canada water rules
 

so i spent the morning today learning the "rules" of boating in canadian waters. being i live in western newyork when i boat in lake Erie, upper niagara river, lower niagara river, or lake ontario. there are some rules to follow.

i will break it down and give you the short version

1- if you are not under power(floating), anchored, tied to another boat, or touch canadian land. you MUST call in.
if you touch land or tie up to another boat you must call into the US upon returning for inspection

2- if you are under power no need to call in.

3- you must provide citizen ship for EVERYONE on your boat including children. If the children arent yours you must have a letter from the childrens parents to prove your allowed to have them on your boat. and copy of a birth cert. for minors. AND it would be beneficial to have the letter from parents NOTORIZED.

4- if you want to go tubing or skiing with your kids and enter canadian water you must call in and are subject for inspection at nearest port. so make sure you have time set aside for that in your day of tubing

it was a 3 hour presentation this morning basically saying if you want to be in canadian water make sure you have 26 forms of id. leave the kids at home unless you have dna results showing direct bloodlines to prove the children arent kidnapped for a day out having fun. and if you do leave your country you have to get permission to re-enter and if you dont the first offense is a 2k fine and 10k fine anytime after that.

at the end it was basically stated that as an american boater in canadian waters we are guilty of being drug smugglers, gun smugglers, and terriorist threats until we are inspected and deemed trustworthy.

i wish i could have recorded it today

You left out the part that if the officer determines you are in Canadian waters, should have called in and didn't, they can fine you $1000 on the spot payable by cash or credit card and if you can't pay they impound the boat and charge you towing and storage till you do. This is right from the mouth of Canadian customs as I sat on my boat in Port Colbourne marina.

It's BS. We seem to welcome Canadians with open arms at ports such as PIB. I've also been told not to have a flare gun in Canadian waters.

Canadians are welcomed at Ports in the U.S. as well as Americans are welcome in Canadian Ports if everyone follows the Laws. Everything started on September 11. 2001, the World was never the same again. Take a flight and look at the screening you must go through before boarding, take your shoes off, take your belt off, take out everything in your pockets, place your purse, wallet in the basket, now let us frisk you or go through the X-Ray machine and you better have a Passport. These new precautions are all because of 911 not only in Canada or U.S. but around the world. When Canadians are boating in U.S. waters around the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. Canadians who plan to Land, Anchor or Cruise in American waters must first call in to U.S. Customs and everyone on board must have a Nexus Card, I-68 Permit for everyone on the boat. You must give U.S. Customs any information they ask for and if the direct you to go to a Port to be checked then you must do it before anything else happens. U.S. Customs may be satisfied with all your information and you are free to enjoy the day at a U.S. Port. Upon Returning to Canada you must call Canadian Customs and tell them that you are reentering Canadian waters and they may want to met with you at a Port or they may be satisfied with the information you have given them. This also goes for our American friends, you have to call Canadian Custom that you are entering Canadian waters and where you are going. Everyone must have a Nexus Card or I-68 Permit and when you return American waters you must call American Customs. There is no BS as to the way Americans are treated when they enter Canadian waters or Ports , from what Canadians are treated when we enter American waters or Ports. I use to like to cruise on the American side of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair when I had friends on board but now things have changed. As for the Flare Gun issue I haven't ever heard of a problem over here yet. I love to go to U.S. Ports for a change and to do things over there like the Old School Reunion or Metro Beach. Knowing this has been around for years go and get yourself a Nexus Card $50.00, good for 5 years. I got mine a few years ago and I would love to see you come to Canada so get yourself a Nexus Card and tell your friends to do the same and you shouldn't have any problem. Look the Customs and Border Patrol, Police and Coast Guard all treat you differently. You may get stopped by someone that isn't to nice or you may met some supper nice Law Enforcement people. It is what it is and there is no reason to **** on the other country, get the Nexus Card if you want to come over or don't come over, I'm glad I got mine and love to come over and met my American friends. One more thing, having alchol on the boat and drinking it differs in Canada from the U.S. but thats another issue.

Just a slight update to the reference to Nexus passes. If you call into a Nexus clearing number all passengers must have a Nexus otherwise you have to call into Canpass going to Canada. Americans coming back same kinda thing...if you call into Us Customs via the Nexus number all passengers must have Nexus otherwise you have to go to a port of entry that has a video phone. We've had Nexus for 2 yrs now and it's the best $50 you can spend. You can call in going either direction up to 4 hrs ahead of arrival and coming back to US none of the BS with video phone There's plenty of people that don't call in coming back but they're gonna make an example out of somebody and the last I want to read about is how US Customers acquired a 37 Active Thunder "chase boat" for their fleet!! Party on Garth

Thats a load of BS. canadian boaters get treated far worse.. like we are all criminals going to the USA. I have almost completely given up on boating to US destinations for that reason.. sick of it.

Somebody said what triggered the pissing contest was the US fisheries went after the Canadians about commercial fishing something or another. Now we have a pissing contest that we're pawns in?
I honestly haven't had any problems but I make sure I toe the line which isn't all that hard with Nexus in hand

I boat out of Crystal Beach in Canada on Lake Erie. We go to Buffalo by boat a few times a season. Last time we returned to Canada, we called customs, they told us to hold on and someone would be down soon to search us. Almost a 2 hour wait! The border is 15 minutes away. Then they got pissed because everyone was not sitting on the boat waiting. We were on a 20 ft bowrider. At least going into the US you can stop at a video phone and not have to wait around.

OK, I never meant to offend our Canadian friends. The US has a legitimate concern about national security but they should treat Canadians with the same respect and professionalism with which they have treated me. I've lived in a border area my whole life and been to Canada hundreds of times. As a kid we would go there just to drive around, then nudy bars, high alcohol beer, casinos etc. I've enjoyed an open border for over 50 years. I've unknownly broken these water laws at least a dozen times without knowing it including anchoring and swimming in Canadian waters or just drifting on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair which can be less crowded. I guess I've been lucky.

the best part of the whole presentation yesterday was when a guy asked the question " do all of your co-workers know the laws and enforce them the same way OR do they just make them up as they go?" that was asked to the 3 CANADIAN officers there..... it was so quiet for about 10 seconds you could hear a mouse fart... then the head of the buffalo launch club says "any more questions" and we never got an answer.......

SO YOUR POINTis DONT TRY TO OUT RUN THEM LIKE SOME DID IN AREA NOT TO LONG AGO,,, and you know who iam talking about

with that being said it reminded me of another rule.... the canadian police are now working together with the americans so if you run from them they can come into american waters and still get you!!!! the whole im back inm american water doesnt apply anymore.

you should have been at the meeting. it was at the buffalo launch club yesterday morning

Rules
 

I usually don't say to much on here.

But here it goes.
I would like to add a suggestion to Canadian boaters that boat in the US regularly: do your self a favor and have a "BR" ( border report # same number given with an I68) attached to your nexus card, have your usual boating friends do the same. when calling into US customs give this number and all your info will come up! get a vessel landing permit if over 30' and all will be good in your boating world!

As for whether the Canadian or US boarder protection officers are worse flip a coin it can go either way based on what mood their in and YOUR demeanor.
I've been run down by CBP helicopter crossing the lake in the cat for a private fun run ( pre arrival call in with nexus ).
I have sat on the deck of the same cat waiting for Canadian Customs to show up for an inspection for 2 hours after a charity fun run for Wertz Warriors .

AB said it best 911 changed the Great Lakes boating reality forever, it was the USA that asked Canada to step up boarder protection!
My boating brothers and sisters we support USA in their efforts to protect our common borders.

I miss the days when boats from the USA lined the docks of the "sand bar restaurant" "Belle river marina" "Light house restaurant" and "cove marina" this type of traffic is pretty sparse these days, I know its a bit of PITA and the economy/ gas prices don't help.

I enjoy meeting new people that share the common passion of boating!
SS

It is also good to remind yourseves of the drinking laws etc in both waters. They are different regs there that can also get sticky. Good post 88. Remember that touching Candian soil also means if your Anchor is touching bottom in Candian waters!

Also good point...customs agencies with homeland securty, coast gaurd etc are running more US/Canadian integrated teams especially boat teams (can't find the article).

Yeah the stuff I read goes something like this....in order to consume alcohol on a boat it has to be docked or anchored and must be considered a "bonifide residence" which is defined as having a sleeping berth, galley and PERMANENT head. Regardless of boat size you can not have alcohol accessible while underway unless it's a charter etc.. That means no coolers or even empties in the holders. Drifting in the West river throwing them back is a sure way to get popped sooner or later.

Here's a real good reference on the drinking laws

http://boating.ncf.ca/alcohol.html

Thats correct! "Beer on the Pier and water on the water". Where did I hear that before?

Great post Bullet, wish that meeting was open to all, its a shame we have all become criminals because of 9/11, and alot of us answer bye saying we don't boat the west river, what about when we run to sunset? its all canadian water between the bridges and out past the roundhouse,
I can't tell you the number of people who I have known, that grew tired of all the laws and bs that have gotten outta boating, another reason I've become found of inland lake boating over the last few years

Get your Nexus.....check in via cell....easy in and out...go enjoy boating!

X2 unless you really don't want someone taking your finger prints for some reason!

I say open the US-canadian boarder, secure North America as one ,,then send all the resources to the mexican boarder where needed.

Good idea, but Mexico is also North America

Yes it is, but I think you get the idea

I don't know if I could sign up for that one...we go up the Chippewa river almost every weekend and we go past a park and there's a whole lot of towels there and they aren't only on the ground to lay on.:whistle:

RCMP on patrol ???
 

Yesterday evening I saw around 8 RCMP & 1 Canadian Coast Guard OB patrol boats coming down the St Clair river by Marine City Mi. The black & gray RCMP boats looked brand new with twin Merc OB power. They all were heading south on the river in pairs between 7pm & 8pm. I have never seen this many Canadian patrol boats at once in the St Clair river. Is this for the new boarder enforcement ? :party-smiley-004:

ABSOLUTELY...if you Americans want to call the northern hemisphere "CANADA"?

I have a Nexus card and have used it for the last eight years. Boating is a breeze with one of these considering I go over the border every Tuesday night for concerts in Lewiston NY via boat. Just call and get a number after giving your info. What could be easier?

However...U.S. border guards are a bit over-zealous sometimes. They sit in their omniputance thinking they will save the world and treat Canadians with distain! I have had this happen to me on numerous occasions. I agree with the previous poster who stated that going U.S side is more tedious then coming to Canadian waters, or land for that matter. (by the way flare guns are required in Canada...I don't know what your talking about but FIREARMS are illegal)

The problem with America is you have too many bureaucracies! I drive a truck so I cross three time a week at the border and use my Nexus. I got in a fight with the border guard because he told me I needed a "Fast Card" I told him I'm not buying one.
If you put a Fast Card and Nexus card next to each other, they are identical in every way except one says Fast, the other Nexus! They have the same holograms and safety features, and I had my fingerprints taken and my picture along with criminal checks with both Cesis and The FBI. I'm not paying twice for the same bureaucrats to rob me blind!
If you have ever crossed at any Canada/US border there are steel 2 x 3 signs advertizing "Get you Nexus Now" . I told the guard to remove all the signs advertizing them if he wants me to get a FAST card! He was not amused and I was sent to secondary inspection and spent 2 1/2 hours getting anal probed!

On another note...just to show you how stupid the American government is, I paid to get a TWIC card in Buffalo Ny to allow me to go to any Port -land sea or air. In fact it says so right on the back of the government issued card which has a bar code, holograms and computer chip inplanted into it.
Last week |I was at a Port of Philidelphia.
Entrance-no problem...
Stopped to grab a drink at the coffee truck and he also had his TWIC card hanging around his neck with a lanyard.(card must be displayed at all times on government property) The coffe truck guy was telling me they won't let him in the airport in Philly as they told him he needs a special card? His TWIC, like mine, says "Entrance to all ports of entry land sea or air" They told him he needs a "Special" Card to go to the airport. Needles to say...he won't be selling his wears there anymore.
You see the whole "Patriot Act" legitimizes all these money grabs that I witness every day dealing in the States. It's a joke.................

If your a boater and plan to cross the international invisible line, GET A NEXUS.
I have lived at the Border for over 40 years and have crossed thousands of times. It's not like the 80's or 90's anymore and quite frankly I do not enjoy crosswing into America for either work or play anymore. It has become tedious...

Excellentt post 390X I"m with you, I cross 2-3 days a week for work as well and will not pony up more money for a FAST card when my NEXUS does all the same stuff
But quite frankly, I really miss the good old days of leaving the Niagara Parks Marina for a 5 minute ride to the Bedell Hosue on Grand Island for a beer or 2 and a quick trip home without all the BS we have to go through now.

Yeh, I know what you mean. When I lived in Chippawa I used to have a smaller Thundercraft and crossed over to GI or Tonawanda all the time back in the 79's and 90's
Now that I'm in the lower river with a bigger boat I used to go to the Riverside and dock and have a beer occasionlly but not since 911 with the former regularity. Now I make sure I check in as I don't want some over zealous agent confiscating my boat for bad behaviour.
I have a smaller trailerable boat that I pop in the upper river sometimes to go to the concerts in the Tonawanda creek on Wednesday nights but I usually grab some Timmies sandwiches and drinks and just sit in the river and drift and listen to the music. As long as I don't touch land for any reason, I am ok there without much hassle.

Hey Guys,

My wife and I got our nexus cards and want to run over to canada for lunch the back to the US. I see references to checking in via cell but I can't see any phone numbers. Can you help me with this?

Thanks, Mark

1-866-996-3987 going in to Canada. Recommend calling in before you leave...it's just easier
1-800-827-2851 upon return

UHG,

BoatUS Reports
News From The World Of American Boating
Edited by Ryck Lydecker
Published: February/March 2013
Boating To Canada? Take A Cellphone

In August 2012, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized two boats and a personal watercraft belonging to two New York men who'd gone to Ontario's Port Dalhousie. Earlier last year, a fisherman in the St. Lawrence River was boarded by the CBSA, which seized his boat as well. The offense in each case was the same — failure to properly check in with Border Services after entering Canadian waters — but their defenses were also similar: The boaters thought they'd done everything they needed to do. In all three cases, the boats in question were seized on the spot, and the men had to pay a $1,000 fine per vessel (including the PWC) to get them back. Senator Charles Schumer of New York has asked for reviews of all three cases, and the CBSA has said they'll look into them.

Crossing Into Canada

"It is no different than if you arrive at the land border or if you arrive by air," says Alex Attfield, CBSA's Director of Traveller Border Programs. "You're expected to make yourself known and allow CBSA to make a determination on your admissibility into the country."

Sailing Canadian waters
You need to call Border Services when you first enter Canadian waters.

For a boater, that means reporting directly to one of CBSA's 439 designated Marine Reporting sites http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/contact/listin...xtype39-e.html. Many of them, located at yacht clubs and marinas, consist of no more than a special telephone, a sort of border-services hotline that will connect you to an agent. Assuming that goes well, that's it. Welcome to Canada.

"Once you enter Canadian waters, there's an obligation to report," Attfield says. "But we appreciate that if someone isn't intending on landing, but just want to enjoy our Canadian waters, enjoy the scenery, we provide a means of making a call by cellphone to the same telephone reporting centers."

So, if you're, say, in the middle of Lake Ontario, tacking back and forth across the international boundary, you need to call Border Services when you first enter Canadian waters and let them know. That requires a cellphone, and more than that, it requires a cellphone that works wherever the border is. If you can't make contact by cell, you'll need to head directly to a reporting site (or, presumably, stay in U.S. waters).

There are a number of programs designed to make it easier on frequent travelers, including the joint U.S.-Canadian NEXUS card. For a $50 application fee, the card requires an interview, as well as approval from both countries, but it enables the bearer to check in by phone when crossing the border.

... And Back Again

For re-entry to the United States, the process is similar to reporting to Canada. If you have a NEXUS card, a phone call will cover it, and Customs and Border Protection's website lists the phone numbers you can call. If you aren't a member of NEXUS (or a similar program), you'll need to report in person to a regular port of entry or to an inspection station equipped with a video phone.

These are the rules as described on the CBSA website, clarified by a CBSA official over the phone to BoatUS, and again in an email from a CBSA spokeswoman. In each of the three boat-seizure cases mentioned above, the boaters say that they thought they were following the rules. So before you go, check the relevant websites and call them if you have any questions.

Chris Landers

I have NEVER had an issue boating on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, St. Clair River or Lake Erie. To go from Lake St. Clair to Detroit requires going through Canada or through a long no wake zone on the USA side. Everyone goes through Canada. I would like to hear more real world input on experiences in this area. I'm planning on running through Canadian waters on July 4th.

I agree we role thru canadian water all the time, they have the only navagable water threw much of the area,

I gotta find it but I was under the impression that if you are originating from a US port and navigating to a US destination via Canadian waters and you remain underway you did not have to call. Otherwise for areas like border rivers and lakes where the navigation channels runs back and forth you would have to call 3 or 4 times.

Looks pretty obvious they want us to call in....so we should call and call and call

I was in Abay for the run and somebody there had been calling in every time they hit Canadian water they were told to stop cause they were getting overwhelmed with calls....did they forget who made the rules?????

I've never seen or heard of anyone being stopped on the Detroit River for driving on the U.S. Side or Canadian side of the river so far. Not to say it hasn't happened but I just haven't seen or heard of it. I have a Nexus Card and call in when I'm going to the U.S. side of Lake St. Clair and have never had a problem. For $50.00 for a Nexus Card which is good for 5 years and it can be used when crossing the Border by car and you don't have to have your Passort. I can't see what the problem is, times have changed and this is a part of boating now whether you like it or not.