Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Radar visibility

From: Dan Hagen <dan_at_hagen.net>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 07:45:11 -0700
Colin Calder wrote:

> ...<snip>...
> I personally don't have much concern about being run down by commercial vessels
> (kayaks are pretty much the only craft which tend/are capable of nosing around/in
> the local sea cliffs where I do maybe 90% of my paddling). However, I wonder
> whether some sort of active transponder would give kayaks a noticeable radar
> signature. 
> ...

Pains Wessex makes a relatively compact marine radar transponder:

http://www.pwss.com/products/xponders/rte.htm

However it is very expensive, and while relatively compact, it is still
a bit larger than is desirable for use on a kayak. Given this, and given
that I paddle mainly in areas where larger boats fear to tread, I have
not been tempted to buy one. But if I paddled in New York I might be
tempted, given some of Ralph's stories of heavy ship traffic (and
mystery barges) rumbling about in the fog.

Dan Hagen
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Received on Fri Oct 22 1999 - 07:46:11 PDT

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