SUP’s;kayak’s;paddleboards

[CarDriver]

Do those of you that use human powered craft-canoe’s, kayak’s, sup’s know(or care about) the law? I’ve also heard that most places that rent these also don’t know, or care about the law. The law’s I’m referring to? The Coast Guard-and Washington State MANDATE ALL of these craft operate as watercraft. Meaning they HAVE to follow the rules of the road. They must be equipped with signaling devises operators must be wearing life jackets.

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[TSurly]

Yes. I always wear a PDF and a whistle, sometimes an air horn.

More importantly, what prompted your rant? Are you sitting in your car in traffic adjacent to a body of water watching people have fun on SUPs and in kayaks?

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by TSurly.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by TSurly.

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[CarDriver]

TSurly. Thank’s for knowing and following the law. Wouldn’t have to rant if everyone else did the same. Actually, I’m a boater and I, and many of my boater friends have had close calls with SUP’s and kayaks who did NOT have the right of way but felt they didn’t have to change course to avoid a close encounter(no, I’ve never hit one). One of my friends did challenge a SUP rider on Lake Union who said the place that rented him the board said “don’t worry-the other boater’s will get out of your way”. A friend of mine work’s for Kenmore Air. They get SEVERAL call’s every summer from irate paddlers demanding to know why the floatplanes taking off and landing on Lake Union don’t stay out of THEIR way.

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[mark47n]

Speaking as a former instructor (at AKT no less) and for some of the local clubs I can say that it is emphasized that all boaters must adhere to the rules of the road. That said, not all people take classes and rental businesses don’t spend hours educating the renters. Like it or not, educated boaters will have to dodge uneducated and that goes for powerboats and PWCs as well.

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[Author]

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