[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Evenstar

So this doesn’t count, just because it didn’t happen on Winni?

Were you there? I wasn't. Unless you have an official report of the actualy facts of the incident I would not make such hasty judgement of the details. Maybe in Australia they discriminate against foreigners in kayakers the way certain groups on Winni discriminate against powerboaters or GFBL's.

Originally Posted by Evenstar

[My point is that powerboats have indeed hit kayaks before . . . so we have valid reasons to be concerned for our safety on lakes that allow powerboats to travel at unlimited speeds, where many powerboats admit that they can’t often see kayaks very well.

And according to the kayakers forum, kayakers have wandered into shipping lanes and places they really do not belong putting themselves and others at unnecessary risk. Kayakers can be reckless too, and put themselves in harm's way all to often.

Originally Posted by Evenstar

What I read was that the kayak had a warning light . . . which apparently met Maine’s regulations, since it was the powerboat that was cited for “operating illegally”, and not the paddler.

Actually if you reread what was quoted in my post the warden involved stated that the powerboater was acting LEGALLY, not illegally. I have not had a chance to dig for the actual incident report but if you have please post a link. Being that the boater was only fined $500 and the main complaint seemed to be their lack of a hasty reporting of the incident it does not seem to me that they found too much fault with the boater.

Lets reread my post again for something else, a quote from a kayaker from the kayaker's forum:

"Many paddlers seem intent on ignoring all of this and using whatever lights they have or like - including strobes - which are illegal except as emergency signals."

Nothing in the post that I read mentioned anything about the light used being legal for navigation use in the state of Maine. It could have been a penlight for all we know...

Originally Posted by Evenstar

This is completely untrue: Most fatal boating accidents involve powerboats (85% in 2005) – not paddlers.

My comment was tailored towards the findings in NH for 2006. All of the fatalities reported in the 2006 NHMP report were from drownings from paddlers, swimmers off boats, and the unfortunate rescue sinking on the CT River. None were from fatal reckless boating accidents. I am sure if I take the time (of course I am sure someone else will or has) to go back over past NH reports each and every year you will find more fatalities tied to paddlers, swimming accidents off anchored boats and capsizes than you will from the reckless boating accidents which you are so worried about.