Sluf et al, Thanks for passing on your SAR experience with spotting small craft at sea. This sort of safety discussion makes P/W worthwhile. A coupla points; Has anyone used, or seen in action a new gadget [to me] called a SEE/RESCUE signal streamer. This is well reviewed in a seemingly balanced compendium of web pages found under 'equipped.com'. In fact when I read about the streamer, it all seemed so bleeding obvious I wondered why it had not been dreamed up years ago. Basically the streamer is a bright orange floating plastic strip of various lengths which can be deployed from a life raft, kayak, yacht etc. According to the blurb they have been tested and approved by the US military as substitutes for dye markers in their [pilots] survival kits. Again, according to 'equipped.com', the military have demonstrated that a medium length streamer can be spotted at one and a half miles at a search altitude of 1500ft. [In daylight of course!] The advantages to seagoing kayakers seem to be considerable. The streamer does not rely on batteries, does not go out of date, does not have to be kept in a waterproof environment, weighs little and packs down to the size of a SOLAS parachute flare, does not degrade or disperse in heavy seas, is relatively unaffected by the size of the seas or wind strength. The only rider I would attach to the above is that this predicates an aerial search. But then I have noticed that these days most official searches off our coastline here in Australia begin with an aerial search, either by helicopter or fixed wing, Anyone seen these streamers or have one in their safety kit? On the kayak visibility issue, my experience is that at around half a mile and further, in a whitecapping sea, it makes little difference if your boat is black, white or brindle. But I have read somewhere that bright blue is a safe colo[u]r at sea. And light fluoro green, strangely enough. PJ, Wollongong, Australia *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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