see me
 

One thing that really bothered me yesterday out on open water was the boaters that came way to close going way to fast and pushing huge wakes. I don't know if they just don't see kayaks on the water or they just don't care or understand what can happen if they flip a kayaker. As much room as they have there really shouldn't be any reason to pass within 50' of a kayak going full bore. I'm going to put a larger and higher flag on my boat to hopefully be easier to see.

My wife claims my kayak can't be seen on the water after only a short distance away, but her eyesight is only so-so. My paddles have yellow blades, so that has to help some, but I'm considering a flag too. It seems to me that private boaters don't seem to care too much for us on our kayaks and I'm not sure that I blame them. I kind of consider kayakers/SUPs to be the cyclists of the ocean. I try not to take it to personally when a boater seems annoyed about having to change course, because I'm too slow to get out of the way.

What color is your kayak? Mine is stone and I'll admit it's pretty hard to see.

A fisherman on a boat can spot a lone bird sitting on the water, or a kelp from an insane distance; yet can't spot a kayaker? Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

my kayak is lime green and my paddle blades are orange. I should stick out like a sore thumb but I looked at the boaters yesterday and not one returned my look. They were looking straight ahead and never looked my way. I'm sure they saw me and changing course just a little would not have put them off course, they were just a mile or so out from the harbor so a couple of hundred feet wouldn't make a difference. Sven did what I did with the big wakes we turned our bow into the wake so we didn't get hit sideways.

They see you but I think most of them just don't realize what their wake does to a kayak.. it doesn't even cross their mind. Seldom do I see a boater look back to see what effect his wake has. They have a whole ocean and yet they are always cruising within 40 yards of me.

I've been hit by a boat next to the bait barge in Newport, nearly run over by a speed boat in San Diego Bay,and just recently had the only boat in all of Newport Harbor that was out as early as I was come up right behind me, (there was literally NO ONE with hundreds of yards from where I was), and snag my line in his prop. In all cases, I was flying a large orange flag with an American flag below it. No way NOT to see it.

My buddy who was in a bright yellow Malibu Stealth 12 got literally run over by a sail boat and nearly swamped. The boats never stopped, even though a woman looked over the side and saw him. No effort was made to try and save him by the boater, they just kept sailing on as if nothing had happened. Fortunately he was able to paddle back to shore and pumped it all out. We didn't get the hull number but called it in to the Harbor Patrol. Don't know if anything came of it after that.

People just don't notice what they're doing when out on the water. Some of it might be blamed on the sun reflection on the water, but most times, it's just plain carelessness on the part of the boater.

Just be careful out there and don't assume that any boater can see you. I carry a whistle and an air horn. Even that may not be enough.....

Last year a boater deliberately hit me in order to move me off a spot that he wanted to fish. The salmon fishing around here makes La Jolla look like a boating lovefest. Imagine all the boats on a Sunday at La Jolla in about one square mile of water, that's what salmon fishing is like.

My yellow outback got hit by a car backing out of his spot. He walked right past me to get in his car, and I was on the drivers side. Obviously he had no clue what his mirrors are for. Also had a big boat come up behind me as I was coming into Mission Bay, and I shook my head as he approached, and apparently he saw my disgust so he shut down about 30 ft off my stern port quarter. Then he kicked it up full throttle as he turned to starboard to get around me. I ended up catching 2 wakes at the same time from different directions. Needless to say the air turned blue in the vicinity of mt yak.

I attribute these problems to the now "Me first and only" attitude of todays society. Most PB owners are the same ones you see on the road or in stores, rude and clueless. Other PB owners and Cattle boat captain, hate them as much as we do. There are some Cattle boat Captains who also are part of the same problem. Keep your head on a swivel and never think the other guy sees you or cares.

Some boaters are just clueless, some don't care, and some unfortunately like to F with people. I commuted by bike for several years and there are many similarities between bikes n yaks. Both are hard to see, slow, small, and will get the worst of any encounter with a motorized vehicle/vessel. When biking I always assumed drivers dont see me. Same with power boaters.

Many guys have video cameras on their yaks now. Get the encounter recorded and file a report. I believe boaters are responsible for any damage their wakes cause. Weather it's deliberate or inadvertent. Like possibly flipping a yakker.

Another "solution" might be to land and drive to the closest launch ramp. A yakker will look much bigger on his feet n an ahole boater will be much smaller out of his big boat. Mike

I slow down, share bait, see, and am courteous to kayakers....so like....

They just don't care,


Yesterday about a 40ft yacht with all the bells and whistles about 80ft away Doesn't slow down but keeps his space, makes two 4ft wakes with 3 secs interval.


Be on your toes.


Not all boaters do that just a few of them that stand out.

these "wide open"bites bring out the saltiest of the saltiest boaters in town!


http://programming4.us/image/102012/18/153633578.jpg

Not local but makes you think... 26 year old father dead on rented skiff from a power boater hitting him while he was fishing. Alcohol may have been involved https://youtu.be/acJT6WtTNYo

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the Chubaca II almost ran me over in Mission Bay, I paddled like mad when I was sure he wasn't going to go around me. I was talking with my brother-in-law today and he used to fish from a skiff for years and said the boaters were always like this, most look right thru you. A forty-five thru their hull would get their attention but it might not end up good for you. I'll just have to stay as visible as possible and stay aware

Let's not blame the alcohol, the boat or a gun. An ASS HOLE is an ASS HOLE no matter what he uses!

Boaters use kayakers for a directions marker......
 

And at the last moment turn away.....the whole time your thinking is this guy going to run me over, until he turns away.

Was fishing Dana past the headlands all by myself, literally nobody else in sight. The only boat I saw in 2 hours drove maybe 40-50 feet behind my (yellow) kayak and snagged my line and made me lose my last mackerel. Bait was hard to make that day, too :mad:

Was coming in to mission bay jetty maybe 50yrds out and had 10+ jet skis maybe 5ft from the bow and stern. Just held on for the ride in the washing machine. Was fishing Fiesta island had a ski boat buz by 15yrds away I was 10yrs from shore and his skier comes buy and turns to send his wake over my head.

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Power Boats
 

I'm a boater, but did have a kayak at one time but got too heavy. I have always showed courtesy to others. Always slowed down when around others when close by or give them a wide space between them. I always stop for people in need of help. Helped a boat that was sinking on a lake, helped a small sail to get upright, to towing a boat over 5 miles to his port that I was not going to. I use to help teach safe boating classes:icon_bs::icon_bs::icon_bs:. If a boat causes you to capsize or have damage they are responsible for any damage and are required to stop and render assistance. So in finishing if I see anyone in trouble I will stop and assist. The only thing I expect is a Thank You. I have never accepted anything else in return. Just hope they learn to respect others and help anybody in trouble.