Safety- what do I need?

Million Dollar NFL Salary? good start!
More Women and fame than you probably need? not bad!
$150,000 boat? very nice!
Trip fishing with you buddies? Wonderful!

Having a $300 Personal locator while out at sea like 25 miles on your capsized boat after making a bad decision to go out in the first place?

--Priceless--

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2010 Tandem Island!

In the theme of safety gear, I found this old shirt which I used to carry with me on motorcycle tours. The bike is long gone, but it's going to be a permanent addition to my kayaking safety gear. The Mirage Drive boats can be tough to see out there, and if I'm ever stuck in fog, low light, or high traffic conditions, this is going to be a valuable addition to my safety gear.

It's lightweight, easy to pack, made of a material that doesn't hold water, and is extremely visible.

It's not for everyone, but if you're a safety nut like me, it's a simple solution to have if you find yourself in a tough situation.






It will make it easier for my wife to identify my body too!

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We were boating this weekend and were almost run over head-on by a 30 ft motorboat. Apparently the big huge giant brightly colored sail and kayak (I have *safety* yellow papaya) can almost become invisible under certain conditions (by that I mean like the conditions following a frontal lobotomy).

Luckily my wife was able to stand up and wave her arms and scream and attract the attention of the other "Captain" before we had to abandon ship.

So:

#1 I now consider my wife to be very important safety equipment
#2 I promised to get her a portable air-horn-in-a-can so that she can blast the oncoming traffic as she deems necessary

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2010 Tandem Island!

You post good questions, Trsdx.

Read almost any rescue account, and survivors are very often reported to be suffering from exposure and dehydration. Conclusion: be prepared for any elements you might encounter, including overnight if that accidentally happens, and bring plenty of water. You'll be one of the ones reported to be found in good condition.

Equipment and procedures to make sure you don't get lost and you do get found are all great, and have been covered well here, but be prepared for all of it to somehow fail.

We're approaching the season here where it's just beautiful to kayak in the afternoon. If you wind up out past sunset, the temperature drops quickly, and the shorts and t-shirt won't cut it any more. One day I fumbled my paddle while going fast downwind into an opposing current in one of my conventional kayaks. It was not on a leash, and was immediately swept almost out of reach. Almost. I grabbed it. Would have had real trouble getting back if I had not. Stuff happens.