Boating Speed Limits

Did you know?
In most provinces there is a 10 km/h speed limit within 30 metres (100 feet) from shore. When enforced, the Fine is $125. Maximum fine is $500 or six months imprisonment. (Canada Shipping Act: Boating Restriction Regulations). The one exception to this speed limit is for boats pulling a water skier traveling perpendicular to shore to pull away or land the skier.

Creating a 30m buffer from the shore of islands of Loon and Turtle produced the follow map (Figure 1). As our Turtle Lake is particularly narrow, it should be no surprise that only a 30-metre strip down the middle is technically eligible for faster speeds. For both Loon and Turtle, the combined 30 m buffer from the island shore and lake shore result in 10 km/h speed zones in most instances.

What does this visualization mean to all of us? Our lakes are narrow, swimmers, and slow craft should be able to enjoy this 30-metre buffer zone, and all speed boats and PWC should recognize that full throttle is only kosher 'down the middle'.

(Figure 1)