Lights!!!

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Walker
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Lights!!!

Post by Walker »

I am surprised at how many kayaks are on the water in the dark with no lights at all. This morning, I nearly ran over two kayaks while going out of Highland Bayou in my Solo Skiff. If I had not been shining a bright light ahead of me, I am certain that I would have hit them.

Both kayaks were dark colored, and the paddlers were wearing dark clothing. They were nearly invisible. I was running wide open and could not have been more than about 30 feet from them when I spotted them.

I slowed down to idle, pulled along side, and told them that they need lights, and they were likely to get run over by a big boat without them. They looked at me like I was stupid.

Setting aside the fact that the law requires you to have an all-around white light, you are putting your life at risk by paddling in the dark without one.
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kickingback
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by kickingback »

Wow. Those are some very lucky rookie kayakers. At least I hope they are rookies and will learn from this. But then again, sometimes you just can't fix stupid.
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Cuervo Jones
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Cuervo Jones »

Don't you guys know? It's always everyone else's responsibility to look out for them. Not their own. Get with the times, man!


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hipshot
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by hipshot »

How are you liking the Solo so far?
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karstopo
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by karstopo »

You think you would have gotten a " gee thanks, I had no idea our kayaks are so difficult to see in the dark" or at least " we usually do have a 360 light, but we forgot them"

These encounters where you are 100% right and 100% helpful and you get zero or less than zero as a response...it's almost too much to bear.
flydoc
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by flydoc »

Solar powered yard lites are a cheap remedy for temporary use.
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Yaklash
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Yaklash »

Other than that they may not have known, knew but didn't care about the regulations or thought they'd be fine cuz they could see everyone else, that does not excuse the Darwinism of their lack of the good sense to, at the very least, have a flashlight and to maybe shine it at oncoming boats under way....SMH
Kayak Kid
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Kayak Kid »

The lack of knowledge that is exhibited, all too often, by rookies and old timers alike is becoming increasingly dangerous to everyone on the water. I'm no master of all boating rules, for sure, but, I do have this insatiable desire to live as long as possible. I am virtually paranoid when it comes to power boats. As such, I leave nothing to chance when I am on the water in my kayak.

I NEVER kayak at night in water that might be a passageway for power boats. I NEVER kayak at night in an area that might be used by air boats.

I always map out a predetermined route on a kayak camping or fishing excursion. If at all possible, I stick to a route that is too shallow or too narrow for power boats. During duck season, I NEVER plan my fishing trips in an area used by duck guides in air boats.
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JimBeaux
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by JimBeaux »

One night I was motoring my sailboat through the Kemah Boadwalk Marina restricted channel-(parallel to Texas Ave) heading to the Clear Lake channel for a night out on the bay.

As with an outboard driven boat, a traditional rudder steered, single prop hull does not respond as quickly, especially one that weighs almost 14,000 lbs. A rudder equipped hull must be driven at steering speed to maintain course or the current/wind will take over.

Plenty of lights that night, in fact, there were too many - I call it light pollution as it makes it difficult to discern aids to navigation & other boats.

The crew was putting the boat in order before we hit the open bay because a pitching deck multiplies the difficulty of simple tasks & so everyone was scampering across the deck taking care of business.

Just as I was fussing about my view being blocked, my eyes focused on some kind of abnormality in the light reflection in the water and I throttled back. My first thoughts were no way that was a guy in a yak laying abeam of the channel with no damn lights!

No time to react & no where to go but straight & being the safe mariner I was- I had failed to place my air horn next to the helm & couldnt blow a warning.

I started bellowing at the dummy to move fast as I watched the yak disappear from sight below my deck as I overtook him. Damn I was glad to see him & yak floating astern. Why I didnt hit him I will never know.

I called the dock master & reported the water turkey. I dont know what happened after that.
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krfish
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by krfish »

Kayak Kid wrote:The lack of knowledge that is exhibited, all too often, by rookies and old timers alike is becoming increasingly dangerous to everyone on the water. I'm no master of all boating rules, for sure, but, I do have this insatiable desire to live as long as possible. I am virtually paranoid when it comes to power boats. As such, I leave nothing to chance when I am on the water in my kayak.

I NEVER kayak at night in water that might be a passageway for power boats. I NEVER kayak at night in an area that might be used by air boats.

I always map out a predetermined route on a kayak camping or fishing excursion. If at all possible, I stick to a route that is too shallow or too narrow for power boats. During duck season, I NEVER plan my fishing trips in an area used by duck guides in air boats.
I agree. I do occasionally go out at night to flounder gig, but I try to avoid areas used power boats.


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kickingback
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by kickingback »

I fish the Deer Islands at night and cross and navigate along the edge of the ICW all the time. I have navigation (red/green) lights as well as my 360 stern light. I carry a really bright spotlight that is almost a Q-beam and use it to signal ships that may be coming close. I always cross the ICW fast as to not impeded traffic and to be safe but I am well lit by regulations. AS long as I am seen I feel safe. If some moron doesn't look and see me or runs me over then I will soon own a fleet of Hobie's with the settlement from the insurance or law suit. Trust me when I say I can jump out of my yak and swim fast if need be so I will be alive to enjoy my bounty!
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Lat22
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Lat22 »

More than half of the kayaks I see fishing in our canal at night don't have any lights. They might be residents who never leave the canals, but they should still have them.
Walker
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Walker »

Another thing that I have learned is that a yak with a normal 360 white light looks much farther away than it really is. When I approach, I slow way down, and even then a yak seems to leap from what I thought was 100 feet away to maybe 20 feet. I think it is because the single white light gives poor perspective. There is not much distance between the light and the reflection of the light on the water, making it appear much farther away than it actually is.

I always appreciate it when someone shines a flashlight toward me. It immediately gives me a much better idea of how far away they are, and it lets me know that they see me as well.
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JimBeaux
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by JimBeaux »

kickingback wrote:Wow. Those are some very lucky rookie kayakers. At least I hope they are rookies and will learn from this. But then again, sometimes you just can't fix stupid.
There is a permanent fix for stupid - oh yeah
Copperspoonfly
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Copperspoonfly »

Walker,

What type of lights do you recommend for the soloskiff or a kayak. Do they have to be mounted on the skiff?
Walker
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by Walker »

I use a RailBlaza NaviLux 360 white light on my kayak and on my Solo. It attaches to a mount. I remove it when the sun comes up. That light has been discontinued, replaced by the RailBalaza Visibility Kit II, which is a better deal. I had to buy the mount and separate extensions for the NaviLux. All of that comes with the new kit.

On my Solo, I also have a RailBlaza NaviLight TriColor on the bow. Again, I remove it when the sun comes up. This light is incredibly bright.
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bushwing
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Re: Lights!!!

Post by bushwing »

I purchased this one and placed it on pvc. Works great, last long, and bright. Reordered 2 more for my kids.
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