Say you’ve got your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (theoperatorcard.ca/en/), required by Transport Canada. You know the basics about boating safety and the rules while on the water. But what happens when the fog rolls in, making navigation treacherous?

Yes, we have no bananas

Over the centuries, sailors have created hundreds of customs to govern their behaviour at sea. Most are quirky; some are flat out bizarre. But regardless of origin, all served a similar purpose: to help ensure safety on the wild, unpredictable ocean.

“When you are at sea far from home and a full gale is blowing your ship onto shore, there is much to be said for a system of beliefs that offers some sort of hope, no matter how tenuous,” writes Peter D. Jeans in his book, Seafaring Lore & Legend.

“When only good luck and (one hopes) good management lie between you and a berth in Davy Jones’s locker, you are likely to place a good deal of faith in the unfathomable.”

Many customs continue today, like dousing a new boat with liquor. In ancient times, the Greeks poured red wine onto the deck of a new ship, as well as into the sea—part of a sacrifice to the ocean gods. Red wine, chosen for its blood-like appearance, was later replaced with champagne—a more expensive sacrifice.

Once on the water, whistling during a fair breeze was seen as a sure way to bring on a strong, contrary wind. Ringing the rim of an empty wineglass was believed to guarantee the death of one sailor by drowning. Flowers, coffins and priests were all seen as ill-fated because of their connection to funerals.

A fear of bananas on board was more logical in its origins: crates of bananas could hold spiders and snakes. And, of course, a peel could end up under the foot of a sailor.

Women were also viewed as unlucky at sea. Apparently the presence of a woman on board could stir up bad weather.

A naked woman, however, was another matter. A bare-breasted woman had the power to calm the sea, thus explaining the presence of a female-shaped figurehead on the bow of many ships.

Animals were often central to seafaring superstitions: a shark following a ship indicated that someone would soon die; cats (though welcomed on board) were believed to house lightning bolts and storms in their tail. And as Samuel Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner discovered, the killing of an albatross was considered a major offense. An albatross, it was believed, carried the soul of a dead sailor.

“Considering the demands of superstition… it might be thought surprising that a vessel ever weighed anchor and set sail,” Jeans concludes.

1. Stay the Course. Say you’ve got your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (theoperatorcard.ca/en/), required by Transport Canada. You know the basics about boating safety and the rules while on the water. But what happens when the fog rolls in, making navigation treacherous? And how would you deal with a cantankerous engine? Having the operator card won’t necessarily bring you back home safely, says Sarah-Jane Raine, of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS).

CPS, formed in 1938, is one of the country’s top sources for boating education—applicable to sailors, power boaters, canoeists and kayakers. The non-profit now has 35,000 members across Canada.

CPS’s offerings start with boating basics (which includes the PCOC certification), but otherwise run the gamut, such as advanced piloting, extended cruising, junior navigator, fundamentals of weather, and boat and engine maintenance.

In Atlantic Canada you can take CPS courses through 12 designated squadrons. Each course is taught by a CPS volunteer and typically runs 10 to 13 weeks. Raine, who is in charge of CPS’s Atlantic district, signed up for her first CPS course in 1990, even though she had been boating since the 1950s.

“There’s always something to learn about boating,” she says. Information: cps-ecp.ca. ~Quentin Casey

2. Head’s Up. Many Canadian boaters will soon need to revise their strategy for dealing with the call of nature at sea. As of May 3, small vessels operating in coastal waters—within 12 nautical miles of shore—will have to manage their sewage, instead of simply flushing it, untreated, into the sea.

The new coastal rules also apply to rivers that flow into the sea, such as the St. John River, in New Brunswick. Additional standards apply to Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or Lakes, where the discharge of any sewage is effectively banned.

For boats without a toilet, the new regulations from Transport Canada will make a port-a-potty necessary.

Vessels with a toilet will have to employ a holding tank, which is later pumped out on shore, or install a “marine sanitation device”—equipment that treats sewage with chemicals or ultraviolet light, allowing it to be put overboard.

Similar standards have existed in the US since 1975.

Fines for recreational boaters will be in the range of $600. But Paul Topping, the manager of environmental protection with Transport Canada, says the 2012 boating season will be about awareness—not strict enforcement.

“It’s not our intent to go out and start issuing fines. Our intent is to educate people… and show them how they can comply,” he says.

Vessels will not be inspected for compliance during 2012. But marine safety inspectors and police will investigate complaints of sewage pollution received from boaters. Enforcement options will be reviewed after the 2012 season, Topping says.

Information: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-environment-sources-menu-769.htm. ~QC

3. Nav Gizmos 2.0. Sandy MacMillan was already convinced of the iPhone’s value as a navigational tool. Still, he was curious to test his Apple smartphone in an extreme setting. In November, while sailing from Halifax to Bermuda, he did just that. “We were way, way out there,” says the owner of North Sails Atlantic. “And sure enough, it worked.”

Both MacMillan’s iPhone and iPad have iNavX software ($49.99 on iTunes), allowing him to run electronic charts from Navionics. For roughly $35 per device, he can download charts for almost anywhere on the planet; his position is then tracked on those e-charts thanks to the GPS function in his phone and tablet.

The result: both his iPhone and iPad are transformed into marine GPS plotters. But unlike a traditional marine GPS unit, an Apple product also provides access to e-mail and the Internet. “When you are at a port with a Wi-Fi connection, you can download weather forecasts, and superimpose them on your intended route,” adds the former Olympic sailor.

Navionics e-charts update automatically when changes are made, and the software allows you to post photos and trip updates to Facebook and Twitter.

“I still have paper charts on board— that’s just good seamanship,” MacMillan says. “You have to have something in case you drop the phone.” ~QC

4. A Boat by Any Other Name. When it comes to seaworthy monikers, owners believe a boat by any other name would not be as sweet. “Boat names are extremely important,” says David Mitchell, a member of the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club, in St. John’s. “Every boat name should tell a story about where the boat has been, who the owner is, the type of person you are, and the type of boating you do.”

A large order, to be sure. Traditionally, vessels are considered to be feminine in nature and would very often be named after a significant woman in the owner’s life—or someone else’s.

There is also a practical—and potentially life-saving—consideration to naming a boat. “In the case of an emergency, it’s important to get your boat name on the airways quickly. A simple name, while it may not be an intellectual conversation piece at the clubhouse, may get you rescued more quickly as you will not have to spend valuable time repeating or having to use the phonetic alphabet [Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc] to spell your boat name,” says Mitchell, whose sailboat is named Nomad. (The original owner, Matt Damon’s father, chose this because it is his last name spelled backwards.)

For many owners like Mitchell, a boat already comes with a name. If you are a superstitious sailor, you might consider a “de-naming” ceremony, before renaming your boat. ~Donalee Moulton

5. Let It Shine, Let It Shine. Mariners don’t only debate the latest race and the best ports of call. They also wax eloquent over the issue of varnishing wood.

Michael Dunn, commodore of the Shediac Bay, NB, yacht club, recommends varnish for cabin sides, handrails and other decorative parts. “Wood should be finished to better withstand water and UV,” he says, adding a caveat that he would only varnish if it’s going to be meticulously maintained.

Varnishing may prevent future problems, says Norman Raine, a member of the Armdale Yacht Club, in Halifax. “It allows you to see any dampness [it usually shows up as dark patches], which gets into the wood. This gives you the opportunity to fix the problem before the wood rots,” he says, adding that it’s especially important on wooden masts.

However adding a little shine requires a lot of elbow grease. “Properly varnished wood of any kind… takes time, money and expertise to apply and maintain,” says Halifax sailor Jeff Rowe.

He recommends a spar varnish for exterior marine applications—a synthetic resin-based finish that has a higher oil content than interior varnishes. “It also has UV inhibitors added to cope with the marine environment.”

How often you should varnish depends on the amount of sun the wood is exposed to, but generally once in the spring then again at the end of the season should be sufficient. The surface must be well sanded so the varnish adheres well; always sand in the direction of the grain.

One thing sailors do agree on: don’t varnish decks. “It creates a dangerously slippery surface,” says Rowe, “and it never stays on well. However, applying pure tung oil on a teak deck is a good compromise.” ~DM

6. When the Tides Turn. What flows in, must flow out, and navigating in low tide can be challenging.

“Understanding where the tide is in its cycle, and knowing the depth around your boat, are key to ensuring you don’t end up aground at low tide,” says Jeff Nelson, sail training chair with the Armdale Yacht Club, in Halifax.

“That said,” he adds, “low tide may be the best time to go aground—a rising tide could release your vessel and allow you to continue on with only a delay.”

In the Bay of Fundy, of course, tidal changes can be significant; being caught in a region with a fast-ebbing tide could mean that you’re high and dry for up to six hours.

Avoiding tidal flats—or rocks—does not require boat owners to learn new skills, notes David Elliott, who served as director of the Newfoundland-Labrador Sailing Association for 15 years.

“Navigating at low tide is no different than navigating at any other time.” Apart from knowing where the tide is and watching your depth sounder, stick to what the chart tells you, he stresses.

“Don’t put your boat, your crew and yourself in a position where you are not comfortable. Our boat has a deep draft, and I have been urged many times to enter areas where the chart indicates there is insufficient depth. I acquiesce to the chart and ignore the advice—I will not waiver on that.” ~DM

7. Blowin’ in The Wind. Whipping wind and waves can spell serious trouble for any vessel in the water. Safety starts with understanding your boat, and how it behaves when the going gets choppy.

“The type of boat is a very important factor—different types behave significantly differently in all weather, including rough weather,” says David Elliott. Wind speed, wave height and direction, length of boat and boat direction all play a role.

The crew should have rough-weather gear and safety harnesses. The boat also has to be readied. Batten down whatever can be secured (which means making sure there is plenty of duct tape on hand), and confirm the location of emergency equipment and the first aid kit.

Plus, it isn’t just the skipper who should be familiar with emergency protocols—crew members need to know where the flares are, how to work the radio, what the drill is if someone goes overboard.

The best way to handle high wind and waves? Avoid them altogether. Keep a close eye on the weather forecast and stay put if bad weather is on the horizon. ~DM