A strong and sturdy kayak safety flag should be on the top of your kayaking check-list. Without having a kayak flag that can be seen from afar, you are most probably courting troubles. It is the kayak safety flag that makes your vessel visible to large watercraft. In case, if you get into some sort life-threatening situation and in need of urgent rescue, it is this safety flag that is going to save your day.
Remember the idiom – ‘Better safe than sorry’? Of course, you do and since you are a paddler either by profession or passion, people expect you to be extra careful while setting out for the sea or local river. If you like paddling on the sea or at night, visibility could be a real challenge in case something terrible happens to you. Things can go haywire at any point of time while paddling on choppy water. Your boat might capsize, you might lose track or your boat might get struck by an underwater object. In situations like these, you need urgent help from the rescue team. But there is a catch to it. You need to be seen first by the rescuing team, right? So, to make their job easier, you need to purchase a kayak safety flag.
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Attaching a Kayak Safety Flag to A kayak
Most kayak safety flag kits either come with mounting accessories or flag poles. These accessories make it incredibly easy for a kayaker to attach a kayak flag to a boat in a matter of a few minutes if not in a few seconds. However, if your boat does not already have a gear track installed, you might have a hard time hoisting the kayak flag on your boat. Alternatively, you can blot the kayak flag to the boat. However, if by chance, your boat has a built-in rod holder available, you can use that rod holder as a mounting point for your kayak safety flag. Now, if you are looking for a rather temporary solution, you can use tape to get the kayak flag attached to the boat.
Best 7 Kayak Safety Flags
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Kayak safety flags are available in different shapes and sizes and that means, it is not going to be an easy task for a beginner to identify the best kayak flag for his/her kayak. To help you out, here we have listed the best 5 kayak safety flags that money can buy –
1. Shoreline Marine Propel Safety Flag with Mount
Shoreline Marine Propel Safety Flag can easily be folded and expanded at will. Another major advantage of this Shoreline Marine Propel Safety Flag is that it can be attached to almost any boat irrespective of its shape, size, and type. Included is a universal accessory mount that makes it super easy to get this kayak safety flag attached to your boat.
In case, you are not aware, it has been made mandatory by the U.S. Coast Guard to use the orange flag to send distress signals. So, in such cases, this Shoreline Marine Propel Safety Flag can come really handy.
Pros
- High Visibility.
- It is collapsible in nature.
- It is easy to put in and take out.
Cons
- Grommets start rusting really after a year or two.
- Not Lighted
2. YakAttack VISICarbon Pro Kayak Flag and Geartrac Ready Light
YakAttack VISICarbon Pro Mighty Mount and Geartrac Ready Light is going to help you increase the visibility of your kayak even in extreme conditions like in mist or in pitch dark condition. Be it a recreational boat or a fishing kayak, YakAttack VISICarbon Pro Kayak Flag offers an unparallel level of performance. It is lightweight yet strong enough to withstand extreme climatic conditions.
Its slim design and aerodynamic shape add to its impressive performance. The flag can be attached and detached in a matter of few seconds and the credit goes to its Silent Snap flag attachment system.
YakAttack VISICarbon Pro Mighty Mount and Geartrac Ready Light is ideal for those paddlers who don’t have much real estate available on their boats. carbon fiber is used to create this ultra-lightweight YakAttack VISICarbon Pro Kayak Flag and this is what ensures that the kayakers don’t have to deal with excessive wind drag while paddling.
10,000 hours of lamp life is quite impressive and the LED light can last 100 hours straight. The LED light can be dimmed if you wish so by wrapping it with the flag.
Pros
- 3 AA Batteries included.
- Made from carbon fibers.
- Defuser included.
Cons
- Not compatible with Scotty mount.
3. YakAttack VISIpole II GearTrac Ready includes Flag
YakAttack VISIpole II Kayak Flag comes equipped with a 360-degree white light which is beneficial for those who are planning to catch fish from their boats. However, if you are finding it difficult to deal with the bugs that tend to get attracted by the light, you can make the flag slide over the white light to dim the light down a little bit.
A Top-mounted LED light and a sturdy fiberglass pole are two most crucial parts of YakAttack VISIpole II Kayak Flag. You would not have to struggle a lot to get this kayak safety flag mounted on your boat. It can be attached to almost any type of kayak as its large base is, by and large, compatible with most kayak flag mounts.
4. YiMusic 1.2M Universal Safety Flag
YiMusic 1.2M Universal Safety Flag is best suited for all types of kayaks and marine boats. The best thing about this kayak safety flag is that it can be put in and take out rather easily and effortlessly. The aluminum alloy flag pole can be folded and unfolded with ease. The collapsible nature of the YiMusic 1.2M Universal Safety Flag makes it super convenient to use in those cases where there is not enough free space available on the boat.
YiMusic 1.2M Universal Safety Flag can be seen from a great distance and thus can make your trip a lot safer. Included is a universal Rod Holder Mount and it allows the YiMusic 1.2M Universal Safety Flag to be plugged into it effortlessly.
5. Lixada 4ft Kayak Safety Flag
Lixada 4ft Kayak Safety Flag has a small flag at the end. On the pole, a high-quality flashlight is attached. Its bright red color gives it higher visibility. Made from aluminum, its flag pole strong and can withstand rough weather. Moreover, this aluminum alloy flag pole is collapsible which makes it ideal for smaller boats. Robustly built, Lixada 4ft Kayak Safety Flag is easy to install. The bungee cord runs thoroughly these sturdy Aluminum tubes without any problem.
6. MagiDeal Safety Travel Flag For Kayak
This red color MagiDeal Safety Travel Flag helps you get spotted by other paddlers. Made from heavy duty Oxford fabric, MagiDeal Safety Travel Flag is 7.9inch long. The fabric does not get worn out even if it is used roughly.
7. RoadPro 2424G Red Mesh Warning Flag with Grommets
RoadPro 2424G Red Mesh Warning Flag can easily withstand wear and tear resulting from regular use. The mesh is made from high-quality nylon which is both weatherproof and waterproof. Weighing just 5.6 ounces, this RoadPro 2424G Red Mesh Warning Flag is extremely lightweight. Since it is a mesh flag, it will hardly whip around.
Main Use of Kayak Safety Flag
Most people don’t realize how small they are. We are a tiny speck in the middle of nothing. This is the reason why it is incredibly difficult for most people to locate a paddler especially when the rescuing team is doing a search and rescue operation from the air. Kayak Safety flag can fix this problem by making the paddler and his boat visible from up above.
Besides increasing the visibility of the boat, Kayak Flags have some other usages as well that we are going to discuss in details here –
1. Exploring the Underwater World
To experience the underwater world, you need to find a perfect spot far from the madding crowd. Once you have chosen your favorite diving spot, the next step is to paddle your way to it. To experience the underwater world in all its pristine glory, you need to make sure that you are followed by other paddlers because in that case, the noise of their kayak motors will scare the aquatic animals away.
A kayak diving flag will inform other paddlers that you are most probably underwater and therefore, they will keep a safe distance. Other kayaks should not come within a 100 feet radius of your kayak in such cases and thus allowing you to resurface without getting hit by a propeller or another boat.
2. Angling
Fishing from a kayak is an amazing experience in itself but it has its share of drawback and the chief among them is that the angler has to sit still for hours. Since a slight movement can drive the fish away, you need to warn off other paddlers not to ruin your day by coming too close. Kayak flag can come handy in such a situation. These flags will inform other paddlers that you are trying to catch fish and therefore, they will try to keep a safe distance.
3. Towing
It is customary to hoist a kayak flag when a kayak gets towed by a truck or car. However, if the kayak is getting towed by a trailer, the trailer needs to hoist a red diamond-shaped flag to inform other nearby kayakers to make way for the trailer.
