If you're paddling a kayak where water toy anarchy rules (as opposed to Coastal/colregs/professional attitudes prevail)...then do whatever you have to do to survive...but whatever you do to survive may not agree with the Rules of the Road--so don't quote your survival tactics as gospel! 
...if a snot-nosed 15 year-old kid is bearing down on you on dad's PWC, waving your paddle like a goon is maybe good last-ditch idea.
Whistles make no sense--only a sailboat would hear you--and you have time (and you'd better) get out of their way first. Even less-experienced sailors are more courteous than less-experienced powerboaters. Horsepower brings out the A-Hole in a lot of people.
But your idea to paddle somewhere else is better yet.
I paddle my big local lake 9 months out of the year--I skip June, July and August and paddle whitewater. When I have the lake all to myself, FWP personnel, and hardy fishermen, it's much safer. Ed Hopkins is a fiend for paddling there in the summertime!!
Shawn
: Many paddlers are on inland lakes and large rivers with lots of smaller
: pleasure boats, bass boats and PWCs that follow no traffic lanes and
: operate at high speeds. Very different situation. More of a free for all.
: Everything afloat is a toy. Makes me glad I paddle where I do.
