Your Safety While On The Water

Your safety is our NUMBER ONE priority…

Going for a boat ride can be fun and exciting, but accidents can happen. You should be prepared. 

If you’re a passenger on a small commercial vessel — like a charter fishing vessel or tour boat — here are some safety tips you should know:

  • Small commercial vessel operators are required to provide a safety briefing to all passengers about safety equipment and emergency procedures — it’s the law. Make sure the operator provides this safety briefing, and listen carefully.
  • If there are children in your party, tell the boat operator in advance how many there are, and their ages.
  • Make sure the operator has the proper number of lifejackets, and sufficient lifejackets of the right size for all children on board when you board the vessel.
  • Whenever you’re on a boat, know where the lifejackets and survival craft are, and plan what to do in the event of an emergency.
  • You should also ask the boat operator if they have a valid inspection certificate from Transport Canada.

Transport Canada is responsible for the licensing of commercial vessels, including tour boats and river rafts. In addition, the department develops regulations for the safe operation of these vessels. Transport Canada regularly monitors and enforces compliance with these regulations to verify that vessels are properly staffed and able to carry out emergency duties. The department’s Marine Safety inspectors have a good knowledge of the shipping industry and practices for ship safety and the protection of our marine environment. Not only do they enforce specific regulations, they are also able to recognize an unsafe situation and provide advice to correct it.

While Transport Canada regulates commercial operators to verify they meet all applicable safety standards and regulations, safety is a shared responsibility. Passengers should also take precautionary measures to enhance their own safety while out on a tour.

Next time you board a commercial vessel, make sure you get the information you need to survive an emergency.

Luxury Lake Tour cares about you, your family and all its passengers. We want to be the very best at what we do, and it all begins with your safety. 

We care about your safety.

Prior to boarding the boats departure, your Captain will take you through a safety briefing discussing the location of all flotation devices, communications, fire extinguishers and flares. The Captain is also a ticketed First Responder and 1st Level in First Aid. He is also a Dive Master with over 2500 logged dives, so your safety is just as important in the water, as it is in the boat!

Certification

Luxury Lake Tours and its associated domains are a government registered company, along with being certified by Transport Canada Marine Safety with a blue registration decal viewable on board. There is also a sticker for Transport Canada’s Small Vessel Compliance Program, this program assures our passengers that we follow all safety and environmental guidelines set out by the Government, this is not mandatory, but we want to make our guests feel as safe as possible.

Also on the accreditation list are Captains and guides. ALL Captains are certified through the Transport Canada Marine Safety with the SVOP Small Vessel Operator Proficiency Program, as well as Marine emergency duties and first aid. We feel we are one of the safest operators on Lake Okanagan, and we are proud to show it. Also visit the “Staff” page to learn more on who will be your guide on your vacation!

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Safety & Devices

Luxury Lake Tours is an Okanagan Lake boat tour company formed in 2016 by Calvin Barr, and Rob Lysak. Our mission is to offer a boat tour product to visitors wanting to see the majesty of Lake Okanagan and to do it in a unique, and luxurious manner. Cruise Okanagan Lake in style while still being able to enjoy water toys such as wakeboarding, tubing, water skiing, and even guided fishing charters!

Our first objective was to purchase a boat that set us apart from the rest. We wanted to offer an ultra-smooth ride in rough water, to seat larger groups, and to be able to enjoy all the water with activities that we here at LLT love. We also wanted a proper onboard bathroom, and lastly, we wanted to be as environmentally friendly and as fuel-efficient as possible… so we bought the best, a Campion Biltmore.

We also realize that when families and groups come to Kelowna, they really like to “let loose”. So we offer a “Captained only” boat tour, so you can let loose, and have fun and not worry about navigation hazards or unforeseen incidents with your family or friends. We also want to give you the choice on what to do on the water, and exactly how to do it by offering hourly, half-day and full-day private charters – you call the shots, and we make it happen! Luxury Lake Tours allows you to experience your Kelowna boat rental with a driver, to make sure you stay safe on Okanagan Lake.

Lastly, a little about who we are, and who will be taking you out on the lake.

Rob Lysak, our Operations Manager, brings a ton of experience to LLT. Rob came home to Kelowna in September 2015 after ‘living the dream’ for 15 years in the British Virgin Islands, where he was operations manager for Jost Van Dyke Scuba and parts manager for an off sea chandlery. Rob is also a certified Dive Master with over 2000 dives and is a licensed Captain where he was widely known for showing the discriminating traveller a great, but safe adventure.

Calvin Barr, director for the company, also brings a wealth of experience to the table. Calvin is the “entrepreneur”… the businessman with passion. He succeeds in most things he pursues, and he makes sure to do it right, at any cost! If you don’t see Cal around the dock working, or mingling with guests, he is most likely out on his fishing boat, fishing for monster Rainbow Trout or filling the boat with Kokanee.

We hope to share our vision with you and give you and your family one of the most memorable holidays of your lives.

Hope to see you soon!