# Kayak run over by power boat - North Head



## paulb

Read a small article in todays local rag about a kayak being run over by a 34' Scarab a high speed. Apparently the kayaker jumped for safety, only to surface to a destroyed yak - just off North Head on Sunday afternoon. The police are speaking to the Scarab driver, but are asking for other witness's. I reckon I'll be investing in a whip pole/flag like the 4wd's use in sand dunes. Be safe, be seen!


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## sbd

I've got a flag, guess I'll fit it.

Not one of us I hope, it sounds like a good reason to have a SOT (the bail-out factor). I still bet it ends up the kayaker's "fault".


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## avayak

Yet another use for the parachute flare. Ready aim fire!! Glad it was a scarab and not a Bayliner.


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## SirFishalot

Ha ha nice one avayak!

I'm going to buy a parachute flare tomorrow now! Soooo many uses....soooo big of a fine! :lol:

This is another case where I must say that although OK are quite expensive in the accessory category, there is just about everthing you can think of there...and it's all stuff you want on the yak... In other words a yakker obviously had input! THey have a whip pole style flag that just screws into the moulded area behind the seat...how easy is that!

Happy Hunting


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## Guest

Didn't I have a post here? Hmmmmmmmmm can't remember now.


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## Baldy

Lucky he lived to tell the tale, props do some nasty work :shock: I look at yaks like riding a bike, treat every car/boat as if its actively out to get you and you have a better than average chance of staying out of trouble. Anyone who has spent a bit of time on a roadbike[motor] knows what Im talking about, fact is bikes/boats/yaks are just darwin awards waiting to happen :lol:

Im still not sold on the flags, the ones ive seen have been too short, which I can see why, too much bigger and it just wouldnt be practical [read: pain in the ass].

I do like the way Doug "the lost aussie" G has done his paddle blades, with the reflective prisim tape. I plan to do something like that.

cheers
Baldy


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## abitfishy

I had a tinny come for me on the woronora river on the weekend. Wanker was waving to someone on shore, not looking where he was going. I just shook my head at him once he realised and changed course. If I wasn't in such a precarious position, I would have let him have it. :twisted:


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## DGax65

I just love the look on the face of an obliviot boater after they realize that they almost killed you. :shock: Huh! Oh SH!T.....Sorry.......followed by one of those stupid, pathetic grins. Arrrrhhhhhh! I learned my lesson after a close encounter with a sailboat a couple of years ago. I was paddling near an ammo handling pier at a navy base; making sure to keep at the required 100 yard stand-off distance. I knew trouble was coming when a 15m sailboat passed between me and the pier. The skipper was lounging while his first mate (wife) was at the helm. When the Naval Security boat lit him up the guy jumped to his feet, took the helm and executed a 90° turn to port directly in front of me. Only by backpaddling furiously did I manage to avoid being run over. He missed me by less than a meter. As they passed I got the "OOOOHHH....Sorry" He was so close, I probably could have smacked him with my paddle. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

I've done a lot of cycling and I now handle paddling in much the same way. I'm always on the defensive. I assume that every boat is planning on ramming me. I know that I have to take the evasive action, because I can't rely on the knuckleheads driving the boats to see me. Unfortunately, it just goes with the territory.


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## abitfishy

abitfishy said:


> I had a tinny come for me on the woronora river on the weekend. Wanker was waving to someone on shore, not looking where he was going. I just shook my head at him once he realised and changed course. If I wasn't in such a precarious position, I would have let him have it. :twisted:


I've actually emailed Maritime over this - well, not this particular incident, but the amount of water skiiers, jet skis etc, doing far more than the 4 or 8 knot limit, with near misses, in the 'back waters' shallow part of the Woronora. Problem is, its very popular with kayakers (with a kayak hire place nearby), and just enough water for teenagers with their tinnys and jet skis, but not deep enough to get martime/water police boats through to the far reaches to patrol. I think its only a matter of time before someone gets injured/killed. Will be interesting to see if I get a reply at all.


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## DrJed

I reckon after that encounter a swap would seem fair. Boater takes whats left of the yak - yakker takes the boat, sells it and buys new yak, new gear, and a new car to take it wherever he/she wants......in return they don't press charges?????

Is that not a fair outcome?

Steve


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## onemorecast

I wear a good quality whistle around my neck when in the Yak. These can be heard pretty easily even over longer distances.

I'm thinking about the flag too but am worried that if someone isn't paying enough attention to see a bright yellow yak, I don't know if they will see the litle orange flag above it either.


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## Guest

I want to install a single air horn so I can just press a button in an emergency.


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## Biggles

The jury is still out for me on which is the best, my yak is also bright yellow for high vis, I don't have a flag but I do have flares for when I go beyond the breakers and I have a gas operated horn in the garage, not sure if I should take it or not. At some point soon I will make some sort of desicion and stick to it. I do like the whistle idea I must say.

Thanks for the read guys

Warmest Regards

Biggles


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## wobbly

I have a plastic whistle horn that produces 120 dBA, got it from K Mart for 19 dollars, its LOUD and does the trick, but then again a compressed air horn for 30 dollars from KMart also will do the trick. Get one. Its a small investment that may save your life.

Regards

Brian


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## bitten_off

just an idea for a flag attachment, if you could buy a cheapy $10 telescopic rod about 1.8metres long and attach a flag to that and put it in a rod holder i reckon thatd be a nice practical solution 8)


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## FoolInjected

If you got an old CB aerial hanging about you can use that for a flag pole

What colour flag should you have?
Is it yellow (Q - my vessel is healthy and I request free practique) or would Dayglo Orange be better


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## alfie

Not sure the flag would be much help with the knuckleheads not watching out for you anyway. If they can't see your paddle flashing around or your bright yellow PFD (We do wear one,don't we?) then a flag's not much help.

It's like motorbikes, car drivers are only looking for objects car size and above. I used to ride a bike with the headlight on all the time and three times I had cars pull out of T intersections in front of me so close I had to swerve to avoid them.

It comes down to us to paddle defensively. Like bikes, it might not be your fault but It's still your injuries


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## FoolInjected

alfie said:


> Not sure the flag would be much help with the knuckleheads not watching out for you anyway. If they can't see your paddle flashing around or your bright yellow PFD (We do wear one,don't we?) then a flag's not much help.
> 
> It's like motorbikes, car drivers are only looking for objects car size and above. I used to ride a bike with the headlight on all the time and three times I had cars pull out of T intersections in front of me so close I had to swerve to avoid them.
> 
> It comes down to us to paddle defensively. Like bikes, it might not be your fault but It's still your injuries


I'm hearing you about the riding a bike, use to pillion to get home from work. My job was to plant a size 10 steel capper into the cars that tried to take us out with a lane change. Without fail several times a week.

IMO a flag is of benefit within the safety respect as it places an bright object higher and thus more likely to be in the said knuckleheads field of vision.


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## AJD

I have the reflective tape on the bright yellow PFD, bright yellow kayak and white paddle blades that have been waved in the air to alert power boaters to my location in broad daylight and still been missed by only meters on Moreton Bay. Unfortunately even with perfect visibility and a bright yellow object directly in front of them some boaters are just oblivious to other water users. I do like the whistle scenario. Will attach one to the PFD tomorrow.


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## FoolInjected

Picked up a pea less whistle from Kayaks Australia for $3
It's basically an aluminum tube
Also picked up a fluoro yellow pole and flag whip flag for $30


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## rawprawn

A small mirror to flash the eyes of boaters may also be a good option. Old CDs will proably work ok.


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## justcrusin

I have huge problems with crossing the channels up here. Were I launch into Brisbane waters is between the ocean and the main boat ramp so have to run the gaunlet every time i cross it. Particulary around 7am there is an influx of the 7am launchers, even had a couple aim for me an try to spray me with wash for fun. 
We have a lot of two headed cletus's around here.
So now I sit up on the flats an a couple of weeks ago had a moron coming in my direction, until he hit the sand bar :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: don't now what he was thinking as I wasn't even in the path of the channel, the position i was in was perpendicluar to the channel. I don't think it helped when I was laughing so hard I almost fell out of the yak.

Nothing can save you from morons but your own vigilance, so I am going along with Dougs view.

Cheers Dave


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## mitch

Also VERY important to rememeber that when out early morning/late evening (dark) to ensure you have a signalling device that WILL work sufficiently. ie a cd wont work. Even if the boats may have nav. lights and a forward running light/spotlight they may still not see you properly when underway. make sure you have a torch that can be accessed quickly and easily to warn oncoming boats. They dont always mean to come so close, but then there are the idiots :?


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## mitch

just as another note. shining it straight into their eyes doesnt help either, as this effects their vision instantly. flash it by all means, just dont hit them directly in the face with it.


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