Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaks...New Hazard?

From: Steve Holtzman <sh_at_actglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2002 22:12:54 -0700
Matt said:
> It is my recollection that the International Rules apply on any waters
that
> are navigable to the sea.

This may very well be the case. My info about behind the breakwater or not
came about as a result of a call I made to the local Coast Guard station two
years ago. Several of us were planning a crossing of the Santa Barbara
Channel to Anacapa Island. We were launching before dawn and were also
concerned about fog.

Several of the paddlers in the group had strobes on their PFD's and wondered
if they could be used to increase our visibility in the dark and possible
fog. We knew that according to the Inland Rules, strobes are a distress
signal, but according to the International Rules, strobes don't have any
meaning.

After being transferred from one person to another, a petty officer who
spoke with confidence, told us we could turn the strobes on once we were
past the breakwater because at that time we would be subject to the
International Rules. Before that, since we were in a harbor, it was Inland
Rules.

I don't know if this Petty Officer was correct, but we did use the strobes
after clearing the breakwater.

Steve Holtzman


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Received on Tue Jun 18 2002 - 22:13:08 PDT

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