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From: Paul <quale_at_ix.netcom.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 22:59:53 -0800
Fluorescent orange, fluorescent yellow, or my favorite, fluorescent green.
Bright yellow-green, the color found on those new highway pedestrian signs,
the electric color of some cycling jackets, and the glowing colors that one
can get in spray paint.  That gleam gets your attention.

Then there's the not so noticeable paint scheme on my composite kayak.  What
if I prep the surface and give the whole exterior a good spray?  So what if
it last but a season--prep and paint the next.  Wondering if it will
adversely affect boat performance, if it will weaken the gel coat, or cause
other glaring problems.

Paul

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From: Rob Gendreau <rob_gendreau_at_mac.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Colored lights
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 11:03:55 -0800
I'm looking for waterproof lights. I need something that is colored--red,
green, white--and uses AAAs. Something around 1 watt would probably work.
I've tried to find a source for Princeton Tec eco flares, which look like
they might work, but I can't find a place that sells them (even Princeton
didn't know). I'm not real happy about using chemical lightsticks.

Thanks.


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From: Michael R Noyes <mnoyes_at_gsinet.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Colored lights
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 17:00:13 -0500
Check out;
http://www.backcountry-equipment.com/accessrs/a-hd_lmp/krill.html
These might be what you are looking for.

Mike

--
    Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are
visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a
great
blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a
mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your
passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space.
Mark H Hunt


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From: Chuck Holst <cholst_at_bitstream.net>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Colored lights
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 15:12:12 -0600
>>
I'm looking for waterproof lights. I need something that is colored--red,
green, white--and uses AAAs. Something around 1 watt would probably work.
I've tried to find a source for Princeton Tec eco flares, which look like
they might work, but I can't find a place that sells them (even Princeton
didn't know). I'm not real happy about using chemical lightsticks.
>>

For an electronic version of the light stick, take a look at the Krill 
lamps (http://www.kriana.com). Though pricey (about $30 for the Extreme 
Krill), the brightest version will last 50 or more hours on two AA cells, 
and, best of all, can be turned off and on. It is also waterproof. The 
Extreme model is about as bright as a fresh light stick. The standard model 
is about as bright as a light stick that has been "on" for an hour or two, 
and lasts over 100 hours on two AA cells. I understand that R.E.I. just 
started carrying them.

Chuck Holst



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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 23:12:00 EST
In a message dated 3/11/00 2:06:59 AM, quale_at_ix.netcom.com writes:

<< Then there's the not so noticeable paint scheme on my composite kayak.  
What

if I prep the surface and give the whole exterior a good spray?  So what if

it last but a season--prep and paint the next.  Wondering if it will

adversely affect boat performance, if it will weaken the gel coat, or cause

other glaring problems. >>

Probably, the only result with be a shrinkage of the pool of paddlers willing 
to be seen with you. One of the guys around here, or used to be before he 
moved to Wash., had this florissant orange SNAGGLETOOTH painted on the bottom 
of his boat. It didn't do much for being spotted while paddling upright but 
it would draw attention when upside down.

Joan
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From: Ulli Hoeger <uhoeger_at_is.dal.ca>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 16:43:05 -0400
>Fluorescent orange, fluorescent yellow, or my favorite, fluorescent
>green.  Bright yellow-green, the color found on those new highway 
>pedestrian signs, the electric color of some cycling jackets, and 
>the glowing colors that one can get in spray paint.  
>That gleam gets your attention.

If you paint your boat -or anything else- with this daylight 
fluorescent colors you will have not a bright boat -or whatever- for a 
very long time.  These colors fade very fast in sunlight and then 
they simply look ugly. So if you paddle only after dark, or in caves 
that it might be OK, but if you enjoy sunny days for paddling than 
look for other colors.
Little story to illustrate the message:
Some time ago the local paramedics got a new truck, painted with 
daylight fluorescent red and greenish yellow. A sore in the eye, but 
only for about 3 month.  Than the UV in the sunlight had faded the 
color and the brand new truck looked pretty rotten.  A complain 
brought up only a big questionmark by the manufacturer. Why 
didn't you park the truck inside???  Well, I guess if you have 
something new and fancy you want to show it, and you don't want 
to hide it in the garage. 

Cheers

Ulli

BTW: I painted my boat white and colored the deck yellow and red. 
 The white hull shows a good contrast to the water, while the 
yellow/red blend over paintjob for the deck is more for the good look.
Ulli Hoeger
Dept. Physiology and Biophysics
Dalhousie University
Halifax, B3H4H7, Nova Scotia
Canada

Phone I : 902-494-2673
Fax: 902-494-1685
Phone II :902-488-6796
http://is.dal.ca/~uhoeger
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From: Spencer Smith <spencerarthur_at_hotbot.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 15:32:41 -0800
Ulli Hoeger wrote:

>If you paint your boat -or anything else- with this daylight 
>fluorescent colors you will have not a bright boat -or whatever- for a 
>very long time.  These colors fade very fast in sunlight and then 
>they simply look ugly.

I'm the SNAGGLETOOTH from a previous post on this subject.  I've found that even after two years the flourescent colors (orange in my case) remain nearly as "obscene, toxic, attention getting...that was my point" as the day I painted my boat, but in my case all paint is on the bottom of my boat (safety issue) and not regularly subject to U-V rays (I also apply 6 or 7 coats).  Hence, every 2 years I repaint "SNAGGLETOOTH" on the bottom of my boat, but only 'cause wear and tear (landings mostly) has stripped the paint, not to mention gel coat, off my boat.  As for how it affects boat performance, I've not noticed any speed reduction, but then again I don't race kayaks.

Spencer A. Smith aka "SNAGGLETOOTH"

P.S.  While I have received increased attention from kayakers and non-kayakers alike, I've not noticed an increase in attention from marine mammals or other creatures lurking below.


HotBot - Search smarter.
http://www.hotbot.com

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From: Wes Boyd <boydwe_at_dmci.net>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 08:18:47
At 03:32 PM 3/12/00 -0800, Spencer Smith wrote:

>not regularly subject to U-V rays (I also apply 6 or 7 coats).  Hence,
every 2 years I repaint "SNAGGLETOOTH" on the bottom of my boat, but only
'cause wear and tear (landings mostly) has stripped the paint, not to
mention gel coat, off 

Dare I ask?

I sort of understand the on the bottom, but why "Snaggletooth?"

-- Wes

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From: Reeves, Debbie (Debbie) <"Reeves,>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Visibility In A Can...A Brilliant Idea
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 17:43:06 -0500
> ----------
> From: 	Paul[SMTP:quale_at_ix.netcom.com]
> 
> Fluorescent orange . . . That gleam gets your attention (snipped)
> 
> Then there's the not so noticeable paint scheme on my composite kayak.
> What
> if I prep the surface and give the whole exterior a good spray?  So what
> if
> it last but a season--prep and paint the next.  Wondering if it will
> adversely affect boat performance, if it will weaken the gel coat, or
> cause
> other glaring problems.
> 
For getting attention while underway, many of us concerned with visibility
have spray painted our paddles "safety" (or fluorescent) orange.  Since the
body and the paddle are the highest points of a kayaker, give yourself lots
of color.  The combination of the movement of a paddle and the fluorescent
color of the paddle seems to work well.  I've gotten many positive comments.


If your concern was more from the SAR standpoint (assuming you are in the
water and the hull is right side up), I have no personal experience.  Thank
goodness.

Debbie Reeves
Sandy Hook, NJ

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