A couple of years ago I paddled out of the Inter Coastal through the Boca Inlet. A 25 foot plus center console fishing boat sat on the south side of the inlet dead in the water. Just after I passed on his port side the guy starts his engine and at an idle slipped his craft into gear. There wasn't time for me to get out of the way and I was pinned to the bow of the boat. As I braced against the bow I yelled, but he didn't hear me so I reached down and slapped the side of the boast with the paddle. He came running forward to see what he hit and discovered me. Lucky, you bet. I was fortunate that he didn't slip it into gear and hit the throttle! Next time I would pass on the shallow side in any case to ensure that I wasn't going to be in the most logical path of the larger vessel. All of my paddling in Southern California has been limited to trips up and down the coast either from local harbors or surf launches. I agree with those that basically stated a collision is best avoided by making sure that you are seen. Even when seen I have had some distressing close encounters with pleasure boaters and a couple of local commercial fisherman servicing their traps. High speed passes with their captains waving to you as you brace against their wake combined with the swells creating a confused sea and paddler. The commercial fisherman appeared to take great pleasure in seeing what they could churn up and we could handle. In a couple of instances the VHF has proven valuable by being able to hail the boat by it's name and asking politely for them to please watch their wake as it presents a danger to a much smaller craft. Not all of the pleasure boaters have or monitor VHF, but the ones that did have significantly altered their actions. In a few other incidents a couple of short blasts on a canned air horn did the trick and the boater gave us a wide(r) berth. From what I have read from far more experienced people than I it seems that large ocean going vessels, though presenting an inherent danger, are easier to avoid due to their size and predictable movement. I have a greater fear and respect of folks out for the weekend drinking and enjoying the good life with little experience as boaters or possibly little to no respect for those they share the water with. Better to be seen and safe and avoid close and ugly encounters with larger water craft! (Jet Ski's Included!!!!!!) Any other suggestions? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: Fred T, CA Kayaker <cakayak_at_mindspring.com> (SNIP) > > Better to be seen and safe and avoid close and ugly encounters with larger > water craft! (Jet Ski's Included!!!!!!) Any other suggestions? We discussed this once before but it doesn't hurt mentioning it again. When paddling in fog it pays to stay out and away from channels. The GPS has created a new monster. Power boaters have less fear of fog now since they know their location (or think they do). Last weekend I heard a power boat blasting down the channel at high speed in fog . Maybe 50 - 100 feet of visibility. I suspect he had GPS and had confidence in his location and the channel. Only one small detail. He could not tell anyone else's position. Damned scary. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Web site address http://home.ican.net/~735769 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
How about carrying grenades or limpet mines and sinking the SOBs? "Fred T, CA Kayaker" wrote: > A couple of years ago I paddled out of the Inter Coastal through the Boca > Inlet. A 25 foot plus center console fishing boat sat on the south side of > the inlet dead in the water. Just after I passed on his port side the guy > starts his engine and at an idle slipped his craft into gear. There wasn't > time for me to get out of the way and I was pinned to the bow of the > boat. As I braced against the bow I yelled, but he didn't hear me so I > reached down and slapped the side of the boast with the paddle. He came > running forward to see what he hit and discovered me. Lucky, you bet. I > was fortunate that he didn't slip it into gear and hit the throttle! Next > time I would pass on the shallow side in any case to ensure that I wasn't > going to be in the most logical path of the larger vessel. > > All of my paddling in Southern California has been limited to trips up and > down the coast either from local harbors or surf launches. I agree with > those that basically stated a collision is best avoided by making sure that > you are seen. Even when seen I have had some distressing close encounters > with pleasure boaters and a couple of local commercial fisherman servicing > their traps. High speed passes with their captains waving to you as you > brace against their wake combined with the swells creating a confused sea > and paddler. The commercial fisherman appeared to take great pleasure in > seeing what they could churn up and we could handle. > > In a couple of instances the VHF has proven valuable by being able to hail > the boat by it's name and asking politely for them to please watch their > wake as it presents a danger to a much smaller craft. Not all of the > pleasure boaters have or monitor VHF, but the ones that did have > significantly altered their actions. In a few other incidents a couple of > short blasts on a canned air horn did the trick and the boater gave us a > wide(r) berth. > > From what I have read from far more experienced people than I it seems > that large ocean going vessels, though presenting an inherent danger, are > easier to avoid due to their size and predictable movement. I have a > greater fear and respect of folks out for the weekend drinking and enjoying > the good life with little experience as boaters or possibly little to no > respect for those they share the water with. > > Better to be seen and safe and avoid close and ugly encounters with larger > water craft! (Jet Ski's Included!!!!!!) Any other suggestions? > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not > to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jet Ski's and drunken idiots are abundant in the Ozarks too, and they seem to view Kayakers as "targets", circling and spraying us with water. Usually some dude trying to impress the bikini girls. They invoke the same fear in me as cycling near large dogs. This may sound juvenile, but the best idea we had is to buy a cheap paintball gun to keep on deck. In theory, we would shoot the boat that is purposely harassing us, thus "marking" the perpetrator. A call the lake patrol would follow, and the "tagged" boat would be easy to pick out. Not sure of the legality of shooting a boat.... During the summer season, we just try to avoid the areas where such a confrontation may occur. Tim *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
NEWTOT_at_mail.modot.state.mo.us wrote: } Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Defensive Paddling - Avoiding Weekend Boaters * > > This may sound juvenile, but the best idea we had is to buy a cheap paintball > gun to keep on deck. In theory, we would shoot the boat that is purposely > harassing us, thus "marking" the perpetrator. A call the lake patrol would > follow, and the "tagged" boat would be easy to pick out. Not sure of the > legality of shooting a boat.... Personally, I'd check the legality pretty thoroughly. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the lake patrol decided to arrest you instead. And the consequences could also be pretty severe if you miss but the jet skiier decides you really are shooting at him. I'd leave this one in the realm of fantasy, along with shooting them with flare guns, etc. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 7/4/00 5:51:08 AM, NEWTOT_at_mail.modot.state.mo.us writes: << This may sound juvenile, but the best idea we had is to buy a cheap paintball gun to keep on deck. In theory, we would shoot the boat that is purposely harassing us, thus "marking" the perpetrator. A call the lake patrol would follow, and the "tagged" boat would be easy to pick out. Not sure of the legality of shooting a boat.... >> Keeping the paint balls dry is a little problematic. I personally enjoy it when the Jet'ers rough up the water, but I would become very protective if it started to bother some of the other paddlers on a club trip. And then there's the escalation issue....Maybe best to just "tag" the Jet'er with a small caliber projectile. Somewhere in the vicinity of a knee would do quite nicely, I should think. All seriousness aside, I agree with you. But it would really start an ugly period between kayakers and Jet'ers. Best to just become comfortable with rough water and thank them for making it for you. Jed *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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