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Re: attention getting suggestions?
By:Al Edie
Date: 8/29/2010, 9:30 pm
In Response To: attention getting suggestions? (Mark Rakestraw)

How about a fluorescent orange flag on a fiberglass wand, similar to the flags for kids bikes? It would require some sort of mounting point, but if it were high enough, it would be visible in higher chop than either the kayak or the paddler. Just a thought.

I doubt that making noise is likely to be the solution. It takes a seriously loud noise to, over a significant distance, overcome the racket inside most speedboats. Flares may be interpreted as an emergency signal, and could actually cause you to get run over when the oncoming boat is looking for a boat in trouble, but not expecting a wood colored kayak.

Absent other options, I suggest that the most visible thing you can do if a boat is heading your way is wave your paddle back and forth as high in the air as you can get it. A boater may still think you are asking for help, but at least they will do so only after actually seeing you. Painting (ouch, I know) the blades in a high visibility color might also help. Too bad all the nice carbon paddle blades are black... In any case, while out sailing, I have encountered dozens, maybe hundreds of kayakers over the years here on the B.C. coast, and the first thing I always notice with kayakers at a distance is the movement of their paddles. I suspect that the movement may be even more important than the color.

: I worry about this out on Lake Ontario, especially when we're
: fairly far offshore where people don't expect to encounter small
: craft. Does anyone have a good way to get an oncoming boater's
: attention? Noisemaker/horn that they could hear over their own
: motornoise? Low altitude flares?

Messages In This Thread

Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
dave g -- 8/29/2010, 4:16 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:40 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:13 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 9/1/2010, 8:31 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:38 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 9/3/2010, 7:29 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/4/2010, 1:49 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
dave g -- 8/31/2010, 8:15 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Malcolm Schweizer -- 9/1/2010, 6:53 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Shark Bait -- 8/31/2010, 10:03 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Will N To Go -- 8/31/2010, 1:28 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 8/30/2010, 5:20 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Michael -- 9/6/2010, 9:42 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/9/2010, 3:31 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Malcolm Schweizer -- 9/1/2010, 6:51 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:50 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:11 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Fred -- 9/1/2010, 8:18 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:28 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Dan Caouette (CSFW) -- 8/31/2010, 9:11 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kudzu -- 8/30/2010, 9:10 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 9:39 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 8/31/2010, 4:44 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 5:04 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 4:53 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 9/1/2010, 11:39 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:32 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/2/2010, 2:37 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kudzu -- 8/30/2010, 7:51 am
attention getting suggestions?
Mark Rakestraw -- 8/29/2010, 7:34 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Eric -- 8/30/2010, 3:08 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 4:59 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 5:01 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Eric -- 8/30/2010, 5:37 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 9:35 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Mike Bielski -- 8/29/2010, 10:17 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Will N to Go -- 8/30/2010, 12:25 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Mike Savage -- 8/30/2010, 7:32 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Al Edie -- 8/29/2010, 9:30 pm
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Alex Ferguson -- 8/30/2010, 6:53 am
Re: attention getting suggestions?
Al Edie -- 8/30/2010, 12:40 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Kurt Maurer -- 8/29/2010, 6:39 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/30/2010, 12:42 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Robert N Pruden -- 8/31/2010, 11:42 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:08 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 8/31/2010, 11:16 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
TheLuckyOne -- 8/31/2010, 7:10 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 8:07 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 9/1/2010, 9:08 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 9/1/2010, 9:14 am
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John lasky -- 9/1/2010, 2:55 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
Bill Hamm -- 8/31/2010, 2:46 pm
Re: Other: kayaker hit by speed boat.
John Caldeira -- 8/29/2010, 10:56 pm