Kayaks in Meredith Bay

[Woodsy]

Its the same old same old.....

There are so few boat vs. kayak collisions that a rule is not needed. The burden of safety applies to the kayaker/canoeist as well as the power boater. If you go out on ANY busy lake or waterway in a dark colored kayak/canoe with dark paddles and a dark life vest (if you even wear one), you increase the odds of something tragic happening to you. If you have a bright colored kayak, with bright paddles and a bright colored life vest, you decrease the odds of something tragic happening.

Statistically speaking, at some point an accident will occur, and it will be horrible. Fingers will pointed and somebody will get vilified, probably the operator of the powerboat. Ultimately, nothing will change as there is no reason for it.

Same silly logic as the speed limit.... another useless rule that has done NOTHING to make the lake safer... collisions still occur on occasion, with the same frequency as before. People still drive their boats foolishly and erratically, sometimes drunk or high ignoring the rules (See Stand On thread) and some people (myself included) still speed occasionally on the lake, albeit now with consequences. Same as on all of the roadways in the United States! Silly feel good useless legislation!

Woodsy

[Pine Island Guy]

I would find it surprising that our State that doesn't require helmets for motorcyclists would require a flag for kayakers... not to change the topic or any judgement, but trying to make a comparison...

Just my two cents, kumbaya, let's all enjoy the beautiful summer on the lake!!! -PIG

[Orion]

People run into ISLANDS! What makes anyone think a flag is going to protect a kayak. Let's face it, you realistically can see a kayak a mile away. If you're not paying attention, a flag isn't going to help and will just be another, unnecessary, stupid, law.

[tis]

I still think certain kayaks are hard to see. We sit here on shore and some of them you are able to see easily and some blend so nicely with the water that you can hardly see them.

[Woodsy]

Safety is a relative thing... Statistically, accidents WILL happen, and while they may be preventable, the cost vs. reward is ALWAYS in play, like it or not.

I am for personal choice/responsibility in just about everything. Choose poorly and get hurt, you have to share some if not all of the burden. Unfortunately in todays litigious society, that gets lost in the translation.

If you want to get serious about Kayak/Canoeist safety.... Mandate that Life jackets must be worn at all times by all persons and be of a highly visible color. Drowning is leading cause of death in human powered boats..... This helps reduce drowning deaths and increases their visibility to others.

Bright colored paddles wouldn't hurt either. Maybe even reflective tape! 2.00" wide band front & rear of every Kayak/Canoe a little on the paddles. There are way better options than to mandate a flag....

There are lots of simple but expensive solutions to societal problems. Ultimately society decides not pay, that its too expensive or burdensome and the problem persists.


Woodsy

[fatlazyless]

This year so far seems like there are less boats on the lake down at FL-3, down by the south end of Bear Island; less motorboats, less sailboats, and less kayaks; less all types of boats. It is usually very empty of any boats which is very different than in the past.

It used to be that the performance style boats were the die-hard boaters who would be out there in any weather and any time of day, but not any more....it's become a much quieter lake....and a little bit boring. I kinda miss the bad ole days, when there would be 2-3 feet wakes rolling in all Saturdays and Sundays, and the noise level sounded like your ears were inside a chainsaw ...my-my-my .....them were the bad-good old days.....sigh!

Ya knows....going 45-mph in a boat is hardly going slow .... especially going 45-mph in a kayak.

.... Sundays; nine to noon in the broads.....no speed limit Sundays ....bring it on!

...who knows ... total conjecture here ....but maybe the kids in the Meredith Bay kayaks were out with no pfd's on-board, and kids below a certain age are required to have pfd's on-board .... plus as public safety officers, the MP's have the discretion to use their judgment to stop what they think is an unsafe situation ....

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Safety is a relative thing... Statistically, accidents WILL happen, and while they may be preventable, the cost vs. reward is ALWAYS in play, like it or not.

I am for personal choice/responsibility in just about everything. Choose poorly and get hurt, you have to share some if not all of the burden. Unfortunately in todays litigious society, that gets lost in the translation.

If you want to get serious about Kayak/Canoeist safety.... Mandate that Life jackets must be worn at all times by all persons and be of a highly visible color. Drowning is leading cause of death in human powered boats..... This helps reduce drowning deaths and increases their visibility to others.

Bright colored paddles wouldn't hurt either. Maybe even reflective tape! 2.00" wide band front & rear of every Kayak/Canoe a little on the paddles. There are way better options than to mandate a flag....

There are lots of simple but expensive solutions to societal problems. Ultimately society decides not pay, that its too expensive or burdensome and the problem persists.


Woodsy

I hope that someday the government will stop trying to protect people from themselves.
What choices you make in your life should strictly be left up to you as long as someone else doesn't get hurt by your actions.
Going out in the Broads in your Kayak without a life jacket is dumb but it should be your choice.

Going fast in a high powered boat could endanger someone else and needs to have limits set.

[OCDACTIVE]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Going fast in a high powered boat could endanger someone else and needs to have limits set.

Statistically that has never been proven as quoted from Dir. Barrett. However, we don't need to kick that horse again.

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by Rusty

I hope that someday the government will stop trying to protect people from themselves.
What choices you make in your life should strictly be left up to you as long as someone else doesn't get hurt by your actions.
Going out in the Broads in your Kayak without a life jacket is dumb but it should be your choice.

Going fast in a high powered boat could endanger someone else and needs to have limits set.

Rusty....

Your logic is just a little flawed... going out in the broads without a life jacket in a canoe or kayak could ABSOLUTELY endanger someone else. The rescuers who have to respond if you capsize and cant get back into the kayak or canoe... the boater who may have run you over because you capsized and weren't visible! There are endless possibilities, and most are somewhat remote. Statistically they WILL happen eventually.

By your logic there should be limits or regulations on just about everything....

The government cannot protect people from themselves or others bent on causing mayhem of all sorts. There is no such thing as a perfect law abiding citizen. Well, ok maybe statistically there are one or two!

If someone is bent on being stupid, or carrying out a willful act of violence, there is not much that can be done to prevent it. You can make all the rules/laws/regulations you want... it doesn't mean people are going to obey them. This is price we pay for a free society.

They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety - Benjamin Franklin

The SL debate is dead... as far as I am concerned. The People For Useless Legislation won. No doubt they will win many more battles before I die.

Woodsy

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

..... Ultimately, nothing will change as there is no reason for it. ...

Ah, would that it were so. If someone is killed or seriously hurt, people will be upset and legislators respond to upset people even when there is no real basis to. Some feel good response would be proposed and possibly even passed. The worst people to fix a problem are lawmakers, who rarely understand the ramifications of the laws they pass. It's unfortunate that people cannot use common sense to avoid such problems as much as possible without the goad of law.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

"...The burden of safety applies to the kayaker/canoeist as well as the power boater..."

It's been my experience that a 17-foot kayak is more readily seen than many other small watercraft on the lake.

I photographed this Winnipesaukee watercraft on a relatively quiet day. It has two small kids in it, while their "in-charge" adults are lounging ¼-mile away.

Originally Posted by Woodsy

"...There are so few boat vs. kayak collisions that a rule is not needed..."

One recent case of a demolished kayak "run-over" was blamed on the powerboat operator's inability to see—due to the angle of the sun.

Fewer laws would be needed if powerboat "drivers" wore their hats as they should be worn.

[RailroadJoe]

Love the pics. But its "cool" they will say.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by ApS

Fewer laws would be needed if powerboat "drivers" wore their hats as they should be worn.

Fewer laws would be needed if kayak "drivers" wore their PFDs as they should be worn.