Boat Launch Etiquette Tips for Lac du Bonnet Launches!
Lac du Bonnet has over 60 kilometres of rivers and lakes to explore and six public boat launches to get you out onto the water! Popular boat launches can be a busy place, so etiquette, common sense, and courtesy are all that stand between good order and complete havoc.
Here are five tips for good boat launch etiquette:
1. Always complete all prep work first in the staging area—out of the way of the ramp where other boaters are launching.
2. Launch quickly and efficiently; have others in your crew assist you to make the process easier. If you see someone having difficulty launching their boat, lend a hand instead of getting upset or frustrated with people encountering problems.
3. As soon as your boat is off the trailer, pull back up the ramp and park in a DESIGNATED spot! Please do not park across driveways or block road access; you will be towed! If the launch parking area is full, check out one of the other six available options to launch your boat – here’s a list of them
4. When retrieving your boat, use a courtesy dock or tie up away from the launch area until your trailer is in place.
5. Load the boat onto the trailer, secure the winch at the bow and the safety chain, then proceed to the staging area to finish unloading, cleaning, and securing your trailer.
The legislation applies to everyone who uses a water body across the province from the general public to commercial operators.
The regulations target the method in which AIS are moved from one water body to another, namely watercraft, aircraft, motorized vehicles, water-related equipment and bait use. Individuals/operators will be required to take specified measures prior to entering and leaving a water body to prevent the movement of AIS from one water body to another.
For more information on the regulations, cleaning requirements, and legislation please visit Legislation, Regulations and Set Fines on the Government of Manitoba website. You can also find information about AIS in the Manitoba Angler’s Guide.
About the Safe Boating Ambassador Program
The Safe Boating Ambassador program is a community-driven initiative designed to increase boating safety and etiquette awareness in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba specific to the Lee River and Pinawa Channel. Working together, we will contribute to the education of safe waterway use by promoting:
1. Waterway safety, as governed by Transport Canada, and
2. General good boating etiquette for specific activities, focusing on those that occur on our waterways.
The Safe Boating Ambassadors are members of the boating community, avid paddlers, stand-up paddleboarders, wake surfers, water skiers, and boaters. The members will act as Waterway Safety Leaders for the community of Lac du Bonnet, sharing and encouraging all waterway users to safely partake in all waterway activities.
