Yes, there is a product similar to the bicycle flags. There was quite the hubbub on the Maine coast several years back, though, when a piece of legislation was introduced that would require them on kayaks in the state. (In Maine, it was the commercial fishermen who complained about not being able to see the kayakers.)

Perhaps the best thing a paddler can do to enhance saftety in busy waterways is to simply stay clear of the high traffic areas. One of the beautiful things about the sea kayak is that it can take you into the nooks and crannies that a deeper draft boat can't. (You've still got to deal with the hot rodding jet skis, though.)

Under the rules of the road, a kayak has no special place in the pecking order and is considered simply a "vessel" under the definitions, contrary to what some paddlers think about a human-powered boat having rights similar to a sailboat. A paddler in a kayak has to deal with the fact that they are nearly invisible to other craft, especially on a windy day when the whitecaps are kicked up. For me, rule number one is the "tonage rule". If it's bigger than me, I stay out of its way, no matter who technically has the right. I paddle with the notion that I'm invisible to other boats and maintain constant watch when in busy waters.

When sea kayaks were starting gaining popularity a couple decades ago, the most common colors were red and yellow, for good reason. They are highly visible. Same with PFD's and paddling jackets. Then, there was this trend toward colors that blended right in with the water. Blues and greens are real tough to see. Myself, I paddle a boat with a bright yellow deck and a white hull. My PFD is yellow, too. Really helps to stand out. Yellow or red blades on the paddle are really helpful since they are in constant motion and show up much better than a flag on the boat.

Oh, I forgot to mention the reason I don't like the flags. I spend a lot of time in my kayak with the hull side up. A lot of the fun I have in the boat is practicing various rolling techniques. (Greenland rolling competitions feature over 30 variations of the Eskimo roll.) Those flags and their whip sticks just don't come around too well.

Kevin;

Do you have a web address where I can order one of these flags (and how do they mount)? My Kayak is simple white and not very visible.

Thanks in advance

bob

go-fast boats can have the windless baking hot days of summer. They usually will not want to deal with wind and chop. So this works out for me as the wind pick up, they go home. I guess this doesnt apply to small lakes.

Here's our go-fast powerboat on a windless, hot summer day with my 10-year-old at the helm.

The next day (yesterday), the winds were up around 20 and the sailing was a bit more lively aboard two hulls.

Bob,

I searched for a current source of the flags, but couldn't find one on the web. I still see them on the water occasionally, but don't know where people are finding them. The one I showed in the picture was called a "sea flag" and was manufactured in Vancouver a few years back.

Nice CatBoat. I want one of those someday. They look like a lot of fun. My motor is an Atomic 4 on my Catalina 27. It comes in real handy on those windless days. But as soon as the wind picks up the sails come out.
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