Form
Form - Vessel Pre-Launch Checklist and Log
Document FSSMS-FRM-42Stage 1Revision 4Version 0.3.3
Topic pages open on your jurisdiction, and requirements tables show its line. You can change this on any page.
One form for every launch of a department vessel: incidents, training and maintenance runs (SWP - Boat Operations). The operator completes it with the officer in charge at the shore before launch and closes it on recovery; it then goes into the vessel log in {{Records system}}. Items marked [HS] are hard stops: if any is not met, the vessel does not launch, and Part C records why.
Legal basis. A department vessel is a non-pleasure vessel, so its registration and marking, construction and operational requirements and the workboat safety equipment items follow the federal small vessel rules (Small Vessel Regulations [CA], 2026, Parts 5, 7, 10 and Schedule; Transport Canada, n.d.-d, TP 14070); the operator and crew items, including onboard familiarization for everyone aboard, follow the federal marine personnel rules and the competency table in the small commercial vessel guide (Marine Personnel Regulations [CA], 2026, Part 2 and s. 205; Transport Canada, n.d.-d, TP 14070 Table 4-1); and the pleasure craft operator card, the base certificate where the competency table allows it, is the one issued under the federal competency regulations (Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations [CA], 2026). Where the regulations and the guide differ, the regulations govern. The jurisdiction’s OHS statute and regulations also apply aboard a department vessel as a workplace, including fall protection at the water’s edge and equipment inspection (J01 OHS Legislation, Regulator and Enforcement).
| Part and item | Entry |
|---|---|
| A. Vessel and voyage | |
| Log number; vessel unit and registration number; type and length | |
| Capacity plate limits (persons; total load) | |
| Date; incident or training reference; purpose | |
| Waters and voyage class (sheltered / near-coastal class 2 / near-coastal class 1) | |
| B. Operator and crew | |
| Operator name; certificates for this vessel and these waters (pleasure craft operator card / small vessel operator proficiency / basic safety training / limited master or master) [HS] | |
| Restricted operator certificate (maritime) holder aboard where a marine VHF radio is carried | |
| Operator’s annual proficiency on this vessel (date) | |
| Crew names and roles (bow, crew, rescuer) | |
| Onboard familiarization for everyone aboard on this vessel (dates) [HS] | |
| Persons aboard (count), within the capacity plate [HS] | |
| C. Go or no-go (each: written limit, observed value, within limit yes / no) | |
| Wind; waves or sea state; visibility | |
| Daylight or darkness (night rules applied); ice | |
| Current, water level and trend; water temperature (immersion protection trigger) | |
| Fuel margin for the task; crew competency for the conditions | |
| Route hazards briefed (dams, weirs, strainers, shoals, cables) | |
| Decision (go / no-go); decided by the operator and the officer (roles, time); reason for a no-go | |
| D. Pre-launch checks (yes / no / not applicable) | |
| Hull and tubes, pressure; drain plug in | |
| Engine start, tilt and cooling flow; fuel quantity and no leaks; battery charged; bilge pump working | |
| Kill cord fitted [HS], and worn by the operator whenever the engine runs [HS] | |
| Navigation lights; radio check with the shore contact [HS] | |
| Canadian-approved flotation on everyone, sized and fastened [HS]; immersion or dry suits where the cold-water trigger applies | |
| Safety equipment present and in date: lifebuoy; buoyant heaving line; reboarding device; bailer or manual pump; paddles or anchor with line; sound-signalling device; watertight flashlight; distress signals (expiry); fire extinguisher; first aid kit | |
| Rescue equipment: throw bags; victim flotation; knife; tow line and bridle; propeller guard where fitted | |
| Trailer straps, winch and lights; tow vehicle chocked at the ramp | |
| E. Briefing (delivered, time) | |
| Task, route and hazards; roles; radio channel and hand signals | |
| Person overboard, capsize and engine failure actions; check-in interval and shore contact | |
| F. Voyage events | |
| Launch time; check-in times; on-scene time | |
| Persons recovered or transferred (times) | |
| Incident under way (capsize / ejection / person overboard / collision / grounding / engine failure / none); reported before the end of the shift (reference) | |
| G. Recovery and close | |
| Return time; persons aboard at return match the launch count [HS] | |
| Engine hours; fuel used | |
| Vessel recovered with nobody between the trailer and the vessel; drain plug out; engine flushed where required | |
| Equipment restored; flotation and suits inspected and dried | |
| Defects reported (work order number; vessel master told) | |
| After-action review (date, tier) where any incident occurred | |
| Log closed by the operator (signature, date) |
| Field | Type | Required | Who completes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Log number; vessel, registration, type, length | Text | Yes | Operator |
| Capacity limits | Numbers | Yes | Operator, from the capacity plate |
| Date, reference, purpose, waters and class | Date; text; single choice | Yes | Operator |
| Operator certificates; radio certificate; proficiency date | Choices; date | Yes | Operator, checked against the competency matrix by the officer |
| Crew, familiarization, persons aboard | Text; dates; number | Yes | Operator |
| Go or no-go criteria | Limit, value and yes / no per line | Yes | Operator with the officer in charge |
| Decision and reason | Choice; text; roles and time | Yes | Operator and officer in charge |
| Pre-launch checks | Yes / no / not applicable per item | Yes; any hard stop at no stops the launch | Operator and crew |
| Briefing | Time and initials | Yes | Operator |
| Voyage events | Times and text | Yes | Operator or a designated crew member |
| Incident under way and report reference | Choice; text | Yes, “none” allowed | Operator |
| Recovery and close items | Times, numbers, text, signature | Yes | Operator |
| Defect work order and after-action review | Text; date and tier | Yes where applicable | Operator; vessel master |
Retention. In the vessel log for the life of the vessel plus the period in 05 Document Control and Records (Water, Ice and Swiftwater Rescue Program section 10). No-go records. A no-go is filed like a launch, with the reason; the audit reads them as evidence that the limits are used. Privacy. The form names the operator and crew and records certificates, not personal details.
This chapter relies on the following legal requirements, which differ by province and territory. Check your jurisdiction’s section on each topic page before adopting it.
| Topic | What to check in your jurisdiction | Page |
|---|---|---|
| OHS Legislation, Regulator and Enforcement | Which OHS statute and regulations apply aboard a department vessel as a workplace, and where federal marine rules apply instead or as well | J01 OHS Legislation, Regulator and Enforcement |
| Equipment Inspection, Ladders and Aerial Devices | The inspection required for vessel equipment and rescue gear before use and by a competent person at set intervals, and how long the records must be kept (Parts D and G) | J15 Equipment Inspection, Ladders and Aerial Devices |
| Fall Protection and Rope Access | The height or condition at which fall protection is required, and whether it reaches work at the water’s edge, on docks and at launch ramps (Parts D and G) | J16 Fall Protection and Rope Access |
Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations, SOR/99-53 (Canada; consolidation consulted in 2026, date not recorded). https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-99-53/
Marine Personnel Regulations, SOR/2007-115 (Canada; consolidation consulted in 2026, date not recorded). https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2007-115/
Small Vessel Regulations, SOR/2010-91 (Canada; consolidation consulted in 2026, date not recorded). https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2010-91/
Transport Canada. (n.d.-d). Small commercial vessel safety guide (TP 14070). https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/publications/tp-14070-small-commercial-vessel-safety-guide-2010