JB,

I would certainly recommend standard boat lighting (red and green), however,
I would not wish to rely solely on same. Some device to provide a radar
profile would also be useful, as would additional safety and signal
equipment should something unexpected occur. While collisions with a kayak
are unlikely, you are in a very exposed and unprotected situation and should
take reasonable safety precautions.

Rick

"JB" wrote in message
...
Hello all...

I'm writing from Switzerland and this is my first post on this
newsgroup...but I've been reading you all for a long time and got plenty
of
tricks that helped me improve my poor skills...

Most of the time, I paddle on Lake Leman but I travel every year to
Brittany
and put my kayak to rougher seas !!

I just wanted to hear from you about seakayaking at night...do you use any
light so other boats could see you ?

Thanks..

JB

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 23:25:28 GMT, "Rick" wrote:

"JB" wrote in message
...
Hello all...

I'm writing from Switzerland and this is my first post on this
newsgroup...but I've been reading you all for a long time and got plenty
of
tricks that helped me improve my poor skills...

Most of the time, I paddle on Lake Leman but I travel every year to
Brittany
and put my kayak to rougher seas !!

I just wanted to hear from you about seakayaking at night...do you use any
light so other boats could see you ?

I would certainly recommend standard boat lighting (red and green), however,
I would not wish to rely solely on same. Some device to provide a radar
profile would also be useful, as would additional safety and signal
equipment should something unexpected occur. While collisions with a kayak
are unlikely, you are in a very exposed and unprotected situation and should
take reasonable safety precautions.

Rick

In the US, any craft on the water at night is supposed to display the
standard basic lights, regardless of propulsion. Obviously the US
Coast Guard rules do not apply elsewhere, but your equivalent agency
may have similar policies.

There are many inexpensive lights available, which attach in a variety
of ways..

For radar, there are things called "corner reflectors" which do a fine
job of reflecting radar back to its source. These dramatically raise
your visibility on their radar for little cost and no power.

Any marine supply store will have these.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

I'm not going to bother to try to look up the actual regulations right now,
but I seem to recall that kayaks, for whatever reason, are exempt from the red
and green light thing when out at night. We are required to carry a
"directional beam light," i.e., a flashlight, and that's about it. The purpose
of the directional beam light is to be able to use it to signal boats as to
your position in the event one looks like it is going to pass near you. Of
course that's in the US, I have no idea what the regulations are in
Switzerland.
When I am out paddling at night I usually tape a couple of chem lights to
the paddle shaft out towards the paddle blades to make myself more visible. You
want to avoid having any brighter lights on your boat as they will ruin your
night vision.
As for radar reflectors, it is my understanding (and once again I am going
from memory here, which is not as good as it used to be :-) that anything you
can carry in a kayak is, for the most part, useless. If you stick close to
shore then boat traffic should be not much of a concern.

Scott
So.Cal.

I think Scott has it right. The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as a small
sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to avoid a
collision. The picture in the regulation shows a sailor using the light to
shine on their sail to make them more visible.

You may also be required to have a night visual distress signal. The most
common for kayakers would be three aerial flares (three count as one device) or
a strobe. According to international rules, the strobe must automatically
flash SOS in Morse Code. Fortunately with tiny computers, you an get a light
to do that for about $35US.

Hope this helps.
Brian Blankinship

"Blankibr" wrote in message
...
I think Scott has it right. The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as a
small
sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to avoid a
collision.

Does the white light have to cover 360 degrees?

"WebKatz" writes: Does the white light have to cover 360 degrees?

No. The light is to be shined to avoid a collision. I personally would flash
it across the "target" (hazardous vessel) and then back to my illuminating my
boat.

This could have the unintended effect of implying you want them to come closer.


Also keep in mind a large vessel like a ferry or barge is not going to be able
to change course or stop to avoid hitting you. As someone else posted, act as
though no one else sees you and avoid them.

Brian Blankinship

No, its to be a directional light.

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 20:21:12 -0500, "WebKatz"
wrote:


"Blankibr" wrote in message
...
I think Scott has it right. The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as a
small
sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to avoid a
collision.

Does the white light have to cover 360 degrees?

wrote:

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 20:21:12 -0500, "WebKatz"
wrote:


"Blankibr" wrote in message
...

I think Scott has it right. The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as a

small

sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to avoid a
collision.

Does the white light have to cover 360 degrees?

No, its to be a directional light.

Headlamps work well for this, but you'll want one that's really bright
when you need it. You do not have to display the light constantly.
Rather, you're only required to use it when necessary to avoid a
collision. If you feel the need to keep a light on all the time, there
are headlamps that feature variable intensity and/or a combination of
LED's (low power, long battery life) and halogen bulbs (high power,
short battery life) that give you that option without having to deal
with short battery life.

wrote
No, its to be a directional light.

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 20:21:12 -0500, "WebKatz" wrote:
The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as
a
small sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to
avoid a
collision.

Does the white light have to cover 360 degrees?


In Pennsylvania the Fish & Boating rules say it should be an
omnidirectional light. --Also true in places in NJ such as Round Valley
Reservoir. How confident are you that you know for sure where the boat
that's going to hit you is coming from, so you can point your light toward
it?
JMP

On 01 Oct 2003 00:58:52 GMT, (Blankibr) wrote:

I think Scott has it right. The 72 COLREGS (international rules to avoid
collisions) states that kayaks can either use the same light pattern as a small
sailboat (red/green) or just a white light that can be shown to avoid a
collision. The picture in the regulation shows a sailor using the light to
shine on their sail to make them more visible.

You may also be required to have a night visual distress signal. The most
common for kayakers would be three aerial flares (three count as one device) or
a strobe. According to international rules, the strobe must automatically
flash SOS in Morse Code. Fortunately with tiny computers, you an get a light
to do that for about $35US.

I wasn't sure about the exemption.

No harm in having the same lighting as a small sailboat.

I would still behave like a bicyclist on the same road as trucks:
assume you are invisible no matter how many lights you have, and
always be prepared to get out of the way.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom