All,
Having worked at the Boat Show, I had a chance to speak to multiple guides. They all stated the exact same concern. These folks pull up to a shoreline before dawn and then get chewed out by a kayaker they did not even know was there. As kayakers, it is our responsibility to make sure WE can be seen. One guide stated that if he bumped into one kayak in the past year, he had bumped into 10. Even going so far as to say the yakers had gotten confrontational over it.
TPWD and Coast Guard require that we have a 360 degree light on our boats and powered on during periods of low light. That means on all the time, not just when we are paddling, but also if we are wading and our boat is at anchor. And a head lamp does not cut it...it has to be able to been seen from all sides at the same time.
If you don't want to be seen stay out of places where you can be. There is not excuse for you who do not utilize a light. Your families want you to be safe, and We, your fellow paddlers, do not want you dorking up and causing TPWD to make further laws resticting us.
Scotty makes a great 360 light that is very useful, and there are others out there as well. Some folks have gone as far as to wire their boats. and use the same poles and lights as the big boys.
TPWD does not require green and red running lights at this time, but if we do not start obeying the laws, I'll bet they start working on it. That or restricting where we can be.
Don't screw it up for others, don't paddle at night, before dawn, or in low light (FOG) without some sort of Light. Your Family wants you to be safe, and not being seen when you in open water, or anchored in the channel between the deer islands is not being safe. All it takes is one good hit, and we will all mourn the loss of a fellow yaker...
Alright Newbies, listen up...
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Gordo-wannafish
- Posts: 306
- Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:58 pm
- Location: Kemah
