I read Wes's night paddle story with interest as I have become a fan of this nocturnal aspect of our sport. The lake that I paddle frequently is a dammed section of the Colorado river that has been re-named "Town Lake" and runs right through the middle of Austin Texas. Zilker park,one of Austin's largest, oldest and best loved parks is on its south banks and that is where the 4th of July fireworks have been displayed since I was a child. Last year I got together a group of friends and neighbors and we were going to join the many paddlers that view the fireworks from the Lake, one of our group had to go into the hospital for emergency surgery and we all wanted to be there for her so we vowed to get together next year on the 4th. It is supposed to be awsome, I am told that you feel as if you are surrounded by the fireworks because the ones in the sky are mirrored in the lake! I went to a party shop and got some lengths of the glo stick that you were suggesting only they were about as thick as a pencil and attached end to end forming a necklace about the size of a dinner plate...I am saving them for the next 4th so that we can wear them and keep track of everyone in our group, as there were reportedly 500 boats on the lake last 4th. (no motorized boats over trolling size allowed EVER on this lake) In the mean time I was beginning to get a bit worried about being seen at night...Austin has a huge sculling community and I noticed that they have small blinking red lights mounted on the back of their boats (which are rowed backwards, and are VERY quiet). I phoned my two local kayak shops to ask about these and they do not carry them, it was suggested that I try a bike shop and bingo! waterproof, battery powered, clip on to darn near anything "Cat Lights" for bicycles. I just clip one onto the front of my kayak to the toggle handle, flick it on and paddle on into the twilight. If any one else paddles in the dark I would be interested to hear about their adventures. My best to all of you, Rob Dee Austin, Texas *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> bike shop and bingo! >waterproof, battery powered, clip on to darn near anything "Cat Lights" >for bicycles. I just clip one onto the front of my kayak to the toggle >handle, flick it on and paddle on into the twilight. >If any one else paddles in the dark I would be interested to hear about >their adventures. That is a red flashing bike light. Correctly you should also buy a front bike one that is usually green and fit them one on each side of the kayak (red on the port side remember). You need a white "masthead" light too so fit one of those to your hat and now you are a bit closer to the complete marine lighting requirement for vessels over 20 feet under power. Note I said a "bit closer". The actual legal requirement (for a kayak) is to have available a white all round light. Night paddling, my first night paddle was a 3 hour one starting at 3.30 a.m., finishing as dawn broke after being caught out while a gale blew through. I then had 4 hours driving to get to work late. Alex . . Alex (Sandy) Ferguson Chemistry Department University of Canterbury New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 10:24 AM 10/17/00 +1300, Alex Ferguson wrote: >> bike shop and bingo! >>waterproof, battery powered, clip on to darn near anything "Cat Lights" >>for bicycles. I just clip one onto the front of my kayak to the toggle >>handle, flick it on and paddle on into the twilight. >>If any one else paddles in the dark I would be interested to hear about >>their adventures. > >That is a red flashing bike light. Correctly you should also buy a front >bike one that is usually green and fit them one on each side of the kayak >(red on the port side remember). You need a white "masthead" light too so >fit one of those to your hat and now you are a bit closer to the complete >marine lighting requirement for vessels over 20 feet under power. Note I >said a "bit closer". The actual legal requirement (for a kayak) is to have >available a white all round light. Most of what I've read indicates that a flashing light is not a good idea and that just having a white light that can be seen 360 degrees is preferred. I just went out for a night paddle on the recent full moon last Friday and one of the things that I find invaluable is a head lamp. There are several brands available but it's real nice having a light that doesn't require you to let go of the paddle to aim. The other thing that is kind of fun is to get a good flashlight and stick it in the bulkhead of a light colored poly kayak. It shines through the hull and makes a pretty large light source. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
To be "legal", marine stores offer both a portable green/red bow light and a white light for the rear, each about 10 inches tall with a suction cup at the base. They are battery powered and float, for about $25 each. (Much less than the fine by the lake patrol). They work best for those of you with flat decks. These lights are to be seen, not to see, so a bright headlamp or other light source would be recommended. This is the ultimate solution! Tim N. Boat'n in the Ozarks *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>To be "legal", marine stores offer both a portable green/red bow light and a >white light for the rear, each about 10 inches tall with a suction cup at the >base. They are battery powered and float, for about $25 each. (Much less than >the fine by the lake patrol). They work best for those of you with flat decks. >These lights are to be seen, not to see, so a bright headlamp or other light >source would be recommended. This is the ultimate solution! > >Tim N. >Boat'n in the Ozarks > Tim, sounds like in your area kayaks are required to have full running lights? Used those lights about ten years ago, green/red at the bow and white at the stern, mechanically fastened to the boat. They have been sitting in my gear closet ever since, never to be used again. The best thing that happen was after about six hours the batteries went kaput, it was then I was able to get my night vision back. This happen during a continuous 50 hour paddle. Those lights limits your vision beyond the bow. To each his own, I'll stick with having a white light for defense and maybe if there is no moon I might check out the shore with the white light before beaching . BTW that suction with the suction cups at the base of those lights won't last very long, ya better tether the lights. Arthur *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
John Fereira wrote: > > The other thing that is kind of fun is to get a good flashlight and stick > it in the bulkhead of a light colored poly kayak. It shines through the > hull and makes a pretty large light source. If your kayak is too opaque, you can get quite a large light source if you put a flashlight into a clorox bottle bailer or into a white plastic grocery bag. It gives you a large, very effective 360 degree light out of a flashlight that really is only meant to send out a spotlight in a narrow direction. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:18 PDT