Re: Questions : Kayaking with Boats present

Dave in Lake Villa wrote:
> 'Be ready to spin the kayak to bow on. This is not to present a smaller
> target, but to allow the boat to do its best to escape damage and
> protect you.'
> 
> REPLY:  Thanks Matt.   Don't i want to turn the kayak so the broadside
is
> toward the approaching  boat so he can see it more readily and hopefully
> turn (yet still be prepared to jump off ) ? 
> 

Dave,

Jumping off is really not an option (just for grins - try it sometime - 
you can't get very far).

If the motorboat is on a collision course and has shown no correction, 
keep waving a paddle but assume he will not change course.  Many of the 
small boat operators do not have a very good understanding of what the 
boats maneuvering capabilities actually are.  Many strike things because 
the literally don't know how to not.  Be mindful of how long it will 
take you to get bow on and how you can do it best.  I found that 
backwater on the close side with a sweeping stoke worked best for the 
boats I have had, but find what you are most capable and comfortable at 
completing.  Practicing this is not stupid.  My kayaks never had a rudder.

(There are some out there that actually take aim at small paddle and 
sailboats with the intent of making the miss as close as possible.)

As Anthony said, bow on will allow the kayak to manage the wake best and 
  put more boat between you and the oncoming.

When the oncoming is close, it will be up to you to decide when is too 
close.  This is why you need to know how best to swing and how long it 
will take.  The motorboat operator will probably think you are over 
reacting, but it is not his life he is risking.

Many jet-ski, PWC or whatever have very little understanding of anything 
and many not be aware that if they shut the power down they then have no 
directional control at all and it may take a good distance to slow or 
stop the craft.

Remember that the number of people that was cause such problems is 
small, just the problems that they create are large.

Enjoy,

Matt Colie
Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner