Will Painting My Kayak Spook White Sharks Away?

September 16, 2010

Question: I bought a former SCUBA kayak and have retrofitted it into a fishing kayak. I transformed the underside into what appears to be the underside of a killer whale (orca) because I figure if I’m going to be spending lots of idle time fishing, I don’t want, in any way, to attract the attention of great whites! The underside was totally white but now the outer edges are black with a small black patch at the rear so that it looks just like the characteristic underside of a killer whale. I also rigged up my two fins to drag out back the kayak in case I ever find myself in dire need.

My reasoning here is killer whales and great whites are natural enemies, so if I paint the bottom like an orca, any great white within several hundred yards will take off. As I thought more about this aspect though, I now wonder if while I’m sitting in this thing for long periods of time, will I be more apt to be a target rather than a threat? Has there been any evidence of great whites attacking dead killer whales just like they attack dead regular whales? I’m wondering now if I am a soon to be “dead duck” instead of a brilliant kayak engineer! Please advise. Thanks. (Mark)

Answer: Well, I can safely say I’ve never gotten a letter and questions quite like yours, but it’s a refreshing change from the many regulation questions! I applaud your kayak engineering prowess. However, I’m not sure painting the hull of your kayak to resemble the underbelly of an orca, along with attaching fins that mysteriously drag out the back, will spook a white shark or prevent an attack.

Most attacks on humans have likely been the result of mistaken identity when they resembled seals or sea lions (pinnipeds), the white shark’s prey preference. The sharks queue in on outlines or shadows of objects at the surface that they think resemble a prey item, and this is often in murky water. White sharks are ambush predators and usually attack their unsuspecting prey with a charge from below. Orcas are white sharks’ only predators, but whether your kayak hull painting will actually resemble an orca to a white shark spying it through murky water, and then alter its behavior will be your experiment.

Keep in mind that sharks are curious animals without sharp eyesight but they do have an exceptional sense of smell for detecting attractive odors (blood and dead things), even in small quantities. They also have acute senses for detecting through the water even the slightest movements they associate with prey or distressed creatures. Given this, the presence of an orca-appearing structure floating motionless at the surface may not increase the likelihood that a shark will mistake your kayak for a dead orca or an easy meal. However, if your fishing is successful and you hang lots of wiggling dying fish on a stringer over the side or put a bunch of fish blood in the water, well then your kayak might just appear more intriguing to them.

Although it happens, attacks on kayaks are very rare; and if all white sharks knew how lousy kayaks tasted, they probably wouldn’t ever bother them. Once a white shark has bitten its prey and found it unappealing (e.g. skinny humans, kayaks or other non-marine mammal items), they will often move on in search for something with fatty blubber that’s more caloric. Unfortunately, it only takes one inquisitive “sample bite” from an inexperienced or curious white shark to do great harm to most people.

Finally, you must realize that white sharks inhabit coastal waters year-round and may be swimming around you all the time, even if you don’t ever see them. However, I would think the less your kayak looks like a seal or sea lion (thus, remove those trailing swim fins!), the lower your chances are of a negative white shark encounter via mistaken identity. Even if you make your kayak look like something completely outlandish though that you think would frighten any white shark off completely, there are no guarantees of anything unless you just stay out of the ocean. And you don’t want to do that now, do you?

For more information on white sharks, please check out our website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/whiteshark.asp.

 

the painting of bottom dont work......it will return to hit again, even after tasting the hard plastic.

BTDT 

the painting of bottom dont work......it will return to hit again, even after tasting the hard plastic.

BTDT 

I was thinking about your incident when I saw this Q&A.

 

  Me too!

Knew this would get your attention, Adam. Get some of that shark death extract and paint the bottom of your yak with it.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/31/Worldandnation/The_best_way_to_repel.shtml

Same thing also discovered in a filming of an orca killing a great white at the Farallons.

Knew this would get your attention, Adam. Get some of that shark death extract and paint the bottom of your yak with it.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/31/Worldandnation/The_best_way_to_repel.shtml

Same thing also discovered in a filming of an orca killing a great white at the Farallons.

that is the ONLY THING that will work......where do we get GWS death scent,,,,,,maybe procure?

But you guys didn't have the "two fins to drag out back the kayak in case I ever find myself in dire need"  Guess his GW gives him time to prepare before taking a taste test.

NEW  ProCure Orca Piss flavor

I still think 20 nerf b-ball or the like 1-2' spaced on a 15-30' foot floating  rope...would change my profile from below...

murky water..rough seas.,..dawn /dusk and the old "let's go see wtf that thing is" would cancel out any visual decoy stuff...

I think the procure 'gel' type of goo would really work....find a shark researcher and tell them you'll do free clean up after they dissect the next net fouled GWS....sweep some blood and guts into a bucket and invent a GWS dead smell gel---it could be done...

once brushed onto the side of the kayak you would never know if it worked or not...thats a good thing though

also tying a leg of lamb on your buddies kayak may help your cause

also tying a leg of lamb on your buddies kayak may help your cause

This is the best idea yet...

also tying a leg of lamb on your buddies kayak may help your cause

You might get T-Rex after you reach shore though!

I had a diving guide tell me that the amonia from your urine attracts the shark so if you see a gws dont piss in your wet suite. 

I had a diving guide tell me that the amonia from your urine attracts the shark so if tou see a gws dont piss in tour wet suite. 

LOL!

Well...I guess I'm f*cked cuz I spend at least a couple days a month swimming around pissing in my wetsuit all day.

 

Sincerely,

Jim