If kayakers stay closer to shore they should be much safer. Power boats should be at headway speed. If they are going to go out further, they need to be as Day-Glo as possible.
Of course it is the power boat captain's responsibility to keep a watch but spotting small dark boats is challenging even with the best of intentions. It doesn't help when paddlers, in tight spaces, claim the middle of the navigable area instead of getting off to the side and letting the powerboat ease by. Or paddlers decide to pause in the middle of a very busy area.
Yes, many under power are knuckleheads, disrespectful, and dangerous to small boats. They should be held accountable.
However, in a mix up, the paddler will always lose out.
|