lics of the water. Regardless what kind of
PFD the boater is wearing, the cause of
death will be drowning.
Be aware of low-head dams as they
pose serious dangers above and below the
dam (Figure 13-3). If you ever get separated
from your boat in swift current, float with
your feet up and pointed downstream to
protect your head and lessen the danger of
entrapment. Paddlers–canoeists and kayakers–
generally wear a good PFD that is
specifically designed for their active sport.
You Have a Low Profile
• In a kayak or canoe, you may not be seen
by other boats.
• Stay close to shore or large stationary
objects
Make Yourself Visible
• Use bright colors–your kayak, paddles,
and clothing (Figure 13-4).
• Use reflective tape on your kayak and
paddles.
• Paddling alone can be very dangerous;
there may be no immediate help.
Equipment Checklist
• At a minimum, you should have adequate
clothing and a spare change—use
dry bags for clothes, first aid supplies,
cell phones, handheld VHF marine radio,
GPS, lights, and similar equipment.
• Have a compass for navigating; a chart
to know where you are; and a whistle to
attract attention.
• By all means have and wear a PFD. A
Type III is preferred.
• Consider a spare paddle; a take-apart
model will stow easily below the deck of
your kayak.
Be Careful of Your
Proximity to Other Vessels
• Rules may suggest you are the stand-on
vessel (higher pecking order); however,
you may not be seen.
• Usually, you are the more maneuverable
vessel–use it and stay clear.
• When encountering larger vessels, remember:
the large boat may not be able to turn
to avoid you even if it sees you; observe at a
distance and maneuver to stay clear.
• Avoid shipping channels used by larger
boats; move to shallower water where you
can navigate but a large boat cannot.
• Near channels:
• Stay outside the channel to its right
(Figure 13-5). Also, the current tends
to be less in this area.
• If you must cross a channel, do so
perpendicular to the channel to minimize
your exposure. Check to make
sure it’s clear, cross as a group if possible,
so another boat can maneuver
around the group rather than many
individual boats.
• Observe navigation rules:
• If meeting another vessel—stay to
right, pass port-to-port.
• If overtaking another vessel—pass to
left.
Section 13: Water Sports Safety 157
Figure 13-4. Visible kayak
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109