Everything To Know About The Pleasure Craft Operator Card

All operators of motorized watercraft are required to take an exam to obtain their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). The card is required for any operator of a recreational boat using a motor, including boats with trolling or auxiliary motors, and including boats with motors turned off while the craft is moving. Once obtained, the PCOC is good for life, and never has to be renewed.

Boaters must take their exam from an accredited provider. In addition to accreditation, providers should have a business history and business features, including a building and staff. Only the course provider who issued the PCOC may issue a replacement, so boaters will want to make sure that their provider is one who will stay in business for a long time.

Operators may take a course in-class, online, or via correspondence. All courses are provided by private companies, and the government collects no fees. A class taken in a physical classroom gives boaters the chance to interact with their instructor, as well as other boaters, and to ask questions. On the other hand, a correspondence course allows boaters the opportunity to study at their own pace. Online testing usually includes the exam only, but some providers do offer study materials.

The PCOC exam covers a variety of topics. Courses may include basic nautical terms, weather terminology, boating regulations, and safety precautions. Courses may also include topics like understanding aids to navigation, sharing waters with others, and responding to emergencies. On the exam, boaters must earn a score of seventy-five percent to pass. Boaters may sit for the test once in a twenty-four hour period.

Boaters without PCOCs may prove competency in other ways. Boaters may submit proof of having completed a boater safety course before April 1, 1999. Boaters may also submit a specified marine certificate, which would be among those listed on the Transport Canada website. Also, foreign visitors may provide an equivalent document, from their own country, as proof of competence.

Persons renting a boat do not have to have a PCOC. For renters, a rental boat safety checklist is administered, by the person providing the watercraft. The safety allowance ends when the rental period ends, and it must be renewed with every rental. Boaters who do not have a PCOC, or other proof of competency, could face a $250 fine.

Boaters have to contact their exam provider to replace a lost or stolen card. Sometimes, however, boaters may forget the name of the provider, who originally issued the PCOC. In this case, boaters should check to see if they kept a copy of the letter or receipt that accompanied their PCOC. To prevent permanent loss, boaters should always photocopy their cards upon receipt. Otherwise, boaters will be required to retake the exam, in order to have a PCOC reissued.

Earning a Pleasure Craft Operator Card requires very little time and effort. However, the time that boaters invest in learning about safety is time well spent. Boaters who do not have a PCOC may provide other proof of competency, although certain restrictions apply. To replace a lost card, boaters will have to contact their exam provider.