Boating Season Is Here. Three Conversations Worth Having Before the First Long Weekend.
Companion to Beyond the Policy: The Marina Mistake Every Broker Hears About in May
May 11, 2026
Over 100 boating fatalities every year in Canadian waters. Most of them are preventable.
Boating season is here. From Muskoka to Howe Sound, every marina is about to fill up. And every May, brokers across Canada take the same call from clients: “I clipped the dock.” The most common claims of the season are also the most preventable, which is exactly why the spring conversation matters more than the post-incident one.
In our latest Beyond the Policy episode, hosts Sarah Mitchell and Liam Fraser walk brokers through what every pleasure craft client should be reviewing before the first warm Friday afternoon.
Three coverage conversations worth having now
1. Hull coverage at agreed value. Pleasure craft depreciate fast. Actual cash value settlements after a serious loss can leave clients disappointed. Agreed value protects what the boat is actually worth today.
2. Third-party liability sized for a serious incident. A docking bump that damages a fibreglass hull is one number. An incident that injures a swimmer or knocks a kayaker into cold water is a very different one. Liability limits should be sized for the worst plausible scenario, not the most common one.
3. Who’s allowed to operate the boat under the policy. Spouse, kids, the friend who comes up to the cottage every July. That conversation has to happen with the broker before the keys get handed over, not after.
The federal rules clients still get wrong every spring
These come from the Canada Shipping Act and apply nationwide:
– 10 km/h speed limit within 30 meters of shore. Sign or no sign. The rule applies whether or not it’s posted.
– Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Required for every motorized vessel in Canada, regardless of size. The operator at the wheel must hold one, and it must be on the boat.
– Age 16 minimum for Personal Watercraft. That includes jet skis, Sea-Doos, and WaveRunners. No exceptions, no parental supervision workaround.
– Younger operators on regular boats. Under 12, up to 10 horsepower without supervision. Ages 12 to 15, up to 40 horsepower.
What this means for brokers and clients
When a client understands their coverage, they trust it. When the operator at the wheel is licensed, the boat is well maintained, and the policy reflects the boat’s real-world value, the renewal call replaces the claims call.
The renewal conversation is the one that protects the boat. The claims conversation is the one that proves it didn’t.
Listen to the full episode.
Beyond the Policy: The Marina Mistake Every Broker Hears About in May.
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
🎙️ Listen now
For brokers: Quote Beacon Boats and Personal Watercraft at portal.spgcanada.ca.
For policyholders: Talk to your insurance broker today.
