since the search function is out I was hoping I could get a little advice.
1) Lights. I am just talking about within harbor inside the breakwater. So I have the super water proof mountaineering headlamp (like a coal miners), check. Is there something like a little velcro/suctioncup battery light I could stick on the front of my canoe...just something to delineate the front of my canoe not to illuminate the water. I think with that and my dork headlamp I am good. The paddleboarder use just a headlamp
2) Compass. It is amazing that garmin has such a hard time making a waterproof case. My e-trex bit the dust after just a few uses. The bouncing speedometer was worthless and it was hard to see, and well since it flooded just getting splashed I am glad to be rid of it. My coworker got a 305 for biking and after one rainy race, it died too. Amazing. So I can figure my speed pretty well with my good old 30 casio g-shock and my know routes. Though it is doubtful I would need it I would like a really tough magnetic compass I could see in the low light. Any product suggestion?
again, sorry if this is old hat but the search is out. I'll give google a try too.
Thanks
Shawn
Submitted by Shawn Michael on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 10:52pm
You'll need a visible 360 degree white light for night paddling and the below links are of a few options that are available for kayaking/canoeing at night.
http://www.rei.com/product/722830
http://www.rei.com/product/737089
Some tips on night paddling that talks about night illumination requirements.
http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Safety/NightKayaking.htm
If all you need is something to put on the nose of your OC-1, you could always just vecro or duct tape a green chemlight/Cyalume glowstick. If you don't need/want the normal sized one or its bright illumination, you could always get the mini ones that are sold in the fishing departments.
#1 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 1:06am
Shouldn't this be under the gear and equipment category?
I'd go with two PETZ headlamps on a single headband with one 4 LED light mounted fore and one mounted aft. They are sold on a headband, so you can just put them over your hat. This makes you visible 360 degrees. It works best over a hat with a visor. With one of those deckmounted lights you are staring right into the light and giving yourself nightblindness. Better be sure you mount those lights aft.
The Orca compass by Suunto works well on kayaks. It is big, the bigger the better if you are truly following magnetic headings. I just can't figure where to mount it on a RUDDER USING footwell OC-1. (Hint: The V-1s don't have that problem.) Probably on that little leg separater.
If you are only using a compass to find your way back to shore in fog and a simple North/South/East/West will do, a diver's compass on your wrist or other place convenient will accomplish the task. Non-electronic "compasses" aren't affected by submersion. Just don't store them near an electrical circuit or you may reverse their polarity
Absolutely don't get a "pulsing" or "strobe" light for anything other than distress signalling. Just because REI sells them doesn't mean they are legally appropriate. People are glad to sell you anything...like deckmounted 360 lights.
A white flashing light is a distress signal. Don't cry "wolf" when you don't mean it. Colored strobes mean everything from "submarine" to "police boat." Colored lights are not as helpful in you being able to see things.
A manpowered vessels must "show a white light" other boats that know the rules will know how to deal with you if you do that. I know the article cited above talks about a flashing red light is okay to use. What they are saying is there is no specific rule that says you can't use it, but it will only cause confusion.
Confusion at night is to be avoided.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#2 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 4:25am
Shawn
I paddle to work in the morning in the Oakland estuary, I use the back to back headlamps yankeepadler talks about. Over a hat so the light does not bother me. I also use a red flasher on my fanny pack,(not a distrss signal!) As for a compas a wrist mounted compass to tha ama would work but is going to be swaying constantly. it will give you general direction.My Gaman forrunner 301 has been on the deck for 2 months now, taken plenty of waves and still works like a champ.
Ted
#3 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 4:23am
Shawn
I paddle to work in the morning in the Oakland estuary, I use the back to back headlamps yankeepadler talks about. Over a hat so the light does not bother me. I also use a red flasher on my fanny pack,(not a distrss signal!) As for a compas a wrist mounted compass to tha ama would work but is going to be swaying constantly. it will give you general direction.My Garman forrunner 301 has been on the deck for 2 months now, taken plenty of waves and still works like a champ.
Ted
#4 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 4:23am
At night you don't want light to shine directly in your face it limits your visibility which is most important. Even a bright light/headlamp directed in front of you will limit your visibility to just what the light is directed at, which even if it's a good light still limits you more than if you just let your eyes, unaided by artificial light, adjust to the dark and provide you better field of view.
There are lights that come with suction-cup mounts. You can find them at West Marine for about 40 bucks. One light has a red/green split to mount at bow for Left/Right. When mounted the light shines forward, but subdued enough not to blind you and it doesn't shine towards rear. The other light is 360-degrees white, which should be mounted (suction cup) to the rear and raised a bit. There's a standard USCG height but just mounting it off the deck will do the job. These lights are essentially for others to see you, not for you to see them. I like to let my eyes adjust to darkness and then I see much better than if I used a light (headlamp, etc). I keep a small waterproof light hung around my neck just in case I need to check something out. When a boat is coming close and I'm not sure they see me I use that small light to shine on them and flicker a bit (catches their attention w/out blinding them) to ensure they adjust thier course, as I'm adjusting mine.
Now, the issue comes up for me when I paddle at dusk and don't need the mounted lights turned on until well into the paddle, so admittedly when waters cold I put just the white light behind my seat bungied in and then just turn it one at dark to have something on, but still not blinding me. Otherwise I'd just mount them before paddle and swim to bow/stern turning them on when it turns dark. When I go out at dark, I rig both in their places and turn on before paddling.
As for a compass; boat compasses are big & expensive and you have to calculate declination/variation in your head. If you're good with a compas just purchase a handheld(silva or suntu), adjust for your area's declination and use as needed. You could mount between legs with velcro so you can paddle a bearing/course by just glancing down without disturbing your stroke. They have glow in dark indicators so just take that small waterproof halogen light (princeton tech, etc... find 'em anywhere) hanging around your neck by a string and cup your hand over compass while shining light to charge, thus keeping your night vision.
#5 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 8:26am
Thanks for kick ass info as usual. Off to go shopping.
Thank you!
Shawn
#6 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 11:22am
For the front of your boat, you can get one of these:
http://www.seattlesportsco.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=68&...
which has a red/green setting (note: there are three different models, two of which have red/green settings). Put a little piece of black tape on the rear 120 degrees (with the red lights on the left and green lights on the right). At night, suction it to the front of the boat and turn it on to the red/green setting (red left, green right, tape facing you).
For the rear of your boat, show a white light by using either a white headlamp, worn pointing backwards:
http://www.rei.com/product/747638
or another of the aforementioned light turned on to a white light setting (not flashing), perhaps mounted on a pole like this:
http://www.seattlesportsco.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=68&...
or a light like this:
http://www.rei.com/product/722830
#7 Mon, 10/13/2008 - 7:36pm
Shawn
for the record only a power driven vessel needs the red/green side lights to be LEGAL all you need on a non-powered vessel (canoe) is a white light in time to prevent collision. Now smart money has a white light 360 ALL the time.
If you are paddling in pitch black you should worry about night vision how ever if you are paddling around the harbor or in the bay, the best bet is the double headlamp. I also keep a waterproof mini flashlight in my waste camelback just in case I need to flash it at someone, And the VHF to talk to the big boys if nessisary.
I have found the suction cup lights fall of when the weather gets cold or you take a wave.
Ted
#8 Tue, 10/14/2008 - 3:17pm
I love this small bike light, by Knog, which easily mounts on my iakos.
The rubber attachment seems flexible enough in size to work with any 1 man iako, I mount one facing forward, one facing back for visibility and wear a headlamp though I will admit I find it somewhat distracting watching my top arm flash in the bright light - tend to angle the headlamp up a bit.
These bike lights are fairly water resistant. I have found many lights eventually fail, maybe a rust issue that gets them eventually. These ones do eventually give up the ghost but because they are small and cheap, I at least feel I am not creating a ton of plastic waste. (They cost about $9 each at a local store.) I had to use maybe two sets all of last winter season, paddling 2 or 3X per week in the dark.
Knog makes them, I like both the frog (small) and toad (medium) models, available in red, white, and green lights. Teammates say I'm pretty visible to them with these on, you can set them to steady or blink.
For a product list:
http://www.permaco.com/
I'm sure you can find them elsewhere, our local bike stores sometimes carry them.
#9 Tue, 10/14/2008 - 7:12pm
Thanks for the post. Appreciated. Paddling at night is really peaceful...I totally dig it.
#10 Tue, 10/14/2008 - 10:34pm
As long as you don't really stop to think about what might be out under or around you.
#11 Tue, 10/14/2008 - 11:04pm
Thump-thump. Thump-thump-thump-thump.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump-thump-thump.
Bruce, is that you?
You wonder if Jonah's experience would have been more pleasant if he had had a headlamp.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#12 Wed, 10/15/2008 - 5:15am
As the sun is setting earlier and earlier, I have been thinking about lighting too. I just ordered this waterproof headlamp on REI and am planning on using it when I paddle in the evenings.
Underwater Kinetics Vizion Headlamp
#13 Fri, 10/24/2008 - 4:38pm
FWIW I ended up buying two Princeton Tec EOS headlamps and mounting them on the same band front and back as per Yankee. I glued the band to one of my tethered Epic caps so when I wipe out it should all stay together. I choose the EOS because they are pretty cheap 27$, got top reviews from the nerds and to my surprise not many of long burn LED headlamps are waterproof and can be angled easily.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_index_headlamps.htm
#14 Fri, 10/24/2008 - 9:22pm
Shawn I have to give to you. You are Mr. Gadget
#15 Sat, 10/25/2008 - 10:24am
Now it only remains to determine whether gadgets are more Hawaiian or Tahitian in origin.
Personally, I propose Pitcairnian. The first settlers on that island upon arrival immediately started fabricating "stills," one of the ultimate gadgets to affect mankind.
Welcome to the Gyro Gearloose Outrigger Canoe Club, Shawn. We may not be fastest all the time, but we know where we are, other people know where we are, and we're just the most gal-dern interesting folks at the luau.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#16 Sat, 10/25/2008 - 11:50am
Yankee
That all depends if you paddle the Aerospace technology carbon OC1 with rudder at night with Garmin for speed and a heartrate monitor to monitor your performance with REI headlight to be seen.could be we have lost all roots and just paddle for the love!!
I will tell ya, I paddled 18miles in San fran bay today and was not very concerned where the roots of my boat came from.( although I do repect it) I just loved the water, the air and the wind at my back,, ohh ya (with my safety gear!!) and of course Buffett blaring on the i-pod!!
paddle hard, paddle safe
Ted out!
#17 Sat, 10/25/2008 - 2:10pm