Quote:
Originally Posted by The Real BigGuy
Here’s the thing: as an operator of a boat it is up to YOU to be vigilant and observe your surroundings. Taking your eyes off the water to talk to a friend, crack a drink, look at your lovely wife or girlfriend, etc. is not an excuse. If you hit a kayaker in an 8 or 9 ft kayak (or anything else), even if they are in the middle of the Broads or if they don’t have a flag or colored vest, it’s a good bet you were going to fast or you weren’t keeping a proper lookout. The accident is ALWAYS the boat operator’s fault, both legally and any other way you want to look at it. Speed isn’t always the issue but laziness, ignorance, and/or entitlement usually plays a part.
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Nonsense. Dark colored kayaks with no safety flag, out on the lake with chop and sun glare are almost impossible to see. Couple that with boats coming at you from all directions, and it's a disaster waiting to happen. As you may have gleaned from my user name, I'm a pilot and am trained to scan the sky in a very specific manner in order to "see and avoid". I use this same technique on the water, and seeing these kayaks is difficult at best. There's a reason bicycles and pedestrians are not allowed on highways.