Re: [Paddlewise] Paddling on Instruments - part two

Hi Mark... I absolutely agree that kayaks - even kayaks with radar
reflectors or paddled by paranoid people wearing tinfoil hats - are almost
impossible to see on a radar screen. It's wise to stick close to shore in
well traveled areas whenever visibility is low (including night) and only
cross traffic areas with extreme caution.

I like the hiker's compass. I have found, however, that they have a tendency
to "stick" when the kayak moves in a seaway since they aren't built with
gimballs. One has to be careful to take bearings when the compass is free.

Thanks for your input,
Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA

On 9/24/07, Goffma_at_aol.com <Goffma_at_aol.com> wrote:
>
> A very nice piece Craig!
>
> A couple of additional pieces of advice...
>
> If you are thinking of paddling in fog in an area with motorized traffic,
> think very long and very hard.  Kayaks are nearly invisible to larger
> boats  in
> clear conditions, in fog it's even worse.  If you are paddling in fog
> on  the
> ocean, you (and all other boats making way) have a legal requirement
> to  sound
> a fog horn periodically (I think it's every 2 minutes) to warn other boats
> of your location.  Also, if you suspect there is traffic in the area,
> it's  a
> good idea to put out a Securite'-Securite' announcement on your VHF radio,
> again to warn other traffic that you are there.
>
> After spending a little time on a commercial fisherman's boat and
> seeing  how
> fast he moved in fog and how reliant on radar he was, I make every effort
> to
> stay within spitting distance of shore when I am kayaking in fog.  My
> kayak
> and I don't show up on radar at all yet that was pretty much the only
> method
> this particular guy was using to steer by and he was moving right along!
> Scary.
>
> As far as plotting courses from the cockpit, I use graphic software to
> prepare chart segments with lines of magnetic north overlaid on the chart.
> Attached by a lanyard to the chart case, I have a hiker's compass that I
> can use  as
> a protractor to quickly get magnetic bearings to use with my
> deck  compass.
> Also, the hiker's compass acts as a backup for the deck compass  or as a
> hand
> bearing compass.  It's a pretty convenient system that has  worked well
> for me
> over the years but it does require a bit of  preparation.
>
> Mark Goff
> Hampden, Maine
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