Muskoka Watershed Council

CLEAN AND GREEN 13

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#12 Prevent erosion by reducing boat wake effects on shorelines

Many people don't think that boat wake has a harmful effect on shorelines. After all, haven't waves been around since before people came to the area? Waves are a part of nature and so shorelines should be adapted to them, shouldn't they?

Yes, they should be, but when waves (and wake) are coupled with extensively altered shorelines, degradation results. And in many cases, wakes caused by boats are much higher than waves naturally caused by wind.

The law in Ontario states that power-boaters must slow down to 10 kilometres an hour within 30 metres of a shoreline, and ignoring this law can result in fines of up to $500.00. There is good reason for this law being in place. Not only are large wakes harmful to the environment, but to people and property as well.

Environmental Impacts
Large waves and wakes can impact upon the environment in several ways. The most obvious result is erosion. Sediment from riverbanks and shorelines are washed into the water, along with trees and other plants whose roots have lost their support.

Sediment washed into the water can cloud it, affecting swimming, boating, and fishing, while trees that have fallen into the water can be pushed up against docks or other structures and damage them.

Creating wake in shallow areas causes water to drag along the bottom and disturb plants, animals and eggs in the area. Churned up mud can cause silting of fish spawning habitat and will stick to fish, insect and frog eggs, depleting them of oxygen and causing them to die. Large wakes also affect the environment by swamping the nests of loons and other waterfowl.

Personal Impacts
Wake can also have a negative impact on people. A large wave can cause an undertow where the water is very shallow. Young swimmers can be pulled under by the undertow, or be forced underwater by a large wave crashing over them.

Wakes can rock, swamp or capsize other boats. Passengers can be thrown off balance or overboard when another boat passes too fast and too close. Wakes may also damage docked boats by thrusting them against their moorings.

Reducing Your Wake
The size of a boat's wake depends on the hull size, boat speed, distance from shore, and depth of water the boat is operating in. Being aware of these factors while boating is the first step in reducing your wake. Other steps to reduce your wake include:

• Always being aware of your wake, especially when changing speeds or boating in shallow waters.
• Slowing down enough to eliminate your wake when required.
• Installing trim tabs to get up on a plane quickly and keep your boat level.
• Boating in deeper waters and not getting too close to other boats or the shore.
• Positioning your passengers throughout the boat, instead of just at the stern.
• Slowing down well before you come across another boat or structure, as your wake will move out at right angles from your boat.

By being aware of the wake you create, and minimizing it whenever possible, you will be ensuring that the natural environment you enjoy while out boating is sustained for the years to come.

#13 Buy a Four-Stroke Engine in Any Future Boat or Other Recreational Vehicle Purchase

Automobiles and other on-highway vehicles have long been subject to strict regulations concerning the amount of emissions they are allowed to produce. Increased fuel efficiency and technological advances such as the development of the catalytic converter have greatly reduced the amount of pollution that these vehicles produce.

As emission controls for on-highway vehicles have become more effective, the relative contribution of small engine emissions to overall environmental pollution has increased. It has only been in the last few years that governments in both Canada and the United States have turned their attention to developing regulations for reducing the amount of pollution created by non-road sources such as snowmobiles, ATVs and PWCs.

As usual, the United States is ahead of Canada and already has legislation in place to ensure that, by 2006, all new outboard engines and PWCs sold in the U.S. will use low-pollution technology. Canada is in the process of aligning its requirements with those of the EPA in the United States.

The Two-Stroke Engine: Advantages and Disadvantages

The two-stroke engine has several advantages that make it an ideal choice for use in tools and recreational vehicles in which the motor is not used very often and a good power-to-weight ratio is important.

Two-stroke engines do not have valves, making their construction fairly simple. They also fire once every revolution giving them a significant power boost. These advantages make two-stroke engines lighter, simpler and less expensive to manufacture than other engines. They also have a great power-to weight ratio.

Yet despite these advantages, the use of the two-stroke engine is under fire. It is easy to understand why when you take a look at the disadvantages of these engines.

In order to keep your two-stroke engine working, it is necessary to mix special oil in with the gasoline. Because there is no dedicated lubrication system, engine parts wear much faster. Oil consumption in these engines is high, and gas efficiency is extremely low.

Two-stroke engines are notorious polluters. The pollution from these engines originates from two sources. Great clouds of black smoke can be emitted when oil is burned along with the gasoline, and the inefficiency of these engines leads to 20-30% of unburned fuel and oil being discharged directly into the environment. This contributes to the formation of smog and contamination of our drinking water sources.

There are over 360,000 two-stroke outboards in Ontario and many more two-stroke engines in snowmobiles, ATVs and PWCs. It is estimated that marine engines discharge up to one billion litres of unburned oil and gas into North American waters each year - a figure more than 15 times greater than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Low-Pollution Technology

The call for more stringent regulations on non-road engine emissions has resulted in more and more new engines being produced with low-pollution technologies, including four-stroke engines and DFI (Direct Fuel Injection) two-stroke engines.

Four-stroke engines are the cleanest outboards available. Unlike two-stroke engines, the exhaust port in four-stroke engines remains closed until the gas has combusted, preventing raw gas from escaping into the environment unburned. Manufacturers have been working at making these engines smaller and lighter so they can be used in more applications.

DFI two-stroke engines use a computer to inject fuel into the cylinder as soon as the piston covers the exhaust port. This prevents raw gas from escaping through the exhaust port unburned.

Both of these types of engines cost a little more to buy than conventional two-stroke engines, but the extra money you spend up front is quickly saved in reduced fuel costs. These engines will actually save you money in the long run.

The Clean Air Foundation (www.cleanairfoundation.org) is currently examining options to address the pollution emitted by two-stroke outboard marine engines. Over the next year, they will be looking at programs to encourage the adoption of cleaner four-stroke technology in the recreational boat market. Who knows, in the coming years they may have a program in place similar to their lawnmower exchange program, where replacing your two-stroke lawnmower with an electric or rotary one entitles you to rebates at participating Home Depots.

Benefits of Low-Pollution Marine Engines

• Burn 40-80% less gasoline.
• Use up to 50% less lubricating oil.
• Reduce air emissions by up to 90%.
• Reduce water pollution by reducing the amount of gasoline released into surface waters.
• Are significantly quieter, and reduce smoke and fumes.
• Provide easier starting, faster acceleration and quicker throttle response.
• Are less disruptive to wildlife and are better for Muskoka's watersheds.

Did You Know?

• Two-stroke marine engines emit an estimated 100,000 tonnes of hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide into Ontario's environment each year.
• The EPA estimates that using a two-stroke 70 horsepower motor for one hour emits the same amount of hydrocarbons as driving over 8,000 kilometres in a new automobile.
• Conventional two-stroke engines exhaust 25-30% of unburned fuel and oil directly into the environment.
• Four-stroke engines use 40-80% less fuel, consume up to 50% less lubricating oil and reduce hydrocarbon emissions by up to 90%!