Color important for safety?

I think red and orange are the most visible colors from a distance on the water

The purpose of seatbelts, helmets, safety vests and other brightly colored  safety equipment is for improving one's chances of avoiding or diminishing the chance of serious injury.  Whether to use or not use them is a personal choice, except in the case of seatbelts and safety helmets where the state exerts its influence whether we want to use them or not.  However, all the safety equipment in the world cannot and will not prevent all accidents and injury.  The numbers tell the story, proper use of safety equipment saves more lives and use of bright colors generally helps search personnel find lost, injured, or deceased persons easier and more quickly.  Camo does have its place but one has to weigh the odds.  I personally want to be seen.   

Good points, all. As much as I like the look of the urban camo scheme, I can't help but think that it would blend in a little too well on the Sound on a foggy day, even with a flag or bright suit. Coolness doesn't do me any good if I'm being run over by a boat out there.

Thanks for all of the input.

I think red and orange are the most visible colors from a distance on the water

Yeah, I've noticed that as well. While staying at a hotel on the cliff at Depoe Bay I watched a bunch of people launch from the harbor and amazingly enough the kayaks that were the easiest to see were the red ones.

Z

8% of men with northern euro ancestry are color blind. Red won't do much good with those folks.

I'm just saying that back when I was a Coast Guard aviator, several of the international Coast Guards got together and did a study of the colors easiest to see from the air when doing searches for small objects - like a person or a life raft - and bright "neon" blue topped the list for being more visible than International Orange, which placed second, and yellow, which was around 8th or 9th.  I don't remember the list in order anymore, but those three surprised me.

That said, my Tarpon is "mango" - a camouflage-like pattern in bright orange and yellow.

It would seem to me, with absolutely no facts to support me, that the color of the boat wouldn't be significant to being seen by a powerboat operator because the top of our hulls are so low and so close to the water that they're not visible until the PBO is right on top of us, and then it's loo late.

I'd think the colors we wear, flags, etc. would be visible sooner and at a safer distance.

I haven't been in waterways where I've needed it, but I keep a rescue strobe light attached to a five-foot pole that I'll mount, even in the daylight, in areas where powered boats (even sail boats) are operating.  Orange hull and all.

 

Seems like a NWKA-branded safety flag might raise funds for the site. Just sayin.

8% of men with northern euro ancestry are color blind. Red won't do much good with those folks.

But only a small amount of those guys are to the point where they really have a hard time seeing reds in a daylight environment.  I'm red-green color blind yet I can pick out a red kayak or a red safety flag on the water pretty easily.

8% of men with northern euro ancestry are color blind. Red won't do much good with those folks.

But only a small amount of those guys are to the point where they really have a hard time seeing reds in a daylight environment.  I'm red-green color blind yet I can pick out a red kayak or a red safety flag on the water pretty easily.

Same here.  A bright red kayak is easy to see.  Some shades of red and green look like brown or gray to me.

8% of men with northern euro ancestry are color blind. Red won't do much good with those folks.

But only a small amount of those guys are to the point where they really have a hard time seeing reds in a daylight environment.  I'm red-green color blind yet I can pick out a red kayak or a red safety flag on the water pretty easily.

Same here.  A bright red kayak is easy to see.  Some shades of red and green look like brown or gray to me.

I'm not color blind, I don't know what shows up well for you. I just hope everyone is flag flying and nobody gets run over.

IF someone cant see me, there is a serous problem.  Yellow boat, red drysuit, bright blue PFD...Going to put some reflective tape on my paddle blades too.

IF someone cant see me, there is a serous problem.  Yellow boat, red drysuit, bright blue PFD...Going to put some reflective tape on my paddle blades too.

If you are in the ocean with any swell it would be very possible that a power boat wouldn't see you till they are right on top of you. Fly a safety flag anytime you are on the salt.

IF someone cant see me, there is a serous problem.  Yellow boat, red drysuit, bright blue PFD...Going to put some reflective tape on my paddle blades too.

If you are in the ocean with any swell it would be very possible that a power boat wouldn't see you till they are right on top of you. Fly a safety flag anytime you are on the salt.

I fly mine all the time up here in the Sound.  There are a lot of big PBs running around, even when it's flat water I want to maximize my visibility.

Jim

IF someone cant see me, there is a serous problem.  Yellow boat, red drysuit, bright blue PFD...Going to put some reflective tape on my paddle blades too.

If you are in the ocean with any swell it would be very possible that a power boat wouldn't see you till they are right on top of you. Fly a safety flag anytime you are on the salt.

I fly mine all the time up here in the Sound.  There are a lot of big PBs running around, even when it's flat water I want to maximize my visibility.

Jim

Indeed, i mostly fish the columbia and tributaries so no swell worry.  However i need to get a flag, Ive seen some amazing things on the water.