SAFETY FIRST
Safety, licensing & boating requirements
Everything you need to know before you leave the dock.
Good news: no boating license required
You do not need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) to rent from us. Transport Canada allows guests to operate rental boats and personal watercraft after completing our on-site safety briefing and signing the official Rental Boat Safety Checklist. This checklist acts as your temporary authorization for the rental period and must stay on board.
Beyond the checklist, our fleet meets Transport Canada's required safety equipment standards for each
vessel size, and we supply properly fitted life jackets for every passenger. Our staff also share practical tips for navigating Okanagan Lake safely, including seasonal wind patterns, popular swimming and wakesurfing areas, and right-of-way rules.
Safety equipment we provide
Every rental includes properly fitted life jackets for all passengers, plus
the Transport Canada required safety gear for the vessel size — throw line, sound signaling device, buoyant heaving line, and more where applicable.
Age requirements
Seadoos require operators to be 16+. Power boat and pontoon operators may be younger under direct adult supervision depending on the vessel — call ahead to confirm for your group.
Okanagan Lake rules & tips
Observe posted no-wake zones, keep 5 knots or less within 30m of
shore, know your right-of-way, and give paddleboarders and swimmers a wide berth. Our staff will point out popular wakesurf zones and quieter coves.
Weather & conditions awareness
Okanagan wind can shift quickly. Check the forecast the morning of your rental, stay closer to shore if whitecaps form, and contact us early if conditions look unsafe so we can reschedule.
Official resources
Transport Canada's Office of Boating Safety is the definitive source for regulations, safe-boating gear, and the Rental Boat Safety Checklist referenced above.