One of the biggest problems with visability for kayakers is that our kayaks are very low in the water. Even at short distances and moderate wave heights your boat will likely be invisible. For that reason I think kayak color has little effect unless you are the subject of an air SAR. I have read of people suggesting that you could for example hoist a small radar reflector on a fishing pole and the same could be done with a high vis flag, but I would not recommend it. A flag would catch too much wind and would become a diabolical parasite if you had to roll you kayak. The simple approach is to tag the highest most visable parts of your gear with bright high vis colors. Since your head is the highest point a bright hat is a big help. The movement of your paddle blade is also fairly high off the water and catches peoples attention. If you have a fiberglass paddle a shot of high visability paint is a great way to be seen as the brightly colored blades move up and down. I have a beautiful wood paddle and it would break my heart to paint it so I guess I will just have to keep a white marker flare in the flare gun and aim for the pilot of the speed boat if someone gets too close! Aaron P. Fein wrote: > Does anyone have a good solution for improving their visibility while > paddling out on open water, such as in a large bay? I often wonder > whether a speeding motorboat or fishing trawler knows I am out there and > it would be nice to do something to make myself more visible. I was > thinking along the lines of a flag of some type... > > Aaron > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Feb 04 1999 - 12:38:00 PST
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