Kayaking in the dark: how to stay safe?

The sun doesn't rise until after 7am so it is still dark when I want to launch early in the morning. How do I stay safe kayaking when it is dark? A headlamp? A pole and light? Do I need the whole red light green light combo?

thank you!

When I go lobster hoop netting with my wife during the night I use all three measures: headlamp, pole and light, and red/green light combo.  You need a pole and light minimum.

Paul

Vessels under paddle that are less than 7 meters in length are only required to have a flashlight that they can show at another vessel to prevent a collision per Rule 25 of the ColRegs.  So, a headlamp would make you legal.  Adding more light isn't a terrible idea and would make you legal and safe.  I agree with the pole and light, but wanted to clear up requirements versus recommendations.

Keep in mind if you are on the water between sunset and sunrise, you are required to have visual distress signals (flares, strobe, etc.).  I summarized the requirements in this post.

Nice work, Tedski - very helpful. 

Clarification please on the flare requirement - is that if you are out AT ALL between sunset and sunrise, or is it a must if you are out for the entire night - sunset through sunrise?

Nice work, Tedski - very helpful. 

Clarification please on the flare requirement - is that if you are out AT ALL between sunset and sunrise, or is it a must if you are out for the entire night - sunset through sunrise?

It's if you are out at all between sunset and sunrise.  For example, getting on the water 30 minutes before sunrise (after twilight) so you can be on the fishing grounds at sunrise?  You need to meet the 3 visual distress signal requirement.  Another example: you go out at the end of the day and it takes you longer to paddle in and the sun sets while you're still on the water.  You need to meet the 3 visual distress signal requirement.

Not to cause panic or hysteria....but tedski posted the MINIMUM requirements. Do not assume that MINIMUM is the same as SUFFICIENT. I've been/seen boating accidents on the Delta where that fallacy was tested. Redundancy is a good thing, to a reasonable limit.

Another thing to consider when kayaking in the Pacific in the dark:
http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/topics/b_sleep.htm#:~:text=We%20used%20to%20think%20that,an%20underwater%20creature%20at%20night.

Food for thought (pun intended). Shark shield, safety in numbers, and be friendly to the PBs. We can also always fish again tomorrow.

I recommend this course as well and this has been brought up before on this forum. Not required for kayakers, but good to know nonetheless...

https://www.boat-ed.com/california/

Lights on your boat are used to communicate information to other boats.  If you run red and green nav lights you are telling other boats that you are under power.  They will expect you to act like it.

I’d stick to the 360° white light on a pole and a powerful headlamp.

I’d stick to the 360° white light on a pole and a powerful headlamp.

I use a 360 white light attached to a 4 foot light weight pvc pole .  Highly recommend for high boat traffic areas

Vessels under paddle that are less than 7 meters in length are only required to have a flashlight that they can show at another vessel to prevent a collision per Rule 25 of the ColRegs.  So, a headlamp would make you legal.  Adding more light isn't a terrible idea and would make you legal and safe.  I agree with the pole and light, but wanted to clear up requirements versus recommendations.

Keep in mind if you are on the water between sunset and sunrise, you are required to have visual distress signals (flares, strobe, etc.).  I summarized the requirements in this post.

Great info, thanks

Lights on your boat are used to communicate information to other boats.  If you run red and green nav lights you are telling other boats that you are under power.  They will expect you to act like it.

I’d stick to the 360° white light on a pole and a powerful headlamp.

Good to know, thank you

I’d stick to the 360° white light on a pole and a powerful headlamp.

I use a 360 white light attached to a 4 foot light weight pvc pole .  Highly recommend for high boat traffic areas

This sounds like what Ill do. Thanks. Why are lighted poles so expensive online? Makes me want to make my own like the PVC idea. Im going by Dicks tomorrow, Ill see what they have too.

Vessels under paddle that are less than 7 meters in length are only required to have a flashlight that they can show at another vessel to prevent a collision per Rule 25 of the ColRegs.  So, a headlamp would make you legal.  Adding more light isn't a terrible idea and would make you legal and safe.  I agree with the pole and light, but wanted to clear up requirements versus recommendations.

Keep in mind if you are on the water between sunset and sunrise, you are required to have visual distress signals (flares, strobe, etc.).  I summarized the requirements in this post.

Thanks for leading me to your old post. It is helpful.

I’d stick to the 360° white light on a pole and a powerful headlamp.

I use a 360 white light attached to a 4 foot light weight pvc pole .  Highly recommend for high boat traffic areas

This sounds like what Ill do. Thanks. Why are lighted poles so expensive online? Makes me want to make my own like the PVC idea. Im going by Dicks tomorrow, Ill see what they have too.

This is a fairly inexpensive light i use and it fits perfectly into a 3/4 " pvc pipe.  I also wear a high strength headlamp as a back up.   The crude drawing on the right is me catching a seabass in my kayak. 😆https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017P3AYKA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A387WUNAS03WOK&psc=1

as a yakker turned boater, we're freaking invisible. i'm always on the lookout for kayaks, and when there's a swell and/or low light, it is near impossible to see a yak at any distance. the tan and gray yaks in low light...forget it. 
Strangely, there's a color of blue- almost the hobie blue -- kind of a turquoise that is the last color you can differentiate in low light. when i worked at TNF there's was a bunch of research done to determine the best "seeable" color in low, low light...we made tents from that color

<rant>
-- i never really realized how unpredictable we are, until i spent a few years driving a boat... in the middle of the channel, crazy zig-zagging, all kinds of wonky shit that you can't predict.  i've chalked it up to the yakkers assuming i can tell what they're doing, but we're so damn slow it is really hard to guess.
</rant>

as a yakker turned boater, we're freaking invisible. i'm always on the lookout for kayaks, and when there's a swell and/or low light, it is near impossible to see a yak at any distance. the tan and gray yaks in low light...forget it. 
Strangely, there's a color of blue- almost the hobie blue -- kind of a turquoise that is the last color you can differentiate in low light. when i worked at TNF there's was a bunch of research done to determine the best "seeable" color in low, low light...we made tents from that color

<rant>
-- i never really realized how unpredictable we are, until i spent a few years driving a boat... in the middle of the channel, crazy zig-zagging, all kinds of wonky shit that you can't predict.  i've chalked it up to the yakkers assuming i can tell what they're doing, but we're so damn slow it is really hard to guess.
</rant>

Having gone the other direction (powerboat to kayak) and with lots of experience around kayakers, it's the same eye opening experience.  I hear people over the radio say, "Hey, we're in between the red and green on some verms... come over here" and meanwhile I'm half shitting myself every time I cross the channel because I know the PBs can't see us.