You need to contact a Canadian attorney. The process is exponentially harder than what you encounter at customs with your 4 wheelers. Unless you spend a great deal of time in Canada, keep doing what you are doing.

[eskay]

I just talked to the Customs agent at RR last week about leaving a boat in Canada (I have a cabin near Morson), and his suggestion was to import the boat instead of getting the E-99 form. Just get an appraisal on the boat, and the import fee is 5% of the value. One time charge. They take care of the paperwork (filing) and you're good to go. The kicker is if you're importing a trailer for the boat, and it's newer than 15 years old, there is another $200 charge and the trailer has to be registered with Canadian RV dept. Something to do with licensing for the road. The agent's suggestion was to find an old trailer to keep at the cabin to haul the boat if necessary. Also, apparently the trailer has to be inspected every so often, and we all know the way the marinas charge up north.

He really didn't even want to talk about the E-99 form, seemed to think it wasn't a good idea, Something about storage problems. He didn't elaborate.

More food for thought.

[john 613]

Thanks for the info. I had never thought about importing the boat, sounds like that will work. I will also ask the free opinion of a lawyer if there is such a thing. John

[magnum mike]

FREE LAWYER? Bartender, I'll have what John is having!

Seriously, there are likely more ways to skin this cat than I am aware of. We resolved most of these issues in the early 80’s. Good luck with your quest and good fishing to you.

[Wild Thing]

Man, don't get swindled. The E-99 form works great. I've used it foer years.

If you have a $30,000 boat, why pay $1,500 just so you can leave it at your own cabin?! Especially if you bring it home occasionally or for winter. Also, you must thb licnese the boat and trailer in Ontario.

It's amazing how much odd information these "officials'' give out. The odd thing is no two of them will ever say the same thing.

Anyhow, the E-99 is free. And the only agency that enforces it is the canada border Services, not MNR or even OPP, fyi.. it pays to know some cops.

Good luck all.

[Hiddenbay]

John,

Call Pinewood Sports in Ft. Francis. They offer boat storage.

Hiddenbay