Just wondering if I need nav lights on my kayak to be on the water at night. I want to try some flounder gigging and I’d hate to have it ruined by the ole gw.
I believe kayaks need a white visible light, like a flashlight/headlight or something similar at minimum. Those 360-degree white lights on the Visipole safety flags are nice too.
Legally a kayak only needs a light on board to be able to signal at approaching boats or for emergencies. If the kayak is powered by a trolling motor then you would need nav lights just as a boat has.
Take a spotlight to shine at drunks when they’re about to run you over. I’m speaking from experience. We had white lights and glow sticks zip tied to the front and back when this happened.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I would pick up one of those visiople lights or rig something similar. And, take a spotlight like Hoofarded mentioned. Especially for near the ramp or crossing a river. It wouldnt hurt to have a hand held VHF with you as well.
If two wrongs don’t make a right, try three.
I’d recommend getting some battery powered red/green and white lights. From what I have read, just a white light will do, but the GW’s aren’t all aware of this, and IMO it’s worth the little bit of money (plus added safety) not to have to go to court and fight a ticket. Also, X2 for what HoofArded said. A bright spotlight is only added safety from irresponsible boaters.
This keeps resurfacing…
if your kayak is not powered by a trolling motor DO NOT PUT RED AND GREEN NAV LIGHTS ON IT… this gives the impression at night that you are a vessel under power… you are not. This is a dangerous situation for you. If a powerboat at night sees that and expects you to “get out of their way” you can’t… one white light visible from 360 degrees shows you as a vessel “at anchor” and will broadcast to powerboats to give you a wide berth and avoid YOU…
Putting refective tape along the hull of your kayak will help more but the red and green lights are just asking for trouble… Ya’ll stay safe out there
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- www.SCKayakfishing.com
www.lowcountryflyshop.com
Tarpon 160os
nikonjedi, this seems to be another law with some “gray” to it. from the handbook of SC boating laws and responsibilities “Unpowered vessels when underway: If less than 23ft long, these vessels should: 1. If practical, exhibit the same lights as required for unpowered vessels less than 65.6ft in length (red/green, and white) 2. If not practical, have on hand at least one lantern or flashlight shining a white light as in illustration 3 (upward).” “unpowered vessels are sailboats or vessels that are paddled, poled, or rowed” “underway: not anchored, tied to shore, or aground”. Now my question is "what is the definition of “if practical”. I’m betting that the definition of practicality is gonna be left up to the man/woman writing you the ticket. Please don’t get me wrong, I know that your answer makes more sense as far as safety is concerned, and I respect a safety minded standpoint, but it may not be totally legal. X2 on your reflective tape idea and again a spotlight or strong LED flashlight is a huge plus.
For what it is worth, I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for not having red/green lights. I have plenty of friends that have been ticketed for not having the white light.
DD
Annoy a Liberal, Work Hard and Be Happy!
Asked DNR about this a couple of months ago and was told a white light visible 360 degrees is required for night but not navigation lights.
2012 Wilderness Ride 135
Like I said, there is gray in the wording of the law. Speaking as someone who has gotten a warning citation for not having a red/green light on my yak. It is gonna depend on which LE officer stops ya. I like to stay on the more cautious side of the law. Not trying to sound like a “knowitall”, just don’t want y’all to have to fight a ticket in court if you run into a GW when he’s having a bad day.
On a side note in defense of the GW’s, not all GW’s run into the usual situations (duck hunters in kayaks, like myself, are not the usual site in the Piedmont) and understand every exception to every law. Sometimes it’s worth having the literature handy to show the GW without coming off as the common knowitall with an attitude.
Good luck to y’all if you go out this weekend! I am hoping to have a good report when I come back from Fripp and the Outer Banks this week.
I’ve said this before but if you are out in a navigable channel at night in a yak you can be hit by someone stone cold sober because that little white light may blend in to the shore lights. Bring a strobe or flood or something to signal your whereabouts regardless of the law. Be safe out there!!! I don’t want to be the one to hit you
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
2X Optiker
Good advice! I like those little LED flashlights with the strobe feature, just wish they weren’t so darn expensive.
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerI’ve said this before but if you are out in a navigable channel at night in a yak you can be hit by someone stone cold sober because that little white light may blend in to the shore lights. Bring a strobe or flood or something to signal your whereabouts regardless of the law. Be safe out there!!! I don’t want to be the one to hit you
100% agreed.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
Thanks ill put blue strobe lights on the front to keep the drunks away and a white light in the back to keep the gw away. I miss the days when a man could just go fishing without harassment or fear of life.
“Thanks ill put blue strobe lights on the front to keep the drunks away and a white light in the back to keep the gw away. I miss the days when a man could just go fishing without harassment or fear of life.”
hahaha! ain’t that the truth! You have to carry around a bible of rules and regs just to make sure you don’t accidentally break the law. Good luck with the Flounder!
The white light gets you 100% legal in a kayak. Nav lights, like NikonJedi said, are more likely to get you run over by a stinkpot.
Here’s what I do when going out at night.
Turn on the visipole. It’s a bright white LED visible from 360 and on a pole 3ft tall.
I make sure I wear my PFD that has more reflective stuff on it and use my paddle that has reflective tape on it too. You can get tape strips from YakAttack… it;s called a Nite Stripe kit. multiple colors available
Then I carry a battery powered spotlight and an air horn. Someone starts venturing too close they’re getting the light and the horn until they change course.
Staying legal is way less important thatn staying alive. 
Who’s Ready for a Sleigh Ride? www.KayakFishSC.com
Careful with the strobes, a strobe light is for emergency purposes!
Annoy a Liberal, Work Hard and Be Happy!
Stay stealthy and stay in the grass
That’s the idea. Think like ninja.