Within what distance of shore does the province-wide 10 km/h limit apply?
PCOC Boating Test overview
PCOC Boating Test: Speed, wake, noise and local restrictions
Choosing a safe speed, wake damage, the muffler rule, the 10 km/h shoreline limit and its exceptions, Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations signs, and rules around marine mammals.
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- Every answer explained
- Independent · not a government site
- 16 questions
- Topic drill
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Study reference: Safe Boating Guide (TP 511E, 03/2026), Ch. On the water — Safe speed, engine noise, local boating restrictions, marine mammals, pp. 38–39, 44–45
All 16 questions in this test
Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.
Within what distance of shore does the province-wide 10 km/h limit apply?
- 30 m
- 100 m
- 50 m
- 10 m
Which waters are exempt from the 10 km/h shoreline rule?
- Rivers under 100 m wide and canals
- Any water deeper than 5 m
- Bays over 1 km from a town
- Lakes larger than 10 km²
What does the guide call the only safe speed in fog, mist, smoke or darkness?
- Planing speed
- The posted limit
- Full throttle to clear it
- Slow
On a boating restriction sign, what does a green border on part of the symbol mean?
- It applies only to sailboats
- The restriction is lifted
- A special condition applies
- It is advice, not law
In which province does the 10 km/h shoreline speed limit apply on all waters?
- New Brunswick
- Quebec
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
You are boating on an Ontario lake. What is the speed limit within 30 m of shore, even if no sign is posted?
- 10 km/h
- 40 km/h
- 5 km/h
- 20 km/h
Within what distance of shore must a boat with a modified engine use a working muffler?
- 500 m
- 5 nautical miles (9.26 km)
- 1 nautical mile (1.85 km)
- 10 nautical miles (18.5 km)
Whales surface near your boat while you are fishing. What does the guide ask you to do?
- Haul up your gear quickly
- Speed away at full throttle
- Toss them some bait
- Stop fishing but leave your gear in
What minimum distance from marine mammals do the rules generally require?
- 25 m when idling
- 50 m or more
- 10 m
- 100 m or more
Your wake swamps a canoe and damages a dock. Who is responsible?
- The canoeist, for being there
- You, the operator who made the wake
- No one; wakes are natural
- The dock owner
What is the maximum Fisheries Act fine for getting too close to marine mammals?
- $100,000
- $5,000
- $500
- $25,000
Who implements local boating restrictions under the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations?
- The Canadian Coast Guard
- Marina owners
- Local authorities
- Boating clubs
Which activity is an exception to the 10 km/h shoreline limit?
- Towing a skier straight out from shore at 90°
- Riding a PWC in daylight
- Fishing within 30 m of shore
- Cruising on any lake that is more than 1 km wide
A boating restriction sign is arrow-shaped. What does that mean?
- A marina or boat launch is in that direction
- You must turn that way
- It applies in the arrow's direction
- It applies only at night
A friend wants you to jump the wake of a passing cruiser for fun. Why does the guide warn against this?
- Misjudging speed and distance causes bad crashes
- The wave can damage the cruiser's hull and engine
- It is only legal on weekdays
- It voids your licence
Which boat is exempt from the muffler rule near shore?
- A boat built before January 1, 1960
- Any boat used at night
- Any boat under 6 m
- Any boat with an inboard engine
Speed, wake, noise and local restrictions: key rules to remember
Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗
Avoid dangerous behaviours; safe speed
- Never spray swimmers, cut in front of vessels or jump other boats' wakes; many bad incidents come from misjudging speed and distance.
- A safe speed depends on: ability to see ahead (slow is the only safe speed in fog, mist, rain, smoke, darkness); current, wind and water; how fast the boat can change direction; number and type of nearby vessels; hazards like rocks and stumps.
- Be very careful entering or leaving fog banks or smoke.
Wake and engine noise
- Wake can damage vessels, docks and shoreline and endanger swimmers, divers and small boats; you are responsible for damage or harm you cause.
- Every motorized boat other than a stock (unmodified) outboard must have and use a muffler within 5 nautical miles (9.26 km) of shore.
- Exceptions: boats built before January 1, 1960; official competition; formal training or final preparation for one. (Small Vessel Regulations s. 1000.)
Local boating restrictions
- Restrictions (power boat bans, engine power limits, speed limits, towing bans) are listed in the Schedules of the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations; local authorities implement them.
- Province-wide shoreline limit: 10 km/h within 30 m (98'5") of shore on all waters in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the inland waters of British Columbia and Nova Scotia; applies whether posted or not.
- Exceptions: recreational towing travelling at a 90-degree angle from shore; rivers under 100 m wide, canals and buoyed channels; waters with another speed limit under VORR Schedule 6 or the Canada Marine Act.
- Restriction signs use symbols in 5 shapes, often framed in orange; a green border on part of a symbol = special condition applies; arrow-shaped = applies in the direction of the arrow.
Marine mammals and protected areas
- Illegal to disturb marine mammals: no feeding, swimming with, luring, separating from group or calf, trapping against shore or vessels, tagging, chasing or harassing.
- Minimum distance of 100 m or more (further for some species in some areas); getting too close can bring Fisheries Act charges with fines up to $100,000.
- Watch with binoculars; move away slowly at signs of agitation; stop fishing but don't haul up gear.
- Marine Protected Areas cover around 6% of Canada's marine and coastal areas; follow their restrictions.
Study the Speed, wake, noise and local restrictions rules as flashcards →
Other topics
- Proof of competency and age limitsWho needs a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, the other accepted proofs of competency, the rental boat checklist, replacing a lost card, the horsepower limits for operators under 16 and which documents to carry.
- Licences, compliance notices and hull numbersPleasure craft licence rules (10 hp threshold, 5-year validity, 30-day deadlines, marking the bow), registration, compliance notices and safe limits, hull serial numbers and buying or building a boat.
- Lifejackets and PFDsLifejacket types and sizes, how PFDs differ, inflatable PFD restrictions, fitting children, checking and caring for flotation devices, heaving lines, lifebuoys and reboarding devices.
- Required safety equipment by boat lengthMinimum equipment by boat type and length, how length is measured, the notes on flares, reboarding devices, compasses and radar reflectors, manual propelling devices, anchors, bailers and sound-signalling devices.
- Flares and visual distress signalsRocket parachute, multi-star, hand and smoke flares, their heights and burn times, expiry and storage, electronic visual distress signals, disposing of old flares and other recognized distress signals.
- Fire, fuelling and carbon monoxideFire classes and extinguisher ratings, monthly checks, fighting a fire on board, the fuelling procedure and 4-minute blower rule, carbon monoxide, heavier-than-air vapours and ignition protection.
- Trip planning, weather and loadingSeaworthiness and the pre-departure check, marine forecasts and wind warnings, sail plans, charts and publications, local hazards, loading your boat and the free courtesy check.
- Rules of the road (Collision Regulations)Lookout, safe speed and risk of collision, head-on, crossing and overtaking situations, give-way and stand-on duties, which vessels keep clear of which, narrow channels and restricted visibility.
- Sound signalsShort and prolonged blasts, manoeuvring signals (one, two, three and five blasts), the bend signal, fog signals by vessel type, the Great Lakes difference and required sound appliances.
- Navigation lights and shapesMasthead, side, stern and all-round lights and their arcs, light options for power boats, sailboats and paddle craft, anchor lights and the anchor ball, the motor-sailing cone and towing lights.
- Lateral buoys and daybeaconsPort and starboard hand buoys and the upstream rule, bifurcation, fairway and isolated danger buoys, and port, starboard and junction daybeacons.
- Cardinal and special buoysCardinal buoy colours, topmarks and lights, and the special buoys: cautionary, anchorage, information, hazard, keep out, scientific (ODAS), diving, mooring, control and swimming.
- Buoy numbers, tops, lights and markingsHow buoys are classified, odd and even numbers, flat and conical tops, light and reflector colours, the PRIV marking and how to recognise hazard, keep out, control, mooring and swimming buoys.
- Sharing the water and local hazardsLarge ships and their blind spots, tugs and tows, diver flags, seaplanes, low-head dams, power lines, historic canal rules, passing through a lock and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
- PWC, towing and paddlingPersonal watercraft age and handling rules, towing water-skiers and tubers (spotter, seats, sunset limit), stand-up paddleboard leashes and safety tips for paddlers, hunters and anglers.
- Impaired boating, fines and visitorsImpaired boating under the Criminal Code, the 2-hour rule, penalties, common contravention fines, who enforces boating laws, provinces without ticketing, and rules for non-resident boaters.
- Marine radio and distress callsVHF channels 16, 68 and 70, DSC and MMSI numbers, the operator certificate, cell phones and beacons, Mayday, Pan-Pan and Sécurité calls, false alerts and the duty to help.
- Person overboard and cold waterRecovering a person overboard, the Anderson and Williamson turns, reboarding, the 1-10-1 principle, signs of hypothermia, and the H.E.L.P. and huddle positions.
- Protecting the waterClean, drain and dry against invasive species, sewage rules (holding tanks, Ontario's ban on discharge and portable toilets), bilge pollution, green boating habits and reporting pollution or suspicious activity.