Avoid CO poisoning:

• Don't idle your engine, heat your cabin, or cook, except in well-ventilated areas.

• Be especially careful in areas that have been modified, such as cabin extensions and areas fitted with canvas tops.

• Use a carbon monoxide detector designed for a boat and check the detector's batteries before every trip.

• Boat engines left idling in poorly ventilated areas create dangerous concentrations of CO: a tail wind can carry CO back into the boat.

• CO can build up in boats when: two boats are tied to one another; an improper load distribution causes the bow to ride high; or the boat is stationary and the portable generator is running.

Swimmers take note – CO isn't just a risk to boaters. You can be overcome by the gas in minutes and drown. Areas of risk are underneath swim grids and between the pontoons of houseboats. More information on CO poisoning is available at www.boatingsafety.gc.ca or call toll-free 1-800-267-6687.

- News Canada www.newscanada.com