----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Pesce" <peterpesce_at_earthlink.net>> > I was under the impression that a steady white light was required by the > USCG for small craft operating at night. AquaSignal, and others, make > special purpose "flashlights" that mount to the deck with suction cups or > some other method, for small boats such as kayaks, canoes, inflatables. > Is the Coast Guard thinking about changing this requirement, or is the study > hoping to propose additional lighting specifically for paddlers? The requirement currently in the US is just to have a white light handy...it need not be steadily on. Quite a few companies have lights such as the AquaSignal to use on dinghies and the like but adaptable to kayaks obviously. The Coast Guard is not contemplating any change. What is at issue is what lighting scheme actually will work in places like New York City, San Francisco etc. with lots of traffic and background light blotting out the effectiveness of a small white light on a kayak. This is a project for local use and recommendation. A discussion came up about eventually leading to new rules but I and Bonnie question this since what is need in SF Bay or NY Harbor isn't really applicable to the need in Stonington, ME. The local decision is also to think outside the box. That means for example the possibility of strobes not as a distress signal but rather as a running light for kayaks. We will explore this too. A possibility is to pick a strobe light not in current use although I do favor using the orange strobe used to designate a surfacing submarine; imagine how much that would frighten away motorboat traffic from a kayak! :-) I am being facetious here but it is possible for a local district to say a strobe is okay. The Coast Guard seems to have avoided this and even at one time made a big issue of fishing boats in Puget Sound that were using strobes to avoid being hit by major commercial traffic pouring through those waters. > If the white light requirement is to remain, the best use of LEDs may be to > reduce the weight and power requirements for a headlamp-style device which > would be out of the paddler's field of vision, visible for 360 degrees and > visible for greater distances due to the greater mounting height (as > mentioned in another post). That is one thought, i.e. a headlamp or dome skullcap. LEDs are a possibility but while they last a long time and are sparing of battery life, it may be that you need so many LEDs that you will not have that savings. We don't know yet but will explore them as well. 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 - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Mar 07 2001 - 06:05:02 PST
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