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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
hearing
Posted By: tom In Response To: Thank you, all! (Les Groby)
Date: Saturday, 16 December 2000, at 7:36 p.m.
: Geez, I didn't think I'd start a rumble by asking about lights! I guess
: there's no "safe" topics here.: Thank you to all the knowledgeable and experienced people who responded in
: these threads about lights. I still want my Hat Light, but I promise not
: to leave it on continuously.: Perhaps our hearing impaired friend would benefit from using a mirror. I
: never bicycle without one.: It would seem that a change in the regulations is needed to address the
: visibility needs of paddlers. Maybe we could be assigned our own color
: strobe light. Clearly waving a flashlight when collision is imminent is
: not adequate, but it is all we are permitted under current rules. (For
: safety reasons, I would not want the light "mast" others have
: suggested.): Again, thank you for your guidance.
Ok, some specifics from a hearing impaired paddler.
I do not have a total hearing loss. I do have a big deficit on the right side.
The catch word here is big. If it is winter and I am wearing a hood that
blocks much of the hearing on the left I do feel hearing impaired.
Especially if I have on a neo hood under my Tec-tour jacket that also
has a hood. The only advice I can give is to keep looking around. I don’t mean
your head is constantly moving but you do need to use your eyes more
than people that do not have hearing problems. This is not just for night but
also during the day. Especially if you paddle with others and you are part of the
overall safety net within the group.
If you are crossing a shipping lane I suggest you go out of your way to cross
at the point that gives you the overall shortest distance to cross in the lane.
It is tempting to ferry glide so you are able to get to the area you want to be once
you cross. However, keep in mind that if you have much current running you will
spend more time in the shipping lane using a ferry glide than you would if
you just paddled across and let yourself be set down current. If you do not
want to be set down current so much you can wait and cross later or reevaluate
your starting point so that you let yourself be moved downstream and still end
up where you want to be. The point is to keep the time in the lane as short as
possible. Also, keep a VHF tuned to the station the big boats use.
For the hearing impaired individual a question
I find the loss of hearing on the right side does not cause me problems on flat
water or on very rough water or in high winds. I do find it causes me some
problems with reflecting waves off a shear wall when my hearing impaired side
is to the cliff. Also when just starting to surf. I guess I am saying When it is
chaotic out I don’t seem to notice but I do when it is relatively calm and then
there is a sudden change on the poor hearing side. How about you?
tom
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