OT: "Custom" Kayak - color advise

[buddybikes]

Working with local kayak manufacturer to build me a new kayak, a carbon/fiberglass mix. Playing with color palette, want something bright to be seen in the fog as well as being attractive. Attached is my current idea, comments? I lack the gene for artistic merit. thx


1697898005

[OtayBW]

My first boat was a custom layup - an NDK Romany (center) and my only real keeper. A little unconventional with a blue deck over blue hull with yellow trim. The others came later and were not custom.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j42/zelmo_2006/102_0232.jpg (http://s77.photobucket.com/user/zelmo_2006/media/102_0232.jpg.html)
That's my '90s vintage Team Marin mtn bike in the background, btw....

Calm day, being lazy.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j42/zelmo_2006/101_0140.jpg (http://s77.photobucket.com/user/zelmo_2006/media/101_0140.jpg.html)

My opinion: forget trying to be seen in the fog. Carry a radio and issue any relevant securite warnings. They always say that a white hull is best for visibility, but an overturned white hull looks pretty much like a whitecap in the water. Get whatever color pleases you, keep your self (and other) rescue chops up, and practice good seamanship in the water.

[makoti]

That's my '90s vintage Team Marin mtn bike in the background, btw....


And I was searching the second picture for it. :banana:

[OtayBW]

That's it, right there behind the roto-tiller where it's been since the vintage 1990's. Bought it when I live in NV and never bonded with the whole mtn bike thing...

[Louis]

Speaking of "on the water" activities, how long would you have lasted, had you been in Louis Jordan's shoes, 200 miles off the coast, alone, capsized, eating raw fish you caught with your hands and drinking rain water? 66 days? Is that even possible? Wow.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/03/how-louis-jordan-an-inexperienced-sailor-survived-for-66-days.html

Edit: I hate to be skeptical of such a feel-good survival story, but shouldn't he be more sunburned?

Edit 2: Apologies for the thread drift, but I couldn't resist bringing this up.

http://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486x302/public/2015/04/03/56d16a42909e5489860efc9ed1afaaa0.jpg?itok=iaE7bpXN

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvfZ4IVLDGaVDLQ9Yiv4sOvkPYArxZs ofxs27kwm0_Kp56LbNs

[buddybikes]

Yes I know the drill, communication, bail, second paddle, paddle float, etc.

Like that blue on yellow, just fell in love with the lime green seeing it matched to yellow.

Boat searching and buying can be as fun as new bike.

[11.4]

Used to paddle Nordkapps all over Long Island Sound and up the Maine Coast. I went through a couple boats as I discovered how invisible they were, and did a couple repaints as well. Green, white, and blue are basically invisible. The point is not to be visible to a boater coming up on you -- that's what lighting is for -- but to help SAR find you. Saturn Yellow is about the best color, and also shows up better in vision systems on search aircraft. If you really want safety, the eye sees patterns better than solid colors -- diagonal stripes across the boat make for great visibility because they don't naturally occur out on the water. Even a couple stripes on a deck work better than the brightest color. I finally did a yellow deck with a white hull, and a six-inch stripe on the fore- and aft-deck and four similar stripes on the underside. Everyone knew my boat when it was on a roof rack, but we threw a bunch of these boats in the water at a very wet and foggy sea kayaking symposium and guess which boat was seen every time. I looked like a SOLAS flare bin.

If you're worried about surface traffic, strobes are a great solution. They've gotten so good (just look at cycling lights) and you can have one attached to your aft deck and one on your head (just a light elastic strap over a beanie). An 800 lumen strobe will alert boaters for quite a ways away. I do white lights because red lights have specific uses in maritime lighting, but if it's a flashing strobe, you are skirting the maritime regs. Having one on your head that moves around a bit gives you more visibility than what you get with a continuous light. You can then use a continuous light -- I can tell you that paddling behind somebody with a strobe, or paddling anywhere near someone with a strobe when you're in a heavy fog, is really unpleasant. You are visible and safer, but a powerful headlight does better since it flashes around a lot and doesn't drive everyone nuts.

[Mikej]

What about some type of solar panel of battery powered lights / flashers around the hull? Also, the human eye will recognize blaze orange the furthest distance, and red the least distance. Cool kayak btw!

[mg2ride]

What you designed looks great!

I have been saying for at least 10 years that Kayaking will be my next hobby.

[Hawker]

OP, I think your design looks great and assuming the colors are "bright" will do the job of helping you be seen.

I have tried to get into kayaking several times. I took some classes, bought all the books, magazines and joined some web sites and forums. And where I live there is a substantial kayaking community...white water and touring.

However, I have never entered a sport or hobby that discusses the imminence of death so often. Don't kayak alone, don't kayak in the cold, be sure you can swim a mile or more, be sure you have an emergency radio....frankly, as a so-so swimmer I just got scared off. I ride motorcycles, road bikes and I hope to sky dive. I just don't want to drown.

[11.4]

What about some type of solar panel of battery powered lights / flashers around the hull? Also, the human eye will recognize blaze orange the furthest distance, and red the least distance. Cool kayak btw!

Having been in a lot of safety-at-sea stuff, the problem we found with blaze orange was in low light. It disappeared sooner than safety or saturn yellow. Mine had black diagonal stripes across a yellow deck and had a black and yellow diagonal bar parallel to the keel on the bottom of the hull so it wasn't visible when you were paddling but if you rolled, it was very easy to spot.

As for lights or flashers, they are so efficient these days with LEDs that the maintenance and hassles with solar panels really aren't necessary. Even marine grade solar panels have a high failure rate, plus the wiring is just a pain. It takes a fair amount of deck space to handle even a panel to charge LEDs, and if you're out on the water you really want that space either for stuff strapped on (like an alternate or spare paddle, or weather gear, or chart case, or whatever) or so you can climb onto it if you have to do a wet re-entry (without tearing your suit on the panel or cracking the panel with your weight). Nice idea, though, if you're on a long expedition and it keeps your lights up and going.

[saf-t]

I spend a fair amount of time fishing out of an orange Pungo, chosen in large part for its visibility. Yellow would be my second choice, and my pick when/if I switch over to a Hobie....

[OtayBW]

Agree that having something taking up deck space - especially something potentially sharp and that may inhibit a roll - is not something that I would do. I'll reiterate that in a heavy fog, you often cannot see the hand in front of your face, let alone a boat hull (or light) from hundreds of yards away. I've been in open water under these conditions plenty of times, often with appreciable boat or shipping traffic, and I'm more comfortable relying on radio alerts and signal flares, if necessary, more than anything else when things get dicey.

[teleguy57]

I don't have anything specific to contribute here, but it does remind me that I didn't even get my boat (albeit a 15-footer for smaller waters, although I have paddled it on Lake Superior in calmer conditions) out on the water last season.

Resolved -- ride and paddle more this year!

Maybe even try a Greenland paddle to keep things easier on the shoulders....

Oh, and more on topic -- love the pics of the boats, and like the idea of bright colors and stripes per 11.4.

Is there anything he doesn't know about??? :)

[buddybikes]

I have been paddling for 15 years so I know the drills, however open water crossings are probably in my past. Diabetic neuropathy and arthritis is slowly distroying my body so just want to enjoy life a bit more, kayaking is easy on the body and mind. Coastal estuaries, are more interesting anyway, especially away from "Sunday driver" boats. My old current designs is well worn, and I don't need a 17' boat any longer and my strength isn't there also for loading. This was my idea for a boat built for me. Before I hit the final confirmation on colors, just wanted some feedback on the color scheme lookiing nice. As we all are here, we look at the paint jobs and finishes of nice bikes.

[lonoeightysix]

i'd modify that to british racing green with orange, and if you really want to fly your freak flag, go metallic flake.

[buddybikes]

If I did that, boat would probably die in middle of the water like those cars did!
...I had a 66 MG

[Cornfed]

I freely admit to a bias toward all things orange, but in this case, I think it's appropriate.

[Tony]

Maybe even try a Greenland paddle to keep things easier on the shoulders....

A GP is not only easier on your body, it's a superior paddle in many ways to a euro paddle.

[Tony]

However, I have never entered a sport or hobby that discusses the imminence of death so often. Don't kayak alone, don't kayak in the cold, be sure you can swim a mile or more, be sure you have an emergency radio....frankly, as a so-so swimmer I just got scared off. I ride motorcycles, road bikes and I hope to sky dive. I just don't want to drown.

Been kayaking on the open coast for many years, in intense conditions, even once hit by a GW. I have never come so close to death as when on my bike.

[Tony]

Working with local kayak manufacturer to build me a new kayak, a carbon/fiberglass mix. Playing with color palette, want something bright to be seen in the fog as well as being attractive. Attached is my current idea, comments? I lack the gene for artistic merit. thx


1697898005

I think the colors your considering are nice.

I went on Lincolns web site and could not find any info on how their kayak's are built? Are they hand laid, vacuumed?
Thanks

[William]

Have to agree on the yellow even though I'm more of an Orange guy. I'm not into kayaks, but I do paddle board year round and of all my boards, the rover sticks out like a sore thumb in all conditions. It was an over cast day when these photos were taken and it's much brighter then it appears (would like more yellow on it though). On the flip side, my full carbon board basically disappears at a distance. When I paddle this board I'll usually wear a bright yellow PI vest. A faster board to paddle, but when the conditions are known to be bad I'll take the yellow board.






William

[OtayBW]

I used to make Greenland paddles ('twigs') out of clear cedar, a low-angle hand plane, and a drawknife - finished with tung oil. They are a lot of fun and very different than Euro-style offset paddle, especially in terms of technique and capabilities.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j42/zelmo_2006/102_0204-2.jpg (http://s77.photobucket.com/user/zelmo_2006/media/102_0204-2.jpg.html)

[William]

I used to make Greenland paddles ('twigs') out of clear cedar, a low-angle hand plane, and a drawknife - finished with tung oil. They are a lot of fun and very different than Euro-style offset paddle, especially in terms of technique and capabilities.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j42/zelmo_2006/102_0204-2.jpg (http://s77.photobucket.com/user/zelmo_2006/media/102_0204-2.jpg.html)

Nice!:cool:

87" paddle board paddle please.:)








William

[buddybikes]

They are vacuum:
http://4alloutdoors.org/outdoor-articles/lincoln-canoe-and-kayak-company/

[Tony]

I used to make Greenland paddles ('twigs') out of clear cedar, a low-angle hand plane, and a drawknife - finished with tung oil. They are a lot of fun and very different than Euro-style offset paddle, especially in terms of technique and capabilities.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j42/zelmo_2006/102_0204-2.jpg (http://s77.photobucket.com/user/zelmo_2006/media/102_0204-2.jpg.html)

I enjoy using and making them too.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5724234638719180641

And Greenland kayaks.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5508059268087500497

[teleguy57]

I enjoy using and making them too.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5724234638719180641

And Greenland kayaks.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5508059268087500497

Beautiful work.

How challenging is it to make a basic but classic Greenland paddle? Where might one start?

[Tony]

Beautiful work.

How challenging is it to make a basic but classic Greenland paddle? Where might one start?

Its easy and fun to make. Here is a place to start.
http://www.qajaqusa.org/Equipment/paddles.html

This forum will be a great help.
http://www.qajaqusa.org/forums.shtml

[AJosiahK]

Paddlers here too! this place is the best. I grew up paddling the Chesapeake bay, and surrounding watershed rivers with my father. We would pick out places to camp and paddle down, spend a night, and paddle back to the car. To be honest, my first big purchase was a 14ft necky sea touring boat. Yes before a bike I know I know.

I always leaned towards the orange and red colorways. Along with the simple fact that those colorways also ward off those mentioned Sunday boaters better than others. I do agree with otayBW, that the best way to be seen is to have the proper equipment bits.

Another reason this forum is the best.