Boating 101
Boating 101 is a course that students take to learn the basics about boat terminology, safety equipment required on boats, navigation aids on the water, collision regulations and much more! A Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC) is required to operate a power boat legally in Canada. The course will prepare the students to write the online test provided through the local power squadron. There will we a $25 fee for writing the test which will happen towards the end of the course.
For fun, and to develop design & build skills, the students will construct a cardboard boat with a partner and race against each other as a class at Comox Lake in June.
About Writing the online PCOC Test
- The Transport Canada online final exam is an open-book exam.
- There will be 50 multiple choice questions.
- You will have 75 minutes to complete the online final exam.
- The passing grade is 75%
- If you do not achieve the passing grade for the final exam, retakes are free, however, after the second attempt, you must retake the online course again.
- You can use all your notes during the final exam.
- As soon as you pass the PCOC exam you will receive a temporary certificate and a permanent one will be mailed to you.
- This means you can go boating legally as soon as you have passed the exam!
Safe Boating Guide
Transport Canada publishes the Safe Boating Guide for Pleasure Craft Operators. The information in this guide is what needs to be known in order to both pass the PCOC test and be safe while operating motorized vessels on the water. Below is a link to the complete guide, as well as links to its various sections for convenience.
Safe Boating Guide (Transport Canada)
- Intro / Licensing / PCOC (pg. 4-14)
- Safety Equipment (pg. 15-33)
- Before You Go (pg. 35-41)
- On The Water (pg. 43-57)
- In An Emergency (pg. 59-65)
Additional Resources/Practice Quizzes
The following links are to study guides, slide shows, videos and online practice tests to prepare students for writing the PCOC Online.
Boaterexam.com – Study Guide/Video
Betterboating.ca – Watercraft Safety Study Guide – PDF – Booklet
ACEBoater.com – Course Manual – PDF Booklet
Boaterexam.com – Navigation Rules
Aceboater Practice Test
BC Boating Online Quiz
BOATsmart Practice Test
MyBoatCard Practice Test
Unit 1 – Boating Terminology
When speaking about boating, it isn’t long into a conversation before the use of nautical terms becomes necessary. When studying for your PCOC these boating specific terms and descriptors need to be learned from the outset for everything that is to follow depends on their understanding.
The following will help you to develop an understanding of boating terminology:
Parts of a boat – NOTES– slideshow (pdf format)
YouTube Videos
Unit 2 – Safety Equipment
Boat Requirements and Safety Equipment – Powerpoint
From the Safe Boating Guide for Pleasure Craft Operators…
- Safety Equipment (pg. 15-33)
Aids to Navigation (Buoys) – Unit 3
Lateral Buoys
Cardinal & Special Buoys
Aids to Navigation (Horizontal Chart)
Aids to Navigation (Video)
7 Knots for Marine Use
In boating, there are many useful knots to know. Students will learn to tie these knots (Bowline, Clove Hitch, Round Turn and Two Half Hitches, Sheet Bend, Square Knot, Cleat Hitch, Figure Eight) in class and will be tested on them.
Links to Animated/Video examples of knots
Knots by Grog
YouTube Video
Cardboard Boat Project
Students, with a partner, will design, model to scale, then construct a cardboard boat that they will sit in and race across a body of water.
Designing Your Boat (Fusion) – Part 1
Designing Your Boat (Fusion) – Part 2
Designing Your Boat (Fusion) – Part 3