I chose a yellow deck with white hull for visibility. I also use paddles with white blades, reflectors + SOLAS tape on all sides. I wear bright colored shirts and PDFs. I also have SOLAS tape on the bow, stern, port and starboard side of my kayak, mostly for if I am in trouble in low light, since it can be seen from a mile or more away by a searchlight. I have noticed in my paddling that it is the reflectors on my paddle blades that seem to catch the attention of power boaters.
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I recommend monochromatic yellow or chartreuse (like more recent fire trucks).
Orange is OK, but red is not very visible in the dark.
Monochromatic makes the boat LOOK like a boat, and it should still look like a boat if capsized.
Avoid white - it looks like whitecaps, so, just when you are most likely to be in trouble, or motorboaters are running from a storm, your boat blends into the surroundings.
Different colors fore and aft is like camouflaged naval combat ships - hard to pick out.
For aesthetic appeal, add touches of color with reflecting deck edge tape at the hull seam; ideally yellow/chartreuse.
Contrasting black for deck lines, wide tie-down straps, seats and hatches add some visual interest.
Paddle blades should be similar bright colors and/or outlined with reflective tape.
BTW, About one inch of tape overhanging the blade at the shaft will augment drip rings.
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According to the COLREGS, paddlecraft are simply vessels and in theory have no more right of way than a jetski, bass boat, cabin cruiser, or oil tanker. The idea that paddlecraft have “right of way” (a term which the rules of navigation discourages), is a nautical myth.
Boats under sail, deep draft vessels in a restricted channel, boats engaged with towing, crabbing with a trotline, or large commercial vessels, etc., are all considered to be restricted by maneuverability or daft. In such cases they are the stand-on vessels and more maneuverable boats like a kayak are the give-way vessels. In other cases when dealing with vessels that are equally maneuverable, a paddlecraft may or may not be the stand-on vessels based on the rules of navigation.
One has to bear in mind that the overarching responsibility of all mariners is to do everything possible to avoid a collision, regardless of the rules of navigation. As opposed to auto accidents where generally one party is often found guilty for right of way violations, maritime accidents usually apportion the blame if both vessels did not do everything possible to avoid an accident.
That being said, the informal “law of tonnage” is good to consider when paddling. If you are kayaking and run down by a large powerboat because you believe you are the stand-on boat, you or your heirs may prevail in a court case, but the paddler will generally not come out well in the end. Paddling up the center of a restricted channel is just poor boating etiquette as well.
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I rarely have issues with power boats on the water. Part of the reason may be because I stay out of main channels, except to cross perpenducular to the line of travel. Since a paddle boat draws such little water, on some bodies of water it’s easy to avoid conflict by traveling the shallow area near the shore and let the power boats have the channel. Stay out far enough to avoid crossing the fishing lines and avoid the wake from power boats. In tight channels, I stay as far out of the channel as possible.
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This technique works well in Florida, where there is lots of shallow water. I treat channels the same way I would a busy street that I was trying to cross as a pedestrian - look both ways and cross quickly when it is clear.
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When I get into open water, there’s so much room, nobody has to get close to anybody else. The real issue with kayaks around my launching point is how the rental boat go out and sit in the middle of the cove, while others hug the coast and ride over fishing lines
The thing that I have found out about power boaters is that they either don’t know that there are rules on the water or don’t care.
They are supposed to slow to below wake speed when passing a canoe, kayak, or anchored boat; that does not mean that they will do as they are supposed to.
Partly because of that I like boats that are fairly quick so I can get out of the way. That is because I don’t trust anyone heading at me in or on any kind of vehicle.
The best speed a power boat has for a paddler is wide open, planing. At a decent distance.
The best speed for a wake boat is 0, imo.
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Very few boats slow down around here. All power boats should keep a respectable distance from any other boat, and should reduce speed in crowded channels. It’s more objectionable to me when I’m on my brothers boat fishing and a Charter boat zips by a fishing spot under more power than practical.
The action is undoubtly intended to irritate the smaller boats to drive them off the spot. There’s a lesson in hull design for new kayakers - the wide flat planing hull of the power boat results in the boat rocking violently in heavy wake or high waves, while the relatively narrow hull of a kayak simply rides the peaks as the paddler balances to remain level through the wave cycle. That’s one reason a stable wide recreation boats get into trouble when conditions worsten - the extreme rocking become physically exhausting, and an open cockpit allows water to enter the cockpit, sinking lower with each wave large enough to invade the opening.
I don’t expect power boats to slow down for sea kayaks, because it gives the impression that kayaks aren’t suited for open water or harsh conditions. I don’t want special treatment that will make other boaters feel a kayak isn’t capable. The irony is that I’ve been on power boats that went in because conditions were too rough, where I would’ve felt indifferent to the conditions in my 145 kayak. I’ve never seen a power boat wave that can rival some of the waves many kayakers seek to surf. My youngest grand daughter loves to ride the wake of big boats and asks, “Will there be more like that?”
It may not always be the case, but I do believe if a distant boat lines up on your kayak for a brief period, they’re doing so to assess your speed and bearing. Therefore, i’ts best to at least initially maintain a steady track to give the other boat the best opportunity to anticipate your track. Its a technique that I use to judge slow moving boats, to determine whether my speed and bearing will allow me to best pass in front or behind the other vessel. By heading directly at the other boat, where practical, you can get the information you need within a few seconds to add to the distance calculation. It’s a simple navigation shortcut.
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They don’t have to get close but do.
Many boats could care less about your path. If they don’t directly hit you it’s all good for them.
They don’t give a “flying patootie” (sorry, Flo) about fisherfolk, either.
They don’t care the country is now LAWLESS.
My pass experience posted here meant ZERO to the cops even though the POS missed me by 8-10 feet doing 35 mph in a 25-30’ boat. If you get hit then the authorities will take some interest. Video they could care less about it. The stiff arm you and try to make it your fault by saying were you anchored in the channel. It’s laws they care ZERO about enforcing. The called it etiquette by it is the law.
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Fishermen are typically more aware than the burning gas and hauling ass crowd.
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It’s now called individual liberty by that ilk, and is code for “My individual liberty is sacred and yours doesn’t mean squat.”
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You can have a theft on security cameras but they don’t have time to track them down, they are overwhelmed most of the places I have lived.
. . . and they should. I’ve had verbal comments at gatherings where power boaters opined that kayaks don’t belonging on open water, but not direct intimidation on the water. I responded to that challenge by saying he doesn’t have to worry about seeing my kayak, my two flare guns in the side pocket holsters are ready for a warning, then a glancing shot off the windshield if one doesn’t register. Also that he wouldn’t have to worry about me running him over. Regarding sea worthiness, most boats are going back in due to harsh conditions that I consider normal. Besides it isn’t up to him to decide who can be on the water. The topic never came up again.
I have seen power boats intentionally disrupt others who were fishing in power boats, by using the wake.
There are other kayakers in this area, and I’m curious of their impressions about boating etiquette around here. It does seem that the bigger the boat, the less concerned the owner seems to be about wake. However, as I noted earlier, wake doesn’t bother me. Fortunately, “most” boats keep a reasonable distance.
If that were the case here, I’d try to find another place to paddle. Or buy two flare guns. Doesn’t sound like you’d have to worry about the flares expiring before you had a chance to use them.
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I don’t think many boaters actually care about the price of fuel. The ones who do probably have switched to kayaks. Years ago, the launch was full of sea kayaks, but now it isn’t uncommon to see two or three fishing kayaks either launching or returning.
Being retired, I stopped going out on weekends and holidays, to avoid the crowds at the launch and meandering rental kayakers. They typically don’t understand waterway etiquette and block the channel to the marina frequented by power boats. Much of the issue is they don’t realize how quickly a power boat can approach and the lack of paddling technique or strength results in getting out of the way. Most boaters don’t seem upset by it and just take it in stride.