The buoy, a mandatory safety accessory on board
Division 240, which governs safety on board recreational vessels, is very specific on the subject of lifebuoys. It states:
On a boat, a device "for locating and assisting a person who has fallen into the water, such as a "horseshoe buoy" or "crown buoy"" is mandatory. This buoy must have a minimum buoyancy of 142 Newton, be equipped with a watertight light device, and allow for implementation without any other intervention than the release into the water.
Precise marking of the buoy
In addition to being present, this buoy "shall include either the name and registration number of the vessel or the name of the institution organizing the physical and athletic activity for which the vessel is used."
On our individual pleasure boats, it is necessary to note with an indelible marker or paint, on both sides of the buoy, the name of the boat and its registration number. These are answers A and C.
Help for the rescue at sea
This obligation is not just an administrative hassle. It will allow the rescue services, if they find your buoy floating in the open sea, to define to which boat it belongs and to adjust the rescue by cross-checking the information they have.
