Boating is an activity countless people enjoy during the summer months in Canada. In order to be at the controls of a boat legally, you must receive a pleasure craft operator card, signifying you have taken the necessary boating exam and are ready to be out on the water.
To receive the PCOC license, you must finish a three-hour online exam, passing questions for each module of learning before you move on to the final exam. Previously, the final boating exam for the pleasure craft operator card consisted of 36 questions, but in 2011 it was expanded to 50 questions. Now, to successfully get a PCOC license, you must have a more thorough knowledge of specific boating skills and show your knowledge on the boat exam. Only then will you get your operator card and be allowed out into the waterways.
Once you are in possession of your pleasure craft operator card, you can travel the waterways all across Canada. The boating exam used to be a supervised test, but now you can complete it from your home or through any internet connection. You can also take the boat exam in-person, and that test has also increased from 36 to 50 questions.
It is wise to get ready for your boat exam in advance, by picking up a copy of the BOATsmart home study guide, which is available at various Canadian Tire stores. The home study guide to help you take your boating exam is available as a printed copy or an interactive CD-ROM. You can take the in-person boat exam for your PCOC license at participating Canadian Tires, BOATsmart exam centres or BOATsmart safe boating events, which are held in jurisdictions and communities around the country. Once you make it through the boating exam and get your operator card or PCOC license, it is valid for life. You will get a temporary slip when you pass the boat exam so you can get out on the water as soon as you like.
The boat exam to get your pleasure craft operator card consists of 50 multiple choice questions. A passing grade in the boat exam is 75% or 38 correct answers out of the 50 questions. If you are operating a pleasure craft that has a motor and it is used for recreational purposes, you must carry proof of your competency on board the boat all the time. Your operator card acts as proof of competency, and if you are a non-resident operating a boat with a motor, the equivalent information from your state or country will suffice.
For Canadian residents who have passed the boat exam, proof of competency was required by certain dates for specific conditions. Boaters born after April 1, 1983 needed to carry the operator card on board by September 15, 1999. You needed proof of competency on board by September 15, 2002 if you operate a craft less than 4 meters long. All boaters who have passed the boat exam and have a pleasure craft operator card must have it on board by September 15, 2009.
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Fun and safety go hand in hand. Get your boat license the easy and safe way.
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