Quote:
Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot
I used the highway comparison/analogy strictly from a common sense point of view. Obviously someone at some bureaucratic level felt it necessary to restrict bikes, horses and the like from these roadways for specific reasons, but the fundamental reason was that they felt it was dangerous. Which is exactly my point. What is so wrong with requiring a kayak to have a flag for visibility? Same reason that lights are required by any vessel (motorized or non-motorized) at night - so they can be seen by other boaters. These kayaks are difficult to see on sunny days and/or in choppy water. Therefore, they should be required to do something that improves their visibility to other boaters.
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If a power boater can't see a 17' kayak why would they be able to see a 1' flag? And a flag will clearly make it at least a little harder to right an overturned kayak. People down in kayaks quite regularly.
I will agree that anybody that goes out in a navy blue kayak wearing a navy blue life jacket is a moron. However there are many ways to increase conspicuity other than flags.
Kayaks do not not have the same right to be anywhere on the lake that power boats do. They have MORE right to be on the lake than power boats. If there really is a safety conflict between power boats and kayaks it is the power boat that needs to be restricted.