The Dog Days of Summer - Boating With Your Canine
Friends
 What
better way to say "Boating with CPS than with one of
Eleathas fancy Kanine & Kitty Kerchiefs located
for sale on the Ships
Store page.
We all know the pleasures of boating with our best
friends, but extended cruising with pets can require some
extra precautions and knowledge. Recognizing an emergency and knowing what to do can save your dog’s life.
Dr. Jennifer Gyles, a veterinarian specializing in emergency care, offers practical advice every dog owner should read.
Check it out at Puppy and Dogs Basics - http://www.puppyanddogbasics.com/ps2.asp
Changes to the Pleasure Craft Licensing Requirements
On July 1, 2007, the Canada Shipping Act
2001 (CSA 2001) came into force.
Owners of pleasure craft may either
register their vessels on a voluntary basis or obtain a
Pleasure Craft Licence issued by Service Canada on
behalf of TC’s Office of Boating Safety.
Unless registered, any pleasure craft powered by a
10-horsepower motor or more is now required to be licensed
through Service Canada. Boats with smaller engines may
obtain a license on a volunteer basis. For information on
Service Canada and pleasure craft licensing, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/sc/boats/pcl.shtml.
Pleasure craft over 15 gross tonnage are no
longer required to be registered but may do so if they so
choose with TC’s Canadian Register of Vessels, which
contains the names, ownership and mortgage details, and
records of all registered vessels for each port of registry.
Further information on the registration of vessels can be
found online at www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/oep/vesselreg.
To read the pleasure craft section of CSA 2001, go to www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/backgrounders/b07-M013.htm.
All non-pleasure (commercial) craft must be
registered
VHF Marine Channel Guide
Here is a list compiled by
CPS of suggested VHF /FM Marine channels for the Canadian
West Coast. VHF
Marine Channel Guide
Small Craft Warnings to be Replaced
November 2006: Previously Environment Canada
would issue a "Small Craft Warning" when winds from 20 to 33 knots or
for sea conditions either forecasted or occurring that are
considered potentially hazardous to small boats in coastal
waters.
This is being replaced with a "Strong
Wind Warning" next spring.
"Environment Canada uses special wind terms in
marine weather forecasts:
- Light wind (10 knots* or less)
- Moderate wind (11– 21 knots)
- Strong wind (22 – 33 knots)
- Gales (34 – 47 knots)
- Storm force wind (48 – 63 knots)
- Hurricane (64 knots or more)
* One knot is one nautical mile an hour (1.852
km/h)"
CPS Insurance Program – a review
The
CPS Group Insurance Program offered by Cowan Group is the
largest financial benefit offered to CPS members yet very
few of us know much about it. Savings of 15% to 40% from the
base price are offered but it is possible that some members
could get similar discounts from another insurance company.
There are approximately 18 factors that go into determining
what rate a boater will pay and being a CPS member is but
one so it is difficult to make comparisons from one boater
to another. Buying insurance is like buying a PFD. If you
buy strictly based on price, you may be disappointed when
you really need it to work. Based on research conducted by
Pacific Mainland District of CPS, it appears that the CPS
– Cowan policy is one of the best on the market and that
Cowan has a reputation of being very fair when settling
claims.
Members
with sail boats will probably get a very good deal through
the CPS program. In fact just recently an agent for Cowan
referred a couple who were insuring a sail boat they had
just purchased to CPS. They had been members but let their
membership lapse. The agent told them that if they renewed
their membership they would save substantially on their
insurance. They rejoined CPS as a result.
The
situation for power boats appears to be a little different.
For the past few years the CPS policy for power boats,
particularly cruisers, has not been as competitive in the BC
market. With the help of one of Cowan’s agents both Cowan
and Headquarters have been made aware of this. Cowan insists
that there is nothing wrong with their pricing and there is
no need to change although, recently, several power boaters
have switched to the CPS program after years of being
insured elsewhere. Now that Cowan is aware that they have a problem in BC they
appear to have sharpened their pencils. Because there are so
many factors that go into determining a rate, the price can
vary greatly based on how they view those factors and how
the agent presents them. Some have experienced a quote
difference of up to 50% from the same company simply by
questioning the first quote.
Cowan
recommends the following brokers in the Lower Mainland for
the best results.
- Dolphin
Insurance - Vancouver
- Rand
& Fowler Insurance - Vancouver
- Johnston
Meier Insurance - Port Coquitlam
- Lee &
Porter Insurance - West Van
Dolphin
Insurance sells about 50% of the CPS – Cowan policies in
BC. Both Dolphin and Johnston Meier advertise in our Roster
published by Pacific Yachting.
We
hope this information will be useful as you review your
insurance policy. Any
feedback on your experience when purchasing insurance,
positive or negative, would be helpful as CPS continues to
look for ways of enhancing the current program.
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