Night Kayaking / Diving

[Orlando Eric]

Using some PVC and a few floats you could mount your Red / Green markers about 35' apart and the Stern light about 100' back. That outta make em move over!

"Ship, correct your course by 20 degrees port."

"No, You correct your course 20 degrees starboard."

"I repeat correct your course 20 degrees port."

"I am the Captain of a Battleship, Divert your course."

"I am the keeper of a light house, your call."

 

[dive1]

I have done lots of night dives from my kayaks, but they are inflatables called dive-yaks.
I put 2 six inch glow sticks on the back seat and 2 red ones on the front seat. Boaters must be able to see them so I attach the glow sticks onto a long pole about 4 feet tall. There is a little more to it than that but done right it is really cool. You can see the dive-yaks on my web site if you wish Homers scuba and snorkel tours I dont think i would try it off coventional plastic kayaks, if you accidently turn it over and lose something your SOL.

 

[Orlando Eric]

"I dont think I would try it off coventional plastic kayaks, if you accidently turn it over and lose something your SOL"

Welcome to kayak diving. You can read the 100 some post about diving off the plastic yak's and see 95% of the world wide yak divers dive off of plastic yaks and, I might add, consider the inflatables as gimicky but not ideal.

 

[dive1]

I have personally done about 1,000 dives off kayaks both inflatable and plastic. It all depends on the experience and comfort level of the diver. I take divers out all the time, if I am with a new diver its inflatable all they way. They are harder to maneuver than plastic but VERY forgiving, you sit on the edge of the kayak like on a platform to put your fins on, slide your equipment off and put your gear on in the water, not to mention how easy it is to put your gear back on the inflatable.
Gimmicky, matter of opinion, ideal for what I do, you betcha. I stand by my statement you accidentally turn that kayak over at night (i should have stated that) Your SOL. I once rented a plastic kayak to some divers, Told them not to do it, to take the inflatabel ones. But no, no no, they were experienced kayak divers....now there's $2,000 dollars worth of gear on the bottom of the ocean not to mention 2 of my tanks.

 

[jmf1081]

now there's $2,000 dollars worth of gear on the bottom of the ocean not to mention 2 of my tanks.

So I guess the lesson is to leave a bit of air in the BC - not enough to make it bulky and imposible to fit in the Kayak, but enough to keep all you gear from sinking like a rock?

 

[dkramer]

So I guess the lesson is to leave a bit of air in the BC - not enough to make it bulky and imposible to fit in the Kayak, but enough to keep all you gear from sinking like a rock?

Correct! I also tether everything to the yak. I think it also depends on the yak. I have a "plastic" Cobra Fish/Dive Yak & I have never (knock on wood) flipped it. The boat can be a bit bulky on land but it is very forgiving in the water.