Safety Gear for Kayaks

[Liquor Box]

I am thinking seriously about getting a kayak and am working out what i need to buy.

What do I need to be legal?

Life jackets- do you have to have one?

Lights?

anything else?

btw do you guys have any type of anchor? if you find a \"hot spot\" how do you stop the tide from moving you away?

Thanks

[Feral]

Kayak is an unregistered vessel, so very few safety items are mandatory, I think having a light handy at night to use if another vessel approaches is about it.

However the bite is in what they call the general safety obligation, so if someone in authority deemed that you need xyz in the conditions, you will be fined.

But you would have to be a mug not to be carrying some form of an anchor, a mirror, a light, a V sheet, water, .

[Brian D]

What do you call an upside down yak?

Burley:evil:

[Angus]

Mate a lot of common sense applies.

If you are fishing the dams, limited safety gear is required. However i always make a point to fish with at least one other person.

When fishing to bay in the future i would wear a life jacket.

My dad and i are going to invest in some serious ocean kayaks soon for the bay, and the rocks at Straddy like the Group and Shag rock.

For these location we will be using life jackets and we are buying our ocean yaks in yellow so if by some chance you were taken out to sea, it would be much more visible.

As for anchors, you can buy through Viking Kayaks and myself anchor kits. Fishing kayaks such as the Predator and Tempo models have the forward and aft hatches which can be used for these anchors.

To date, i have only felt the need of an anchor once at wello point. But even then id say our drifting resulted in my dads success.

If i have forgotten anything please ask?

Angus

[Feral]

I meant to comment to you Angus, you were not real easy to see at Wello, Grey yak, dark clothes. I'd reckon one of those flags with the red flag on top the kids used to use on push bikes, or they run on mine vehicles would not be a bad idea.

Life jacket I'd go an inflatable, even a high quality PDF1 vest would have to rub holes in your arms after a day of paddling!

[Alby]

Angus, you need one more thing if you're going to fish off Point Lookout..........Shark Shield. My view is...more humpbacks, more men in grey suits, big grey suits! :woohoo:

I'm thinking seriously of getting one. You may never need it but.........