Howdy,

First time poster. I'm looking through the Quetico Regs and found this. (I cut out the parts that I don't have questions about:

Canoe/Kayaks: Canadian Boating Safety regulations require:

One buoyant heaving line no less than 15 m (49’3”) in length
One bailer or one manual water pump fitted with or accompanied by sufficient hose

Is this for real?

Thanks,

PG

yes, this is an imported Canadian bailer made by real Canadians.

Got it. That's fancy!

Yes we carry a 50 ft rope throw bag and a 1 gallon plastic jug with the bottom cut off it for bailing. I gave it tied to my stern seat with some cord.

I thought those regs only pertained to Canadian residents

Thanks guys! I ordered a throw rope off amazon and will pound some milk prior to my trip.

Read a bit more:

"Safety Equipment Requirements
Boats licensed or registered in a country other than Canada
Foreign boats (those that are licensed or registered in a country other than Canada) need to comply with the equipment requirements of the country in which the boat is usually kept."

Page 57 of Safe Boating Guide - Transport Canada

butthead

I have never carried a bailer. My rope is not 50 feet long. I have visited with rangers several times and never been asked for anything other than my permit.

Read a bit more down to the note...

"Note 3 – Bailer and Manual Bilge Pump
A bailer or manual bilge pump is not required for a boat that cannot
hold enough water to make it capsize or a boat that has watertight
compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible."

So if your canoe has sealed bow and stern pockets, you do not need a bailer.

Northern Tier up there uses canoes like that. You need a throw line, but not a bailer...also notice that it doesn't state what a bailer is....you could probably make the case that your Nalgene is your emergency bailer.

PG—Butthead has it right. We do not need to comply with those regs. I’ve been checked several times never needed those items as a non-resident.

T

I've always been curious about the requirement for a bailer....if only for Canucks.

If the seas are so heavy that water is filling the boat, I can't imagine putting down the paddle to try to bail out the boat. Maybe it's a good idea to carry one, and I'm no expert in such things, but would it be a good idea in such a condition to have one of the paddlers start bailing (vs. paddling for whatever relief is possible)?

Having a bailer is definitely a good idea.
I have been in a few canoeing situations where a bailer was necessary.
Is it able to save a solo canoeist in high winds? I am not sure. Previous experience and common sense probably are much better tools for that end.

carmike: "I've always been curious about the requirement for a bailer....if only for Canucks.


If the seas are so heavy that water is filling the boat, I can't imagine putting down the paddle to try to bail out the boat. Maybe it's a good idea to carry one, and I'm no expert in such things, but would it be a good idea in such a condition to have one of the paddlers start bailing (vs. paddling for whatever relief is possible)? "

Great question, I never really thought about it before...I am certainly no expert but I have about 30 extended paddling trips...some in very wet rough weather and I can never remember a time where I thought “hey wish I had a bailer”...so I don’t get their use.

When I first started I used to see people hauling sponges in their canoe...actually I ended up picking up a lot of sponges on portages so technically I hauled a lot of sponges, but in my case they were thrown away in the garbage upon leaving the BWCAW. Never understood that either? Obviously weren’t that important because of how many were left behind and I rarely see them now so their use seems way down.

T