Canoe rental companies should ensure their clients are fully informed about the perils of the Yukon's cold lakes and rivers, chief coroner Kirsten Macdonald has recommended.

That and her other recommendations were directed at the Wilderness Tourism Association (WTAY) of the Yukon and its education on cold water immersion related to 27-year-old Matthew MacIntyre, who drowned on Fish Lake.

The recommendations stem from one of three reports released Monday. (See two other stories, this page.)

In doing so, Macdonald recognized that "WTAY is the collective voice of the wilderness and adventure tourism industry in Yukon and is a member-driven, nonprofit organization providing marketing, advocacy, research, consultation, referrals and education.”

MacIntyre and a friend were visiting the territory from Winnipeg.

They had rented a canoe on Sept. 6, 2012, planning to travel across Fish Lake to an island. They'd intended to camp there for the night before returning to Whitehorse, estimated to be about 10:30 a.m.

A rental agreement was signed for the canoe. The agreement included a two-paragraph liability section, with the renter acknowledging inherent risks associated with the activity as well as the renters' responsibility for any damage, loss or theft of equipment.

"There is no further information provided in the rental agreement that outlines what ‘inherent dangers' or risk factors the activity may include,” Macdonald noted

"There is no mention of cold water injury or death, hypothermia, inclement weather variations, loss of control of equipment, capsizing, and/or sinking which would result in wetness, injury, exposure to the elements, hypothermia and possibly drowning.”

There was also no requirement in the agreement for renters to declare their experience level and nothing to acknowledge that there's been any briefing on safety.

MacIntyre and his friend weren't new to canoeing and both were wearing life jackets and had survival gear.

However, they did not have a personal locator beacon to send an emergency transmission, and neither was familiar with Fish Lake nor the cold waters of Yukon lakes.

The two men did have a SPOT locator that showed where they were on the lake when they pressed it at 12:51 p.m. near the middle of the lake, approximately 15 minutes prior to capsizing.

It was after the waves picked up and weather deteriorated that the pair had trouble controlling the canoe, and it eventually capsized, throwing them into the water.

When they were unable to get the canoe positioned properly, MacIntyre started swimming toward shore, with his friend swimming more slowly and trying to drag the canoe.

They were separated at one point, but were eventually swimming together, with the canoe left behind.

MacIntyre then fell behind his friend by about 20 metres, complaining of his legs cramping up.

"The friend was yelling back to Mr. MacIntyre, telling him to keep his head above water,” reads the report.

"It is unknown how long the men were in the water by this point, but Mr. MacIntyre was described by the friend as ‘struggling' and ‘not coherent.' His friend finally reached the shore of the island and was able to get out of the water.”

When he looked back, he could not see MacIntyre.

"As both men were able to swim, the friend believed and hoped that Mr. MacIntyre had made it safely to shore,” it's noted.

MacIntyre's friend spent the night on the island, surviving in a large part due to the gear he had on him.

He swam back across the lake the next morning to where their vehicle was parked. He drove into Whitehorse and to the rental company to inform staff of the situation.

The canoe was found and returned to the rental company and the RCMP recovered MacIntyre's body.

"Mr. MacIntyre was a healthy 27-year-old man who was active, athletic and had no health history which would have contributed to his death,” Macdonald wrote.

"There was absolutely no indication in the investigation of any use of alcohol or drugs which would have contributed to this death.”

MacIntyre had been wearing a life jacket with the canoe capsized, but no wet nor drysuit.

Macdonald goes on to note the cold temperatures that occur in Fish Lake. She notes that being experienced in southern Canada lakes, the pair took reasonable precautions, but nothing in their experiences could have prepared them for the sudden cold immersion.

"This sudden cold water immersion most definitely contributed to the death of Mr. MacIntyre by causing leg-cramping, swimming failure and hypothermia,” Macdonald wrote. "It is remarkable that either of the men survived this incident.”

She concluded MacIntyre's death as accidental from drowning due to sudden cold water immersion from the capsizing.

The coroner recommended that the WTAY engage in discussion and education with its members and clients on the inherent dangers of activities involving cold water and update rental agreements to include specific clauses around sudden cold water exposure.

It's also recommended that the organization update its code of conduct to include an expectation that members, who offer activities which could pose risks around cold water, advise clients in writing and through a standard safety briefing of those dangers.

WTAY president Felix Geithner said Tuesday from Germany the organization has worked closely with the coroner's office and has already taken steps.

Those include providing its membership with new guidelines for dealing with clients who could be dealing with cold water immersion.

The group is also reviewing its code of conduct to include more details and education around cold water immersion. That review and any changes from it is expected to be complete in the fall, he said, noting the association is continually working to improve safety.

"We understand you can always do better,” he said.