Safety Concerns

[shane]

While the focus is on flags for safety I also find them very handy for locating others when you're out fishing together. Numerous times at places like JJ, offshore etc I've been separated from others and an orange flag makes it so much easier to see them across the water with all the chop and surface glare. I've had others comment similarly that my flag sticks out plainly from a very long way off.

[cheaterparts]

Not sure if anyone from here was out around Joes Island in Westernport Friday night but I guy I work for was out in a boat parked up at Joes and 2 kayakers went past both had lights but not very bright - one ether the light was going out or was to low and being masked by his body or something on board
In fact he called them brave -- not because they were out fishing at night he knows many our us do

he has seen both myself and Winchbitch on the water at night a few times and said these 2 didn't stand out on the water any thing like our lighting . 1 had what looked like a dim small all round white light and the other was a little better
But it was a fairly well lit moon light night so the lights would not have stood as well as if it were darker

just putting it out as places like Joes are quite with heavy boat traffic areas this time of the year in fact near on all the traffic the fishes the top end of WP will go past Joes

remember apart from being legal you need to really stand out , a really bad way to end a night would be to become a speed bump for a boat that can't see you

[sog]

I do most of my fishing at night
You cannot miss my light ... I can see and be seen
I also carry a back-up light in case my main light dies for some reason
The back-up light is a boat style anchor light
I have reflectors placed on my kayak
I also have my orange flag to be seen before dusk or after dawn
Plus my head torch and of course a floating waterproof torch as required by law
I also carry a manual bilge pump as required by law and a vhf radio
I don't care what anybody else does ... I generally fish alone
Your safety is your responsibility
Do the right thing .... its really not hard

[shane]

Not sure if anyone from here was out around Joes Island in Westernport Friday night but I guy I work for was out in a boat parked up at Joes and 2 kayakers went past both had lights but not very bright - one ether the light was going out or was to low and being masked by his body or something on board
In fact he called them brave -- not because they were out fishing at night he knows many our us do

he has seen both myself and Winchbitch on the water at night a few times and said these 2 didn't stand out on the water any thing like our lighting . 1 had what looked like a dim small all round white light and the other was a little better
But it was a fairly well lit moon light night so the lights would not have stood as well as if it were darker

just putting it out as places like Joes are quite with heavy boat traffic areas this time of the year in fact near on all the traffic the fishes the top end of WP will go past Joes

remember apart from being legal you need to really stand out , a really bad way to end a night would be to become a speed bump for a boat that can't see you

That was Lobo and I. I wouldn't call my light dim, it's actually very bright with LED's wrapped high around the vertical pole plus other strips on a horizontal arm lighting up the deck. It could get flickery shining through the rods but wouldn't be obnscured. However Lobo's light is not quite as bright and down lower behind his seat so sometimes it can appear a bit obscured.

[Jordo]

There are always going to be instances when even a flag is not enough to be seen. However, there is no disputing the fact that a flag will increase your chances of being seen on the water. If you want to be safer and more visible to boats, then a flag and hi-vis clothing are great options, and arent hard to get a hold of or make yourself. To say that they are not worth using because you have had close calls while using them is like saying it wasn't worth wearing a seat belt because you almost didnt make it in a car accident when you were wearing one anyway.......
Of course that's crazy talk! People come away staying how lucky they were that they had a seat belt on and how much worse it could have been.

All the boaties I have talked to are shocked to hear that despite the effort they make to keep an eye out for us, so many kayakers make very little effort to make it any easier for them.

[maverick]

Why not just paint your paddle blades blaze orange and wave it around above your head. Higher than a flag and moving then put it away when dangers gone. Another thing worth thinking about with a flag is if you're at anchor and a boat approaches from directly upwind or down wind your flag is about a millimeter wide and hardly more visible than the stick its on.

what's a paddle?

[cotso]

There are always going to be instances when even a flag is not enough to be seen. However, there is no disputing the fact that a flag will increase your chances of being seen on the water. If you want to be safer and more visible to boats, then a flag and hi-vis clothing are great options, and arent hard to get a hold of or make yourself. To say that they are not worth using because you have had close calls while using them is like saying it wasn't worth wearing a seat belt because you almost didnt make it in a car accident when you were wearing one anyway.......
Of course that's crazy talk! People come away staying how lucky they were that they had a seat belt on and how much worse it could have been.

All the boaties I have talked to are shocked to hear that despite the effort they make to keep an eye out for us, so many kayakers make very little effort to make it any easier for them.

So if a boat runs over you and you have a flag it won't be as bad. Or do I put a seat belt in my yak ?

[cheaterparts]

That was Lobo and I. I wouldn't call my light dim, it's actually very bright with LED's wrapped high around the vertical pole plus other strips on a horizontal arm lighting up the deck. It could get flickery shining through the rods but wouldn't be obnscured. However Lobo's light is not quite as bright and down lower behind his seat so sometimes it can appear a bit obscured.

it was a fairly well lit moon light night so the lights would not have stood as well as if it were darker

I know how bright your lights are Shane so maybe just the moon light making them stand out less

what's a paddle?

means of Propulsion for a real Kayak

[4liters]

Why not just paint your paddle blades blaze orange and wave it around above your head. Higher than a flag and moving then put it away when dangers gone. Another thing worth thinking about with a flag is if you're at anchor and a boat approaches from directly upwind or down wind your flag is about a millimeter wide and hardly more visible than the stick its on.

what's a paddle?

[cotso]

Why not just paint your paddle blades blaze orange and wave it around above your head. Higher than a flag and moving then put it away when dangers gone. Another thing worth thinking about with a flag is if you're at anchor and a boat approaches from directly upwind or down wind your flag is about a millimeter wide and hardly more visible than the stick its on.

what's a paddle?

It's that thing you strap on the side that's there to remind you that others don't have it as good as you. Lol