Prepared for:
Transport Canada
POR Registration #: POR 022-18
Contract #: T8053-180055/001/CY
Contract Award Date: July 25, 2018
Delivery Date: February 6, 2019
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TC.Publicopinion-Opinionpublique.TC@tc.gc.ca
Prepared for Transport Canada
Supplier name: Sage Research Corporation
February 2019
This public opinion research report presents the results of web-assisted telephone interviews with 50 rental boat agencies, between October 2 and October 30, 2018.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Mise à l’essai ciblée concernant les practiques exemplaires de communication en matière de sécurité à bord d’embarcations de location
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Catalogue Number:
T29-150/2019E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-29400-1
Related publications (Registration number: POR 022-18):
Catalogue Number T29-150/2019F-PDF (Final Report, French)
ISBN 978-0-660-29400-8
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Transport Canada, 2019
As part of its mandate to develop and promote boating safety guidance, Transport Canada (TC) is developing a rental boating safety campaign. The campaign’s goal is to equip rental agency staff to promote safe boating.
Recreational boaters are not always aware and informed of the risks involved in boating and do not always follow safe boating practices. Occasional and vacationing boaters who follow safety procedures can help reduce the number of boating incidents/accidents that lead to loss of life, injuries and property damage.
Transport Canada’s Marine Safety and Security Directorate has been developing and providing tools and information on boating safety to the public and to rental boat agencies through the Canadian Safe Boating Council website. TC is migrating the material to its website and looking to expand its reach.
Qualitative research was conducted with rental boat agencies. The research objectives included:
The results of the research will be used in TC’s national rental boating safety communication campaign to help determine the most effective ways to reinforce the safety behaviours of boat renters, and how to better assist rental boating agencies in order to determine the most effective ways to reinforce the safety behaviours of boat renters.
Web-assisted telephone interviews lasting 45 to 75 minutes were conducted with 50 rental boat agencies. Interviews were conducted October 2 to October 30, 2018.
Most participants rented to customers spanning a wide range of experience, from none to a lot although the mix of customers within this wide range varied by business. There are more safety concerns with novice boaters, and most of the safety concerns described in this report apply particularly to novice boaters.
Participants felt they know the safety features and required safety equipment for the types of watercraft they rent out. That said, our impression is that there is not a single “go to” authoritative source for safety requirements that is regularly consulted (i.e. at least annually) by everyone. It also appears that quite a few are not checking for any updates to requirements on an annual basis. The following are sources mentioned by participants.
Safe Boating Guide: About one-fifth of participants said they were not familiar with the Safe Boating Guide. Of those who said they knew of the Safe Boating Guide, the majority said they used it as a reference for safety requirements, although some said they do not use it or haven’t looked at it in recent years.
Some participants said they provide – or have provided in the past – copies to customers, either by putting a copy on the boat, or by having them in the rental office for people to look at or pick up. However, a significant limiting factor on use of the Safe Boating Guide, particularly to share with customers, is that participants said they have found it difficult or impossible to get hard copies. It was noted that it used to be easier to get hard copies, but now the impression is that it is either only available online and not available in hard copy, or available only in very limited quantities – and with no easy way to get copies.
Transport Canada: TC was mentioned as a source of information in three ways: visiting the TC website, meeting with a TC representative, or contacting TC via phone or email:
Personal experience: Quite a few participants said their long experience in boating and the boating industry was at least in part how they knew about the safety features and requirements for the watercraft they were renting out. However, while personal experience was undoubtedly important, this is inherently about what the requirements have been in the past, and may not address new requirements and technologies in the future.
Manufacturer or vendor: The manufacturer or vendor was generally not considered to be a significant source of safety information. The main exceptions were manufacturer information on load capacity, and user manuals for large boats or houseboats.
Industry associations: Some participants, albeit a minority, mentioned that they rely on an industry association to keep them up to date on regulatory developments. These participants perceived the industry association to be good at keeping them informed and looking after the interests of the industry. They suggested TC could work with industry associations to get information to rental agencies.
The two core components of the safety-related briefing are the paperwork and the on-boat (while docked) orientation:
Many participants emphasized the importance of the on-boat orientation beyond the basic need to point out the safety equipment and give operation instructions:
There can be two other components of the safety briefing:
With regard to a rental boat safety checklist, this is of course done with all customers who will drive the boat who do not have a PCOC or other recognized proof of competency.
Not paying attention/Not taking it seriously enough: Participants said that while this is not usually a problem, it is a problem that does occur from time to time. Factors that contribute to this problem include the following:
The following are approaches mentioned by participants for dealing with the challenge of not paying attention during the safety briefing/not taking it seriously enough.
Language barrier: Quite a few participants said there is sometimes a language barrier. This could be with an international customer, but they said more often it happens with some newcomers to Canada. It was observed that often there is a member of the group who is more fluent and acts as a translator – this is often a younger person, or may even be a child. However, some participants commented that sometimes they are not really comfortable with this, and are not fully confident that the translator is translating fully and properly. In this regard, one participant said they were uncertain what their legal rights were in terms of refusing to rent, and suggested TC issue guidance on the business’s legal rights and obligations in these circumstances.
Participants were shown an example of the current TC rental boat safety checklist, and asked if they had seen a checklist like this, and their overall opinion about it. About one-third of the participants had seen the current TC rental boat safety checklist, and about two-thirds had not.
Among those who had seen it, the majority were using it, although some were using a customized version to include such things as their company name, the telephone number the renter should use to call the business if there is an issue on the water, and customized safety information.
Among the approximately two-thirds who had not seen the current TC rental boat safety checklist, some said they could not clearly remember where they got the form they are using with customers who do not have a PCOC. Otherwise, the most commonly mentioned source was Transport Canada. Some mentioned this as having 15 checkboxes, which appears to be the sample checklist in TC’s document, Rental Boat Safety Checklist Standard. Other sources mentioned included study materials for the PCOC exam or their insurance company.
The majority of those not familiar with the current TC rental boat safety checklist said they were interested in using it, perhaps with customization, or using parts of it. In this context, quite a few suggested TC should be proactively sending materials/resources to rental businesses, since otherwise businesses may not know to look for the materials.
Although participants were not specifically asked to list instances of customer injury or death, many nonetheless commented that in their time in business, serious injury or death was rare to nonexistent. The more common issue they all faced was risk of damage to the watercraft, albeit recognizing that circumstances resulting in damage can pose a safety risk to the customer.
Therefore, the discussion of safety concerns involved both the safety of the customers and safety of the watercraft.
In general, participants have more safety concerns with renters who have little or no prior boating experience. Many of the safety concerns described in the report are particularly applicable to novice boaters.
The following are some more specific types of customers mentioned by at least some participants in connection with safety.
Rental purpose – Watersports
Particular concerns included:
Rental purpose – Party: A group renting a pontoon or houseboat for a party are perceived to be at much higher risk for alcohol consumption, and the problems that can come from drinking and driving. Several participants said they will not rent to party groups.
Group of young men: Many participants identified “young men” as being a group more likely be associated with safety concerns – although from their comments it appears to be more accurate to say “a group of young men,” because the group dynamic seems to exacerbate the issues. By young, most participant meant men 20-30 years of age.
The issues cited were:
Participants speculated the reasons for this were such things as:
There were no particular tips for how to deal with this target group, other than being firm and clear in the safety briefing.
Renters with a combination of language barrier and lack of boating experience: The issue of dealing with a language barrier in the safety briefing was described earlier. It was also the case that some participants said these renters sometimes seem to behave in riskier fashion on the water. Some attributed this to cultural factors, but some others said they believed it is really more a lack of full understanding the orientation session due to the language barrier combined with a lack of previous boating experience.
Alcohol consumption: The majority of participants said that drinking and boating is a concern they have. While they say it is not a frequent problem, there are incidents from time to time. Renters perceived to be a higher risk are groups renting a boat for a party, and groups of younger men. Beyond that, though, it could be anyone. The main reason offered by participants why people might drink on the boat is that they are in a “vacation mode” of thinking, and this can include drinking alcohol.
Some other contributing factors sometimes mentioned included:
Many participants said that to reinforce the instruction not to drink alcohol on the boat, they make a point of emphasizing that:
The last point is something they say renters are often unaware of, and definitely gets attention and helps discourage drunk driving.
Hitting rocks/debris: A majority of participants said a concern is the renter hitting submerged rocks or debris. Hitting a rock may not result in any injuries, but it can cause serious damage to the watercraft.
The ways mentioned for addressing this risk were:
Lifejackets/PFDs: Boaters are required by law to have a lifejacket or PFD (Personal Flotation Device) on board for each person on a watercraft, including both powered and human-powered watercraft. The law does not require the lifejackets or PFDs to be worn. Note that participants used “lifejacket” in a general sense to refer to both lifejackets and PFDs, and that term is used in this general sense here. Participants said that, as required by law, they provide a lifejacket that fits for every person on board.
As context for the lifejacket discussion, participants were asked about the potential for hypothermia and swimming ability:
The typical stance of the rental agency is that they equip the renters with lifejackets and show them where these are, but they leave it up to the renters to decide whether or not to wear them. There are, though, variations and exceptions across participants:
Participants were asked why they thought people might not wear a lifejacket, and various ideas were given:
Overloading/Adding new people: A boat has a capacity limit expressed in terms of weight and number of people. Quite a few participants mentioned they had concerns about the boat getting overloaded. The main concern expressed is about renters who pick up other people (without telling the rental agency) after leaving the dock.
There are several negative consequences that can happen in these circumstances:
Two other issues were mentioned by some participants in connection with overloading/adding new people:
Leaving/Docking: The main concern is damage to the watercraft and/or to other watercraft. This concern particularly applies to less experienced boaters. However, it can also be an issue with more experienced boaters: a renter may have prior experience on smaller boats, but if they are renting a larger boat – such as a pontoon or houseboat, or a much larger boat – they may not realize that it responds more slowly to controls. Ways of addressing this concern included having boaters do a test drive to get a feel for the controls, or having the agency staff handle these maneuvers.
Hitting other boats: This can be a problem if the renter driving the boat is focused only on what’s ahead of them, and then turns the boat without first looking back. The participants try to stress to the renter to always be aware of what’s all around them, and to generally stay away from getting close to other boats.
Problems caused by other boats: One way the safety of a renter may be compromised is by the behaviour of other boaters. The main concern mentioned by some participants in this regard is the wake produced by other boats. A large wake may be produced by a boat speeding too close to the renter’s boat. Some also said a particular concern is the increasing popularity of wake boats: they said that these can cause large waves from up to 200 to 300 feet away. A large wake can cause a small boat to become unstable, and can cause damage to a larger boat such as a houseboat. There is not much the renter can do in these circumstances. Ideally the renter would turn the boat into the wake. However, they may not have been given instructions about what to do in this situation, or they may not have time to maneuver the boat, or they may not appreciate how far the wake from a wakeboat travels.
Personal watercraft: Among participants who rent out PWCs, most said their biggest concern is renting to a group, and particularly to a group of younger men. The problem is they may drive too fast and too close to each other, causing a risk of collision that will cause damage to the machine and possibly injury to the riders.
The perceived contributing factors include:
The participants said they try to address this by emphasizing the damage deposit and the cost to the renter. A few tell stories of injuries from PWC collisions – e.g. “you could break your buddy’s leg.”
Canoes/Kayaks – The safety concerns mentioned particularly for canoes/kayaks included:
A general instruction participants said they give to paddlers is to stay close to shore, to reduce the risk if there are issues with tipping over or with the wind.
Houseboats – The following are safety concerns associated with houseboats:
Participants were encouraged to offer suggestions for things TC should focus on or do in the upcoming rental boat safety campaign. Many participants had to think a bit about this, and some did not have any suggestions. It was also the case that while some types of suggestions were more common than others, the suggestions did not strongly converge on a few particular priorities. Our impression is that this is probably because overall participants felt that they are doing a good job of managing safety risks, and so suggestions for TC’s priorities for the campaign do not always immediately come to mind. Some of the suggestions were as follows.
Provide a section on the TC website for rental businesses: This would put everything pertinent to rental businesses in one easy-to-find location in order to provide a single “go to” source for information. It could also have a consumer-oriented section that businesses could point to for people interested in renting a watercraft.
Make hard copies of the Safe Boating Guide more easily available: Hard copies of the Guide are difficult to come by, and hard copy can be better as a format for the purpose of sharing with renters.
Proactively send information to rental agencies on resources developed by TC: This suggestion was triggered in particular by TC’s current Rental Boat Safety Checklist, which quite a few participants had not seen. The larger point is that if TC does not send information on the resources it has developed, rental businesses may not become aware of these resources.
Address alcohol and boating: Focus on improving awareness of the rules and of the consequences if caught breaking the rules.
Address cannabis and boating: Cannabis became legal in Canada part way through interviewing for this study. When asked if it would be helpful if TC proactively sent information on this topic incorporating both federal and provincial regulations to boat rental agencies, participants said that would be a good thing
Inform rental businesses of their rights and obligations with respect to cannabis: Because cannabis was only very recently legalized, most participants have not yet gotten any information on what it means for their business.
Provide handouts/display materials: Some version of this was mentioned by quite a few participants. These participants would appreciate having safety-oriented materials in their rental office that customers can see and perhaps pick up. It can be nice to have something to show or give to people when they come in. More importantly, they said it can help to reinforce safety messages because it can add more authority to the message: “it’s not just me saying this, the government is saying this also.” This is helpful generally, but particularly for messages that may be met with some resistance or skepticism, such as “don’t drink alcohol,” or “wear a lifejacket.” Therefore, it would be important that the materials be clearly branded as being from the government.
Message to renters – Be aware of what’s around you: A frequent concern of the participants was risks to the watercraft in the environment around the renter: running into shoals, going into water that is too shallow, collision with other boats, people in the water, the impact of the wake produced by other boats. A communication theme of “be aware of what’s around you” could encompass all of these types of safety risks.
Lifejackets: Some participants suggest the campaign include promotion of wearing lifejackets. It should be noted the majority of participants do not actively encourage renters to wear a lifejacket all the time, but some do, and some encourage it in particular circumstances. Our impression from the interviews is that a lifejacket message should give reasons for wearing a lifejacket, and focus on circumstances where it is particularly important to have one on.
Contract value: $78,252.50 including HST
Political Neutrality Certification
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Sage Research Corporation that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, and standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Rick Robson
Vice-President
Sage Research Corporation
Web-assisted telephone interviews lasting 45 to 75 minutes were conducted with 50 rental boat agencies. Interviews were conducted October 2 to October 30, 2018.
Sample source: The sample frame used for recruiting was a list provided by TC, supplemented by a list purchased from infoCanada. The selection criterion for the infoCanada list was SIC 7999-13 (Boats – Rental and Charter).
Participant qualifications: Qualified businesses were businesses that rented watercraft for recreational purposes, and met the following additional criteria:
| Type of Watercraft | Minimum Quota Target | Number of Firms Completing Interviews |
|---|---|---|
| Tiller-steered and/or wheel-steered | 16 | 41 |
| Personal watercraft | 8 | 28 |
| Houseboats | 4 | 7 |
| Pontoon boats | 4 | 34 |
| Sailboats | 4 | 5 |
| Non-motorized (kayak, canoe, rowboat) | 4 | 28 |
For reference, the following shows the number of staff employed at the peak of the rental season by the rental agencies participating in the research:
| Number of Employees during Peak Season | Number of Participants |
|---|---|
| 1-2 employees | 10 |
| 3-5 employees | 17 |
| 6-9 employees | 10 |
| 10 or more employees | 13 |
| Total | 50 |
For reference, the following shows how long the participating companies had been in operation. It can be seen that majority have been in business for more 10 years. Also, some of the owners in the business for a shorter time commented that they had been in the business as an employee prior to owning their business.
| Time in Business | Number of Participants |
|---|---|
| 1 year or less | 2 |
| 2-3 years | 6 |
| 4-5 years | 4 |
| 6-10 years | 6 |
| More than 10 years | 32 |
| Total | 50 |
The qualified participant in the rental agency was an owner or manager involved in providing boating safety information to rental customers. Of the 50 participants, 43 were owners, and 7 were managers.
Geographic distribution: The following shows the geographic breakdown of the rental agencies in the combined TC and infoCanada lists provided for recruiting, and the number of completed interviews:
| Region | % of Sample | Number of Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 33% | 20 |
| British Columbia | 32% | 14 |
| Quebec | 12% | 4 |
| Rest of Canada | 23% | 12 |
| Total | 100% | 50 |
Note that five interviews were completed in French – four in Quebec and one in New Brunswick.
Interview administration: The interviews were conducted as web-assisted telephone interviews. “Web-assisted” meant the participant also logged in to a website. The purpose of this component was to allow showing and discussing an example of one of TC’s Rental Boat Safety Checklists. Most participants were able to view the checklist, but due to internet connectivity issues several were not able to view the checklist.
Participant honorarium: Participants were paid $150 for completing the interview.
Almost all of the participating rental agencies were on large and/or extensive bodies of water. These included large lakes and/or interconnected lakes, river/canal systems, and tidal water. This was associated with two general safety concerns – renter is out of sight, and weather.
Renter is out of sight: The renter is usually out of sight for most of the rental period. This means the business cannot directly monitor whether the renter is following all of the safety instructions – such as safe driving, staying in safe waters, or lifejacket usage. They also cannot see if the renter is experiencing any difficulty.
Strategies for monitoring renters when out of sight included:
Some additional practices, each mentioned by one participant:
Weather: Sudden storms on large lakes or tidal water can generate large waves that are a risk for boaters. If the weather is bad at the time of departure, participants said they will not let the renter go out. However, the concern is more about storms that come in after the renter leaves the dock. Another concern a few had is when multi-day renters choose to go out in bad weather. Several participants said they routinely give instructions on what to do if a storm hits (i.e. get to a sheltered area, and do not worry about trying to get back to the rental dock; how to tie down the boat in the case of a multi-day rental), but our impression is that most do not routinely cover this situation in their safety briefing.
Strategies for dealing with this mentioned by some participants included:
Most participants rented to customers spanning a wide range of experience, from none to a lot. The mix of customers within this wide range varied by business. For example, the proportion of novice customers was lower among businesses that have a lot of repeat customers, or businesses that focus on renting boats to fishers (who often have prior boating experience, or have their own boat but did not bring it).
There are more safety concerns with novice boaters, and most of the safety concerns described in later sections of the report apply particularly to novice boaters. However, it will also be seen that there are also some concerns associated with boaters who have some prior experience – for example, they may not pay as much attention to the safety briefing as they should.
Some participants required prior boating experience as a precondition to renting:
In the latter case, one participant said they will refer the customer to a certified instructor.
Some participants commented that some renters overstate or overestimate their experience and abilities, at least as it applies to the boat they want to rent. For this reason they said it is important to have a conversation with the renter during the safety briefing to gauge how easily they understand what they’re being told and whether they are using the terminology an experienced boater would use.
Participants felt they know the safety features and required safety equipment for the types of watercraft they rent out. That said, our impression is that there is not a single “go to” authoritative source for safety requirements that is regularly consulted (i.e. at least annually) by everyone. It also appears that quite a few are not checking for any updates to requirements on an annual basis, although some say this is not necessary because they do not think requirements change very often.
Safe Boating Guide: About one-fifth of participants said they were not familiar with the Safe Boating Guide. Of those who said they knew of the Safe Boating Guide, the majority said they used it as a reference for safety requirements, although some said they do not use it or haven’t looked at it in recent years.
Some participants said they provide – or have provided in the past – copies to customers, either by putting a copy on the boat, or by having them in the rental office for people to look at or pick up.
However, a significant limiting factor on use of the Safe Boating Guide, particularly to share with customers, is that participants said they have found it difficult or impossible to get hard copies. It was noted that it used to be easier to get hard copies, but now the impression is that it is either only available online and not available in hard copy, or available only in very limited quantities – and with no easy way to get copies. Those who said they had recently gotten copies usually said they picked up copies at a local boat show, but then only in limited quantities (e.g. one participant said they take every copy stocked at the booth at the boat show).
Quite a few participants suggested TC should make it easier to get hard copies of the Safe Boating Guide for purposes of sharing with customers. Most were not inclined to print a lot of copies from the website. They also said renters are unlikely to go online to look at the guide, either because it is inconvenient for them to do so or due to lack of sufficient interest to motivate them to proactively go to the site – whereas they might be more likely to pick up a copy if it is in the rental office or on the boat.
Several participants said they also use the Safe Boating Guide as part of staff training.
Small Vessel Regulations: Only a small minority of participants said they had ever looked at the Small Vessel Regulations, and most of those who looked had not done so recently and did not consider this to be source they would go to now. It was our impression that many of the participants had never heard of the Small Vessel Regulations, as it was often necessary for the interviewer to explain what was being referred to.
Transport Canada
TC was mentioned as a source of information in three ways – visiting the TC website, meeting with a TC representative, or contacting TC via phone or email:
Personal experience: Quite a few participants said their long experience in boating and the boating industry was at least in part how they knew about the safety features and requirements for the watercraft they were renting out. Related to this, some participants who had acquired the business from a previous owner said the previous owner was a source of information. We would note, though, that while personal experience was undoubtedly important, this is inherently about what the requirements have been in the past, and may not address new requirements and technologies in the future.
Manufacturer or vendor: The manufacturer or vendor was generally not considered to be a significant source of safety information. The exceptions were:
Industry associations: Some participants, albeit a minority, mentioned that they rely on an industry association to keep them up to date on regulatory developments. These participants perceived the industry association to be good at keeping them informed and looking after the interests of the industry. They suggested TC could work with industry associations to get information to rental agencies.
Other sources of information
The following were each mentioned by one or a few participants:
People who want to rent and operate a recreational powered watercraft must have proof of competency. The Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC) can be proof of competency. For customers without a PCOC, rental agencies can issue a temporary license that serves as proof of competency for the period of the rental by completing a rental boat safety checklist with the customer.
Most of the participants accepted customers who do not have the PCOC, but a small number required the PCOC. Those who required the PCOC did so because they believed it signifies the renter likely has some knowledge of boating safety. That said, they put much greater weight on prior boating experience than on the PCOC in terms of assessing a customer’s readiness level. One said they require it because their insurance company requires it.
Among the participants who accept renters who do not have the PCOC, the percentage of renters who do not have a PCOC varied from a low of less than 5% to a high of 95%. The majority said over half their customers do not have the PCOC.
Note that to varying degrees, participants had some international customers who are unlikely to have a Canadian PCOC. International customers can use a proof of competency from their home jurisdiction. However, several participants said they do not accept this and still require completion of their rental boat safety checklist for either of two reasons:
Most participants said that in their opinion having a PCOC does not by itself necessarily mean much in terms of safety knowledge and attitudes. Having a PCOC usually does not by itself change what is done in the safety briefing because participants have found from experience that the customer may be lacking some basic knowledge.
The key perceived issue with the PCOC is that it does not require any boating experience, because it is issued based solely on passing an online exam. “Book knowledge” of safety topics may not translate into practical knowledge and understanding – in this regard, some participants said the on-boat portion of their safety briefing is particularly important for novices because it makes the material more “real.” The exam may have been taken a long time ago and the person may have forgotten some of the material. Some participants said that because the exam is completed online, there is no way to know for sure if the person applying for the PCOC was also the person who wrote the exam. From the boat rental agency’s perspective, prior hands-on boating experience is much more meaningful in terms of assessing a person’s boating readiness than is possession of a PCOC.
Some participants suggested TC should look at incorporating a driving test as a requirement or an option for the PCOC. One suggested as an alternative to require attending an in-person course and taking an in-person exam.
The two core components of the safety-related briefing are the paperwork and the on-boat (while docked) orientation:
Many participants emphasized the importance of the on-boat orientation beyond the basic need to point out the safety equipment and give operation instructions:
There can be two other components of the safety briefing:
Note that one of the participants had a “trailer operation” – that is, they were not located on a body of water, but instead would meet and brief the customer at the office, and then supply them with a trailer to take the watercraft themselves to a lake of their choosing (this participant mainly rented PWCs). This participant did both of the main components of a safety briefing – the paperwork and the on-boat briefing – but there was no possibility for a test drive to assess less experienced boaters. They did not flag this as an issue, but another participant who said they used to work in a trailer operation said they would not now be comfortable working in that type of business because there is no provision for a test drive and it is not possible to observe what the renter is doing in the water.
With regard to ae rental boat safety checklist, this is of course done with all customers who will drive the boat who do not have a PCOC or other recognized proof of competency (except for those businesses who require a PCOC for rental). Some additional observations:
With regard to the use of other materials during the safety briefing:
Several participants suggested TC develop a video presentation to show to renters that highlights key safety points. They would want the video to be short duration – 5 to at most 10 minutes – in order not to greatly lengthen the time spent on briefing.
A practice mentioned by some participants – particularly in connection with boats where there is a group of people (pontoon boats, houseboats, large boats) is to ensure there are two people who receive the briefing for driving the boat. This ensures that if something happens to one driver (e.g. they fall overboard or are swimming and are separated from the boat), there is another person who can drive the boat. For example, one participant said that when there is a family with a husband and wife, they said in their experience it would often be the case that the husband would drive. However, the participant said he would insist the wife also be briefed on operating the boat, just in case something happened.
Participants were asked about challenges they have experienced in giving an effective safety briefing. The two most commonly mentioned were people not paying attention or taking the briefing serious enough, and language barriers.
Not paying attention/Not taking it seriously enough: Participants said that while this is not usually a problem, it is a problem that does occur from time to time. Factors that contribute to this problem include the following:
The following are approaches mentioned by participants for dealing with the challenge of not paying attention during the safety briefing/not taking it seriously enough.
Language barrier: Quite a few participants said there is sometimes a language barrier. This could be with an international customer, but they said more often it happens with some newcomers to Canada. The frequency of this issue varies across businesses, and depends on the mix of customers at each particular business. Overall, it is not a regular, frequent problem, but it does arise from time to time. The concern is whether the safety (and other) information is fully understood.
It was observed that often there is a member of the group who is more fluent and acts as a translator – this is often a younger person, or may even be a child. Usually the rental agency relies on this person to translate, and they take extra time to try to make sure that the information is getting through properly.
However, some participants commented that sometimes they are not really comfortable with this, and are not fully confident that the translator is translating fully and properly – although they have no reliable way to assess this. Several said they have refused rental in cases where they did not feel the information was adequately conveyed and understood. In this regard, one participant said they were uncertain what their legal rights were in terms of refusing to rent, and suggested TC issue guidance on the business’s legal rights and obligations in these circumstances.
One participant suggested that TC provide the rental boat safety checklist in some other languages common in Canada. However, several others when asked about this possibility did not feel that it really would solve the problem of them being able to adequately assess the customer’s understanding.
Participants were shown an example of the current TC rental boat safety checklist, and asked if they had seen a checklist like this, and their overall opinion about it.
About one-third of the participants had seen the current TC rental boat safety checklist, and about two-thirds had not.
Among those who had seen it, the majority were using it, although some were using a customized version. The types of customization included:
A few suggested it would be helpful if TC provided the checklist in a format easier to customize.
Some of those familiar with the current TC checklist were not using it. Reasons included:
As noted, about two-thirds of participants said they had not seen the current TC rental boat safety checklist. With regard to the source of the rental boat safety checklist they were using with renters without a PCOC, some said they could not clearly remember where they got it from. Otherwise, the most commonly mentioned source was Transport Canada. Some mentioned this as having 15 checkboxes, which appears to be the sample checklist in TC’s document, Rental Boat Safety Checklist Standard. Other sources mentioned included:
The majority of those not familiar with the current TC rental boat safety checklist said they were interested in using it, perhaps with customization, or using parts of it. In this context, quite a few suggested TC should be proactively sending materials/resources to rental businesses, since otherwise businesses may not know to look for the materials.
The single most widely mentioned thing participants liked about the current TC rental boat safety checklist is the pictures. Those unfamiliar with it were all using checklists that did not have informative pictures such as these:
Other things at some participants liked included:
With the understanding that the rental business might customize the checklist to eliminate sections that are not relevant or add items they feel are important, there were no major dislikes (though, it should be kept in mind participants were not asked to review the example checklist in detail but rather to give their overall impressions). The following were some of the comments, made by one or several participants:
Although participants were not specifically asked to list instances of customer injury or death, many nonetheless commented that in their time in business, serious injury or death was rare to nonexistent – which led some to wonder why TC is considering a campaign targeting the rental boat sector specifically. The more common issue they all faced was risk of damage to the watercraft, albeit recognizing that circumstances resulting in damage can pose a safety risk to the customer. Therefore, the discussion of safety concerns involved both the safety of the customers and safety of the watercraft. Participants often noted that safety of the watercraft is a serious concern. While some of the cost of repairing damage will be covered by the customer’s damage deposit, there is also a “time out of service” cost. The boat rental season in Canada is relatively short, so when a watercraft is in the shop for repair, there is significant lost revenue when the watercraft is out of commission.
The discussion of safety concerns is organized as follows. The first section addresses customer types generally associated with safety concerns. The next sections describe various specific safety concerns general to most types of watercraft, and the final section describes some safety concerns specific to certain types of watercraft.
In general, participants have more safety concerns with renters who have little or no prior boating experience. Many of the safety concerns described in the report are particularly applicable to novice boaters.
The purpose of this section is to describe five more specific types of customers mentioned by at least some participants in connection with safety. Three of the types are defined by their purpose for renting, and other two are defined in terms of demographics/boating experience.
Watersports refers to towing (skiing, wakeboard, tubing) and wake surfing.
Watersports are perceived to be associated with risk of serious injury. That said, it was observed that people who rent for the purpose of watersports often have prior experience with this, and prior experience reduces the likelihood of risky behaviour. One participant said they will only rent the “tow boat” to customers with previous experience, and another said they use only the most experienced staff to brief these customers because of the potential for problems. The following are the main safety concerns mentioned.
Hitting the person being towed/in the water: Less experienced boaters can risk hitting a person in the water they are picking up due to driving the boat too close to the person, and not appreciating the impact of the momentum of the boat and the impact of wind or current. They try to address this by giving specific instructions on how to pick up a person in the water.
Hitting some other person in the water or another boat: The concern here is about other boats on the water, including other boats involved in watersports where people are in the water. A driver may tend to keep looking back at the person they are towing rather than focusing on where they are going, and this creates a risk of running into another boat, or even worse into a person in the water. To address this risk, the safety briefing emphasizes the importance of using a spotter. As one participant said, “we hammer home that the driver drives, and the spotter spots what’s behind the boat.” Another said they have found it helpful to “officially” designate a particular member of the rental party as the spotter (“we give them a title”), and brief them on their responsibilities. Another sort of instruction mentioned was telling the driver to stay away from other boats on the lake.
People who rent a boat to fish are perceived to be generally safer boaters than people renting for other purposes. The reasons given for this perception were:
One participant commented that they decided to focus their business specifically on renting to fishers because of the lower risk of injury and damage they associate with this type of customer.
To the small extent to which there are safety concerns associated with fishing, the concerns mentioned were:
A group renting a pontoon or houseboat for a party are perceived to be at much higher risk for alcohol consumption, and the problems that can come from drinking and driving. Several participants said they will not rent to party groups.
Many participants identified “young men” as being a group more likely be associated with safety concerns – although from their comments it appears to be more accurate to say “a group of young men,” because the group dynamic seems to exacerbate the issues. By young, most participant meant men 20-30 years of age.
The issues cited were: more likely to be impatient during the safety briefing and less likely to take it seriously, more likely to drink alcohol, and more likely to drive in a risky fashion (e.g. too fast, or too close to each other if renting multiple watercraft).
Participants speculated the reasons for this were such things as:
There were no particular tips for how to deal with this target group, other than being firm and clear in the safety briefing. Although, one participant said they “double the damage deposit” for customers under age 25.
Renters with a combination of language barrier and lack of boating experience
The issue of dealing with a language barrier in the safety briefing was described earlier. It was also the case that some participants said these renters sometimes seem to behave in riskier fashion on the water. Some attributed this to cultural factors, but some others said they believed it is really more a lack of full understanding the orientation session due to the language barrier combined with a lack of previous boating experience.
The majority of participants said that drinking and boating is a concern they have. While they say it is not a frequent problem, there are incidents from time to time. A minority said it is not really a concern for them, basically because their customers are typically families with kids, and they say that drinking and driving is not common in this group.
Renters perceived to be higher risk are groups renting a boat for a party, and groups of younger men. Beyond that, though, it could be anyone. The main reason offered by participants why people might drink on the boat is that they are in a “vacation mode” of thinking, and this can include drinking alcohol. Other contributing factors sometimes mentioned included:
Our understanding of the rules1 is that except in Quebec:
In Quebec, alcohol may be consumed as long as the driver’s blood alcohol level does not exceed the same standard as for drunk driving on the road; if it does, then the same fines and penalties as for drunk driving on the road apply.
Participants said that instructions on alcohol are a routine part of the safety briefing, but there is still the occasional problem. This can occur if the renter sneaks the alcohol on board, or if they pick up alcohol at some other location after leaving the dock.
Many participants said that to reinforce the instruction not to drink alcohol on the boat, they make a point of emphasizing that:
The last point is something they say renters are often unaware of, and definitely gets attention and helps discourage drunk driving.
Note that several participants said they have customers who tell them that they can drink on the boat as long as it has a toilet. One said they thought this was the case “years ago” but is no longer the case, while the others said they did not know where this idea comes from. This suggests two things:
When asked what TC should focus on its upcoming rental boating safety campaign, some suggested addressing drinking and boating. The suggested objectives are particularly to improve awareness of the rules, and awareness of the consequences if caught.
While participants agreed that the driver should not drink and drive, some felt the rules are unrealistic and too strict with respect to passengers. The latter view was held by some participants renting pontoons, houseboats or larger boats. They suggested the rules should be relaxed for passengers who will not be driving the boat. That said, another view expressed was that drunk passengers can cause safety problems, so the current rules are appropriate.
Cannabis usage was legalized in Canada in October of this year (the month interviews were done for this project). Cannabis usage was not raised as an issue spontaneously by most participants – perhaps because at the time of interviewing most were winding down their rental operations and so had not yet had to deal with implications for boat rental. However, the interviewer asked what they knew, if anything, about the implications for their business.
Some said they assumed that with respect to renters, cannabis would be treated the same as alcohol, while others said they did not know what the rules would be, or had not yet thought about it. When asked if it would be helpful if TC proactively sent information on this topic incorporating both federal and provincial regulations to rental agencies, participants said that would be a good thing.
A majority of participants said a concern is the renter hitting submerged rocks or debris, the latter particularly in the Georgian Strait where there may be “deadheads” – i.e. logs in the water lost from log booms. The geology of some lakes, particularly in northern Ontario but elsewhere as well, is such that there can be submerged rocks that are not close to shore. Hitting a rock may not result in any injuries, but it can cause serious damage to the watercraft.
The ways mentioned for addressing this risk were:
Some rental businesses are on lakes or rivers where the water level is controlled by a dam, and the water level can vary considerably over the course of a season, or even over the course of a few days. If the boater is not aware of this possibility, an area that they boated in previously could be unsafe at another time due to a lower water level. A few suggested TC should encourage better marking of areas that are hazardous at times of low water.
A related concern is driving into shallow water near the shore. This is particularly a risk for less experienced boaters who do not understand the depth of water required for safe watercraft operation.
Several participants said they have boats equipped with depth finders. However, one of them said this is not all that helpful for purposes of avoiding collisions with rocks because “it shows you how deep it was five seconds ago 30 feet behind you.” They said it would take a much more expensive system to show what is ahead of the boater.
Boaters are required by law to have a lifejacket or PFD (Personal Flotation Device) on board for each person on a watercraft, including both powered and human-powered watercraft. The law does not require the lifejackets or PFDs to be worn.
Note on terminology used by participants, and used in the report: In posing the main questions about lifejackets/PFDs, the interviewer referred to both lifejackets and PFDs. In their comments, participants almost always only referred to “lifejackets.” While there is a technical difference between lifejackets and PFDs, our impression was that participants were using the term “lifejacket” in a broad generic sense, encompassing both lifejackets and PFDs. In this report, we will use “lifejacket(s)” in this broad generic sense.
Participants said that, as required by law, they provide a lifejacket that fits for every person on board. The exception was one participant who said they do not stock or provide lifejackets for children, and therefore tell parents they must supply lifejackets for their children; other participants do provide lifejackets for children.
Several participants commented that sometimes people who bring their own lifejackets bring one that does not fit properly, so they routinely check for this and will provide a lifejacket if necessary. They said this particularly can be an issue for children, where the lifejacket brought by the parent may be too large or too small.
As context for the lifejacket discussion, participants were asked about the potential for hypothermia and swimming ability:
The typical stance of the rental agency is that they equip the renters with lifejackets and show them where these are, but they leave it up to the renters to decide whether or not to wear them. There are, though, variations and exceptions across participants:
A few participants said they try to discourage parents from bringing an infant on board because of the difficulty of fitting a lifejacket and what might happen in the water.
Several of the participants renting houseboats said they encourage or require children to wear a lifejacket when outside the cabin.
Overall, participants said their impression is that most parents are responsible in ensuring their children wear a lifejacket, and that often the parent will then wear one also in order to set an example. That said, several said that parents may be more lax with older children (early teens), or if they believe their child is a good swimmer.
Participants were asked why they thought people might not wear a lifejacket, and various ideas were given:
A boat has a capacity limit expressed in terms of weight and number of people. Quite a few participants mentioned they had concerns about the boat getting overloaded. The main concern expressed is about renters who pick up other people (without telling the rental agency) after leaving the dock. Participants said they think this sometimes happens deliberately – e.g. when a large party arrives and discovers not everyone can fit on the boat, and the renter surreptitiously arranges to pick up the other people somewhere else. It can also be unplanned – for example people at a campsite or cottage might later have other people at the campsite/cottage get on the boat.
There are several negative consequences that can happen in these circumstances:
Two other issues were mentioned by some participants in connection with overloading/adding new people:
Some participants expressed concerns about renters leaving the dock and then subsequently returning to dock the boat. This concern is exacerbated if space is tight in the marina used by the rental agency. The main concern is damage to the watercraft and/or to other watercraft. This concern particularly applies to less experienced boaters, and there are two senses in which a boater may be less experienced:
One way some participants address this issue is by taking less experienced boaters out for a short test drive. In addition to helping the rental agency assess the renter’s skills, it gives the renter a chance to get a feel for the controls.
Several participants – particularly those renting large boats – avoid the problem by not letting the renter handle the boat when leaving or docking. They will take the renter out to open water, and have them call ahead when returning and/or provide a temporary place to dock that is easier to deal with.
One participant who rents large boats said they ask the renter to practice “docking” next to a piece of driftwood out on open water before returning and docking the boat for real.
Collisions around the dock can result in serious damage, but usually do not cause safety problems for people (unless speed is a factor). Several participants renting larger boats said there can be a safety issue for people during docking if a person jumps off the boat in order to try to help tie up the boat. What can happen is they try to use their body to stop the boat, and since this will be ineffective they can get injured. A few participants renting houseboats said they try to impress on renters not to try to stop the boat with their body – e.g. one tells them the boat “is the equivalent of three elephants” to try to get the concept across.
Some participants were on bodies of water where there are a lot of other boats. These participants said there is a concern about the renter hitting another boat, particularly when there are a lot of other boaters going relatively fast. The problem can be if the renter driving the boat is focused only on what’s ahead of them, and then turns the boat without first looking back. The participants try to stress to the renter to always be aware of what’s all around them, and to generally stay away from getting close to other boats.
One way the safety of a renter may be compromised is by the behaviour of other boaters. The main concern mentioned by some participants in this regard is the wake produced by other boats. A large wake may be produced by a boat speeding too close to the renter’s boat. Some also said a particular concern is the increasing popularity of wake boats: they said that these can cause large waves from up to 200 to 300 feet away. A large wake can cause a small boat to become unstable, and can cause damage to a larger boat such as a houseboat. For example, one participant who rents houseboats said they have had “people tossed out of their chairs” and “dishes broken” because of the rocking of the boat caused by a large wake.
There is not much the renter can do in these circumstances. Ideally the renter would turn the boat into the wake. However, they may not have been given instructions about what to do in this situation, or they may not have time to maneuver the boat, or they may not appreciate how far the wake from a wakeboat travels.
A different type of problem mentioned by a few participants who rent large boats is the behaviour of smaller watercraft – especially PWCs. They said that these boaters may not realize how much time it takes for a large boat to turn or to slow down. These other boaters may come too close, or may not follow proper “rules of the road” and risk collision. One participant particularly pointed their finger at the “hourly renters” who have little boating experience. They felt those other rental businesses should either not be renting to inexperienced people, or at least should give better instruction about behaviour on the water.
Among participants who rent out PWCs, most said their biggest concern is renting to a group, and particularly to a group of younger men. The problem is they may drive too fast and too close to each other, causing a risk of collision that will cause damage to the machine and possibly injury to the riders.
The perceived contributing factors include:
And, in the case of a group of younger men, there are the general factors discussed elsewhere in the report that cause them to be associated with higher concerns about safety (see the earlier section, Customer Types and Safety Concerns).
The participants said they try to address this by emphasizing the damage deposit and the cost to the renter. A few tell stories of injuries from PWC collisions – e.g. “you could break your buddy’s leg.” A few said with respect to making turns they tell people to act is if they were in a car – that is, look before turning and signal the turn.
A safety concern mentioned by a few participants is a group that rents a boat and a PWC. Out on the water, the renters may try to transfer people between the boat and the PWC. This creates a risk of collision.
Note that several participants who had previously rented PWCs said they no longer rent them because of the safety and liability concerns.
The following are safety concerns associated with canoes and/or kayaks mentioned by participants that particularly pertain to novices.
The boats are tippy: Novices may not realize how tippy the boats are. This can cause problems right at the dock – for example a participant said there had been instances over the year of people falling into the water right at the dock while trying to get into a canoe. Falling in the water at the dock is manageable for the rental agency, but falling into the water on open water can be more serious. One participant said there had been cases of people needing to be rescued because of falling out of the boat.
Getting into the boat after falling out: Related to the above point, novices may have difficulty getting back into the boat if it has tipped over. For example, one participant said there had been an instance of two seniors in a kayak who tipped over and were unable to get back into the kayak; a passing boater rescued them. A participant noted that it’s not possible in a short rental to teach a person how to flip an overturned kayak upright.
Impact of wind: Several participants said novices do not appreciate the difficulty of paddling against the wind. One participant said they have had people call them because of inability to get back to the dock due to wind. One said a group walked back to the dock on the shore because they could not make it on the water.
An issue that can affect all paddlers, but particularly novices, is the impact of wake produced by passing power boats. Because of the small size and tippiness of the boats, they are particularly affected by the wake from other boats.
A general instruction participants said they give to paddlers is to stay close to shore, to reduce the risk if there are issues with tipping over or with the wind.
The following are safety concerns associated with houseboats mentioned by participants.
Impact of wind: Participants noted that the design of houseboats is such that they are very affected by wind. Houseboat novices, and even renters with prior experience on smaller boats, may not fully appreciate the effects of wind on a houseboat. A few commented that with customers who have experience with smaller boats, they really have to emphasize the impact wind can have during the safety briefing, because these customers may not take the information as seriously as they should.
The wind affects the houseboat not only when it’s on the water, but also when moored, and participants were particularly concerned that the boats be moored properly. The safety briefing includes instruction on how to tie the boat down, but sometimes renters still do not do it properly. One participant believed this was again more of an issue with renters with prior experience on other types of boats, who may think they already know how to tie a boat down properly. One participant said if they have concerns in this area about a renter, they may drive out and check that a boat is tied down properly.
A houseboat does not maneuver like smaller boats: Because of its weight, a houseboat does not respond as quickly to the controls as smaller, lighter boats. A renter with previous experience on smaller boats may not anticipate the difference in handling, which could lead to a risk of collision. Participants said the best way to address this is through a short test drive with the renter in order to give them a feel for the controls.
Children: Because of the size and design of a houseboat, children have some space that can result in them “running around” (e.g. excitement when using the slide). Surfaces on a boat can become wet and slippery if people are swimming (e.g. using a slide on the houseboat). One participant commented they try to “scare” the parents a bit by emphasizing the risk of a child falling overboard if they are “running around.” As noted earlier, several participants said they encourage or require children to wear a lifejacket when outside the cabin.
Seniors: Some participants said they have concerns when renting a houseboat to seniors. This is because of the physical demands of mooring the boat, which requires jumping off the boat and strength to tie the boat down. One participant said there have been occasions when they will go out and help with the mooring.
Some participants suggested that pontoon boats are generally safer than other boats because they will not sink, they are more stable, and they go slow.
The safety concerns flagged for pontoon boats were.similar to houseboats:
As discussed earlier, alcohol consumption is a widespread concern. Some said it is particularly a concern for pontoon rentals because some renters come with an attitude or belief that it is acceptable to drink on a pontoon boat.
Participants were encouraged to offer suggestions for things TC should focus on or do in the upcoming rental boat safety campaign. Many participants had to think a bit about this, and some did not have any suggestions. It was also the case that while some types of suggestions were more common than others, the suggestions did not strongly converge on a few particular priorities. Our impression is that this is probably because overall participants felt that they are doing a good job of managing safety risks, and so suggestions for TC’s priorities for the campaign do not always immediately come to mind.
Suggestions referenced earlier in the report are summarized below, together with page number references. These are divided into those that were more frequently mentioned, and those that were mentioned by one or several participants.
Provide a section on the TC website for rental businesses (p. 18): This would put everything pertinent to rental businesses in one easy-to-find location in order to provide a single “go to” source for information. It could also have a consumer-oriented section that businesses could point to for people interested in renting a watercraft.
Make hard copies of the Safe Boating Guide more easily available (p. 17): Hard copies of the Guide are difficult to come by, and hard copy can be better as a format for the purpose of sharing with renters.
Proactively send information to rental agencies on resources developed by TC (p. 26): This suggestion was triggered in particular by TC’s current Rental Boat Safety Checklist, which quite a few participants had not seen. The larger point is that if TC does not send information on the resources it has developed, rental businesses may not become aware of these resources.
Address alcohol and boating (p. 31): Focus on improving awareness of the rules and of the consequences if caught breaking the rules.
Inform rental businesses of their rights and obligations with respect to cannabis (p. 31): Because cannabis was only very recently legalized, most participants have not yet gotten any information on what it means for their business.
Work with industry associations (p. 19): Industry associations are good at communicating with members, and so can be a good communication channel for reaching some rental businesses.
Add a driving test component to the PCOC (p. 20): The goal would be to provide renters – as well as other new boaters – with some basic hands-on training in operating watercraft.
Provide a short video (p. 22): This would be a short video that highlights key safety points.
Provide the TC Rental Boat Safety Checklist in an easy to customize format (p. 25): This would, for example, allow the rental agency to put their name/branding on the checklist, to provide contact information if the renter needs help while on the water, and to customize the contents to their boats and to their safety concerns.
Encourage renters to be aware of the dangers of shoals (p. 32): The possibility of hitting shoals and damaging the watercraft was a common concern, and this led to a suggestion this be one of the targets for TC’s campaign.
Provide a designated contact in TC for rental agencies (p. 18): This could complement the suggestion to provide a section on the TC website for rental agencies.
Work with police services on enforcement policies (p. 15): The specific concern that led to this suggestion was a participant’s observation that police did not appear to enforce safe driving rules such as speed limits.
Provide financial support for installing GPS systems (p. 15): This would be to help rental agencies monitor renters when they are out of sight.
The following are other participant suggestions that were not mentioned earlier in the report.
Provide handouts/display materials: Some version of this was mentioned by quite a few participants. These participants would appreciate having safety-oriented materials in their rental office that customers can see and perhaps pick up. It can be nice to have something to show or give to people when they come in. More importantly, they said it can help to reinforce safety messages because it can add more authority to the message: “it’s not just me saying this, the government is saying this also.” This is helpful generally, but particularly for messages that may be met with some resistance or skepticism, such as “don’t drink alcohol”, or “wear a lifejacket.” Therefore, it would be important that the materials be clearly branded as being from the government.
Two types of materials in terms of format were suggested – posters and handouts. With regard to the handouts, it was emphasized that these should be short, because participants said people do not want to have to read a lot. One suggestion, for example, was a very brief summary of basic safety regulations and recommendations people could take with them.
Message to renters – Be aware of what’s around you: This suggestion is a generalization of the more specific suggestion mentioned earlier about making people aware of the dangers of shoals. A frequent concern of the participants was risks to the watercraft in the environment around the renter: running into shoals, going into water that is too shallow, collision with other boats, people in the water, the impact of the wake produced by other boats. A communication theme of “be aware of what’s around you” could encompass all of these types of safety risks.
Lifejackets: Some participants suggest the campaign include promotion of wearing lifejackets. It should be noted the majority of participants do not actively encourage renters to wear a lifejacket all the time, but some do, and some encourage it in particular circumstances. Our impression from the interviews is that a lifejacket message should give reasons for wearing a lifejacket, and focus on circumstances where it is particularly important to have one on.
Include ethnic communities in Canada as a target group: Participants said that it can be good for business to encourage newcomers to Canada to try boating, but as discussed earlier there can sometimes be a language barrier in conveying safety information. This motivated a suggestion to target this segment as part of TC’s rental boat safety campaign.
Don’t scare people away: A few participants were concerned that TC’s campaign might go too far in highlighting risks to safety, such that novice boaters would be afraid to rent a boat. The suggestion was that the message needs to include the idea that the risks can be effectively managed.
Encourage novices interested in trying out boating to get their Pleasure Craft Operators Card: This will not by itself make them safe boaters because it does not include hands-on experience in the water, but it does give people a basic level of education about safety.
Promote “mind your wake”: This suggestion was prompted by the perceived growing popularity of wakeboats, which produce a wake that can be a problem for other boaters, as well as docks and shorelines.
Provide a template for doing an effective safety orientation for use by new rental businesses: This could help a new businesses reduce trial-and-error in designing their safety orientation process.
Require documented sailing experience for people who rent a sailboat: The participant said sailing experience is not required now to rent a sailboat, and said that the technical demands of sailing are such that sailing experience should be a requirement for a rental.
Use this screener for recruiting from the list provided.
In the participant profile, also include the following information from the list:
Hello/Bonjour, I'm ___________ of (Synchro Research/Ad Hoc Research), a public opinion research company. We are organizing a research project on behalf of the Government of Canada, specifically Transport Canada. The study is about the experiences of rental agencies with recreational boat renters related to boating safety. The research results will help to inform the development of a rental boating safety campaign
May I please speak with (NAME FROM LIST)?
If not available: When would be a good time for me to call back?______________________
If no longer there:
We would like to speak to the owner or a manager of the business who would be involved in providing boating safety information to recreational boat renters. Who should I speak to in your company to see if they would be interested in being part of this study?
Record:
| Name: | ___________________________________________ |
| Phone #: | _____________________________________ |
When connected, read the Introduction, then read:
Would you prefer that I continue in English or in French? Préférez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais? [If prefers French, either switch to the French screener and continue, or say the following and then hang up and arrange French-language call-back] Nous vous rappellerons pour mener cette entrevue de recherche en français. Merci. Au revoir.
Go to Qualified Contact Introduction
We would like to speak to the owner or a manager of the business who would be involved in providing boating safety information to recreational boat renters. Who should I speak to in your company to see if they would be interested in being part of this study?
Record:
| Name: | ___________________________________________ |
| Phone #: | _____________________________________ |
If not available: When would be a good time for me to call back?______________________
When connected, read the Introduction, then read:
Would you prefer that I continue in English or in French? Préférez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais? [If prefers French, either switch to the French screener and continue, or say the following and then hang up and arrange French-language call-back] Nous vous rappellerons pour mener cette entrevue de recherche en français. Merci. Au revoir.
Continue to Qualified Contact Introduction
Note to recruiter: When terminating a call with someone, say: Thank you for your cooperation. We already have enough participants who have a similar profile to yours, so we are unable to invite you to participate.
Thank you. We are organizing a research project on behalf of the Government of Canada, specifically Transport Canada. As part of its mandate to develop and promote boating safety, Transport Canada (TC) is developing a rental boating safety campaign. The purpose of this research project is to learn more about the experiences of rental agencies with recreational boat renters related to boating safety.
Do you rent watercraft of any sort to recreational boaters?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
Are you the owner of the business or a manager who would be involved in providing boating safety related information to recreational boat renters?
| Yes | 1 | Continue |
| No | 2 | Ask for contact |
I’d like to tell you a bit more about the study and ask some questions to see if you fit the profile of the types of people we are looking for in this research. This will take 4 or 5 minutes. May I continue?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
In this research project, you would take part in a 45 to 60 minute online interview, which involves logging on to a website and using the phone for the audio portion of the interview. I’ll schedule the interview for a later time at your convenience, and you would receive a cash honorarium as a thank you for your time.
Participation in this research is completely voluntary, and your decision about taking part will not affect any dealings you may have with the Government of Canada. Your identity will be kept confidential, and neither your name nor the name of your business will be given to the government. You are free to opt out at any time. All information collected will be used for research purposes only in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act.
May I continue?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
Thank you.
1) Are you the …… ? (Read list)
| Owner | 1 |
| Manager | 2 |
| Or do you hold some other position in the business? (Describe) | 3 ___________________________________ |
2a) Which of the following types of watercraft do you make available for rental to recreational boaters? Please only include bareboat rentals where you do not provide a crew. (Read list; accept all answers)
| A | Tiller-steered motorized boats, excluding sailboats | 1 | |
| A | Wheel steered boats, excluding sailboats | 2 | |
| B | Houseboats | 3 | |
| C | Pontoon boats | 4 | |
| D | Sailboats | 5 | |
| E | Personal watercraft | 6 | |
| F | Canoes, kayaks, rowboats or other non-motorized small boats* | 7 | Ask Q.2b |
| None of these | 8 | Thank and end the interview |
2b) [If code 7 in Q. 2a, ask Q.2b] Are these guided rentals only, that is accompanied by a guide in another watercraft, non-guided rentals, or do you offer both types of rentals?
| Guided rentals | 1 | If only type of watercraft rented, thank and end the interview |
| Non-guided rentals | 2 | |
| Both types of rentals | 3 |
3a) [If more than one type mentioned in Q.2a, ask Q.3a] You mentioned that you rent more than one type of watercraft. Is there one type of watercraft with which you do the most business?
| Yes | 1 | Ask Q. 3b |
| No | 2 | Record all types rented in Q2a in the quota grid |
3b) Which type watercraft would that be? (Record this type in the quota grid)
| A | Tiller-steered motorized boats, excluding sailboats | 1 |
| A | Wheel steered boats, excluding sailboats | 2 |
| B | Houseboats | 3 |
| C | Pontoon boats | 4 |
| D | Sailboats | 5 |
| E | Personal watercraft | 6 |
| F | Canoes, kayaks, rowboats or other non-motorized small boats | 7 |
| Minimum Quota Target | Type of watercraft |
| 16 | Type A: Tiller-steered and wheel-steered |
| 4 | Type B: Houseboats |
| 4 | Type C: Pontoons |
| 4 | Type D: Sailboats |
| 8 | Type E: Personal watercraft |
| 4 | Type F: Non-motorized – kayak, canoe, rowboat |
These quotas account for 40 of the 50 interviews to be completed. The remaining 10 interviews can come from any category, providing at least 8 are in Types A, B, C, D or E
4a) Including yourself, how many people are employed in your watercraft rental business at the height of the season?
| 1-2 employees | 1 |
| 3-5 employees | 2 |
| 6-9 employees | 3 |
| 10 or more employees | 4 |
4b) How long has your company been in the watercraft rental business?
| 1 year or less | 1 |
| 2 to 3 years | 2 |
| 4 to 5 years | 3 |
| 6 to 10 years | 4 |
| More than 10 years | 5 |
Let me tell you some more about this study to see if you would like to take part.
5) As I mentioned earlier, the research involves an online interview. To take part you will log on to a website and use the phone for the audio portion of the interview. The interview will last 45 to 60 minutes. Do you feel comfortable doing this?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
There may be someone from Transport Canada who has been involved in this project listening to the online interview. However, they will not take part in the interview in any way, and they will not be given your name or the name of your business. Is this acceptable to you?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
The interviewer will make an audio recording of the interview. These recordings are used to help with analyzing the findings and writing the report. Neither your name nor the name of your business will appear in the research report. Is this acceptable to you?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Thank and end the interview |
Thank you. I’d like to schedule the interview with you. It will last 45 to 60 minutes, and following your participation we will send you an honorarium of $150.
Schedule a date/time based on information provided by the interviewer
In the schedule of interviews, show the time of the interview in both the participant’s local time and in EST.
[If outside of Quebec:] The interview will be conducted by Rick Robson of Sage Research. Rick will call you at [time] on [date].
[If Quebec:] The interview will be conducted by Sylvain Laroche of Sage Research. Sylvain will call you at [time] and [date].
Just to confirm, the name I wrote down for you is [insert name]. Is that correct?
| Yes | 1 | |
| No | 2 | Get correct name |
Name:__________________________________________________________
What telephone number should we use for the interview?
Telephone number:____________________________
I’d like to send you an email confirming the date and time, and who will be interviewing you. Please give me an email address to use for this purpose?
Email:__________________________________________________________
As we are only inviting a small number of people to participate in this research, your participation is very important to us. If for some reason you are unable to do the interview at the arranged time, please give us a call so that we can reschedule or get another business to replace yours. You can reach us at [Insert recruiter’s phone #]. Please ask for [recruiter’s contact name].
[If applicable, also provide email address:] You can also get in touch with us be email. The email address is [insert recruiter’s email address]
Please note that you may not have someone else do the interview if you are unable to do the interview.
Someone from our company will call you back before the interview to confirm these arrangements.
Thank you very much for agreeing to participate in this study!
Record gender based on observation:
| Male | 1 |
| Female | 2 |
Recruited by:
Confirmed by:
Should a participant require more information about the interview, please refer them to the interviewer Rick Robson and give them one of the following contact options:
1) The person can call Rick at 905-577-4040, ext. 5
2) Rick can call the participant instead at a time convenient to them
3) Rick can be contacted via email rick.robson@sageresearch.ca
Should a participant require validation that this is a legitimate research project, please refer them to:
Carol Lau
Transport Canada
613-991-0043
Should a participant require more information about the interview, please refer them to the interviewer Sylvain Laroche and give them one of the following contact options:
1) The person can call Sylvain at 514-572-1489
2) Sylvain can call the participant instead at a time convenient to them
3) Sylvain can be contacted via email sylvainlaroche@videotron.ca
Should a participant require validation that this is a legitimate research project, please refer them to:
Carol Lau
Transport Canada
613-991-0043
To take part in the interview, you will need to log onto a website and use your phone for the audio portion of the interview. Please be sure to have this information available for the call. The interview is scheduled for 45 to 60 minutes.
The interviewer will call you and once you are connected on the phone, the interviewer will ask you to log onto the website using the link provided below.
Date:
Time:
Interviewer: The person conducting the interview will be Rick Robson/Sylvain Laroche of Sage Research Corporation. He will call you on the date and time above at [Insert telephone # given by participant from profile sheet].
This is the link to the website you will need to use once you and Rick are connected on the phone.
XXXXXX
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this research interview!
This research is being done on behalf of the Government of Canada and specifically a group within Transport Canada involved in promoting recreational boating safety.
Transport Canada is developing a rental boating safety campaign, and the results of this research will be used to help develop that campaign. The campaign will be directed at boat rental agencies, their employees as well as members of the public who occasionally rent boats.
The following are some of the topics, we will cover during the interview:
What is your position in the company? What is your role in the company with respect to providing boating safety information to recreational boat renters?
Besides yourself, how many other people at your location are involved in providing boating safety information to recreational boat renters?
Where is your rental agency located? What types of waterways are your rental customers using? (lakes, rivers, canals, coastal waters)
What types of watercraft do you rent out? (Keep the focus on bareboat rentals).
What are the most common types you rent out?
What is the typical length of a rental?
Note to interviewer: Adapt the questions and probes in the interview guide to the types of watercraft rented.
What is the range of boating experience of your rental customers? Is there a typical level of experience?
Probes: By type of watercraft
Motorized: Do you rent to customers who do not have a Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC) or other proof of competency? (Probe) Roughly, what percentage of your renters have a PCOC or other proof of competency?
How do you typically learn about the safety features or needs of the watercraft you rent out?
Probes: Vendor you buy the watercraft from
User manual
Safe Boating Guide available from Transport Canada
Probe: If not mentioned, ask if aware of
If aware: Used it?
If aware/not used: What are your impressions of it? Any particular reasons you haven’t used it?
If aware/use: Is it helpful to you? Why/why not?
Small Vessel Regulations
Probe: If not mentioned, ask if aware of
If aware: Used it?
If aware/not used: What are your impressions of it? Any particular reasons you haven’t used it?
If aware/use: Is it helpful to you? Why/why not?
[Time permitting:] What sort of maintenance schedule do you have for the watercraft you rent out?
Probes: How often is safety equipment on board the watercraft checked?
What is your company’s approach to giving a safety briefing to recreational boat renters?
Probes: Does the approach vary with the level of experience/proof of competency of the customer? If so, in what ways and what are the reasons for that?
What areas do you focus on in the safety briefing?
Are there any printed or web-based materials or videos that you use as part of the safety briefing? If so, what, and what is their role?
Do you use a checklist with the customer? If yes, are you using the checklists available from the Canadian Safe Boating Council, or some other checklist?
At this point, show a relevant Transport Canada checklist available at the CSBC website: Here’s an example of one of the checklists available from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC).
What challenges does your company sometimes have in delivering effective safety briefings to rental customers? Are there challenges specific to certain types of watercraft?
(As challenges are mentioned, ask how they handle the challenge, and if there are any resources that Transport Canada might provide that could help – e.g. pamphlets, videos, training manuals for staff)
Probes: Staff (Note to Interviewer: Ask only if have staff):
Rental customer:
Once the customer is on the water and perhaps out of sight, you don’t have any direct control over what they actually do, and whether or not they follow the safety instructions that you’ve given them.
Probes: Not wearing a PFD or lifejacket; not appreciating the dangers of hypothermia if they fall in the water. (Probe) Do you ever ask about swimming ability?
Drinking alcohol
Not following the rules of the road while out on the water – e.g. going too fast, or inappropriate actions relative to other boats, swimmers, or the shoreline
Not properly using navigational aids on the water such as buoys and beacons
Not remembering or knowing how to deal with emergency situations
Thank you for your help! The report on this project will be available to the public, and you will be able to access it online at the Library and Archives Canada website. As I mentioned earlier, the report will not have any names in it, so your contribution will be anonymous.
The firm that recruited you for this interview, namely [Synchro Research; Ad Hoc Recherche], will mail you a cheque for $150 as a thank you for taking part in this interview.
Thanks again!
1BOATSmart, Know the Facts about Drinking and Boating in Canada!, May 18, 2018, https://www.boatsmartexam.com/know-the-facts-about-drinking-and-boating-in-canada/