All this talk about night paddline and lights.... it would seem to be that a white light readily available would be even more visible if accented by a small air horn that is also readily available... I am pretty sure that most other boats will look in the direction of an air horn, making the lantern FAR more likely to be seen. :) Mike Orchard *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 8/2/07, Michael Orchard <mspadorchard_at_comcast.net> wrote: > > All this talk about night paddline and lights.... it would seem to be that > a > white light readily available would be even more visible if accented by a > small air horn that is also readily available... I am pretty sure that > most > other boats will look in the direction of an air horn, making the lantern > FAR more likely to be seen. > This is an excellent idea but again, as in the lighting issue, the Rules of the Road prescribe how you should use sound signals. Rule 33 deals with kayaks (well, vessels under 12 meters). We do not have to carry a "whistle and a bell" but we have to have some means of making an efficient (sound) signal. And not just any signal. Remember that the Rules of the Road were designed to create a safe and effective means of communications for ships (mostly) and tugs so there are also prescribed signals for passing, meeting, and - which is what we all want to know - danger. Just because we are in a kayak does not mean we aren't a "vessel" under USCG (or virtually any other similar agency anywhere in the world) rules. Legally, we have to behave the same as an Exxon tanker. The international maritime sound signal for danger is five or more blasts of the horn (or whistle). If you hear this signal while you are paddling you should immediately look around to find out if it's directed at you and take action to avoid the danger. What this means to kayakers is that if you do have an air horn, just tootling it a couple times is not sufficient (they might think you want to pass starboard-to-starboard for instance); you must give 5 or more blasts on your whistle or air horn. How you do this while still paddling like hell to get out of the way is another question. Will a powerboater or jet skier hear it? If he hears it will he understand it? Maybe, but in either case you'll at least tried, by legal means, to avert a collision. Craig Jungers Royal City, WA *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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