Re: [Paddlewise] Visibility

Aaron,
I use a flag, and have had a number of good comments about visibility, both
from friends who can trace me as we paddle down exposed coastlines where I
like to head into the foam zone, and from larger vessels where I was more
visible crossing busy corridors (long-weekend holidays can be real bad for
traffic). Sometimes I'm not sure how well it really does work, but it is a
grear PR move, as other boaters always encourage with comments like, "Gee,
at least someone is trying to make themselves visible."

Rather than buy one, I made my own from a fiberglass pole avaliable in
hardware stores for driveway markers. For the flag, I sewed my own and edged
the perimeter with reflective sew on tape. The pole is flexible and fits in
a common marine fitting that holds a 1/4 inch rod on the deck. To keep the
pole verticle, I have four bungie cords splayed out from a height of one
foot above the deck on the pole, that clip down to four deck eyes, so the
whole flag can flatten to the deck and bounce back verticle. It is superior
to bike flags, because it is rust proof and "overbuilt". Works for me (if
I'm allowed to say that).

I've onlt used it for two years now, having put off making/buying one
because I thought it would intefere with rolling and create more windage.
Even my harcore buddies were agast at the idea, but in reality, I've had
*no*problems. I roll a lot, for fun and (no) profit. I also paddle in storm
force winds - no problems (but my flag/pole design has a flex component)
. 
A one inch strip of reflective tape around the outside of the entire kayak
also shows up well, even in the daytime, when and if there is sunshine to
cause a reflection. Regardless, bright paddle blades still give the highest
returns for visibility on the water. When I switched to an epoxy-graphite
blade, despite the flag, friends had a hard time seeing me in the waves.
Hope to "see" you out on the water! (PS A buddy of mine prefers to paddle
incognito. His boat and paddle are sea-green, as is his PFD and clothing. He
gets bothered a lot less by drunken teens in speed boats, and simply steers
clear of everyone and everything - so there's another view on someone who
*doesn't* want to be viewed!).

Doug Lloyd

>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
>
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