One Frequency for Emergency Beacons

Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue (COSPASSARSAT) now monitors EPIRBs (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) only on frequency 406 MHz as of February 2009. Old EPIRBs transmitting on 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz can still be used for direction finding by the Coast Guard, but should be replaced with new ones. [Emergency Beacons (Canada)]

HST will add costs for Ontario Boaters

If Ontario institutes a 13% HST 'harmonized tax' by combining the 8% PST (provincial sales tax) and the 5% GST (good and services tax), it will cover a range of services previously exempt from PST. Ontario boaters will start to pay an extra 8% on these costs: dockage, winter storage, mast stepping, haulout, holding tank pump out, fuels, surveys, legal and brokerage fees. Add up your bills and multiply by .08 - a cruiser using marina services will pay hundreds of dollars of additional tax. (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland already have HST. Alberta has no sales tax.)