NYCkayaker Captain and Paddlers Day at Pier 66

[Steve McAllister]

Hi All

Although those particular Coast Guard people seem to not have a problem 
with it, others go by the book and will give you a heavy fine for using 
your strobe for anything other than a distress signal.

The coast guard threatened to write up a summons for a friend whose 
reflective tape on his paddle looked like a strobe, causing the Coast 
Guard to be contacted by a passing boat.

Although he was wearing a strobe, it wasn't engaged. He eventually 
convinced them and they let him go.

Since boats are supposed to call Ch 16 when they see a strobe on the 
water, I'd think that running a strobe in a busy harbor could cause a 
lot of confusion.

stevie

> The coast guard suggested, and the
> captains and police agreed, that if we were crossing the river or a ferry
> terminal area (or any time when you are not sure that you are visible to
> boat traffic day or night) that you can use the strobe during the crossing
> to make yourself more visible.