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