SUP lights

[Blue crab]

Wondering if there is any collective experience paddling at night. The fall / winter is a fantastic time to paddle in Seattle with crisp clear days, alternating with storms / downwind conditions.  Only problem is that the days are awfully short and it is typically too dark to paddle early in the AM or after work. Would be great to be able to get in some water time in the evening but would obviously want a really dependable light source. Any thoughts?

[spookini]

The NOCQUA lights have been discussed on this forum.  Look pretty cool, bit pricey though.

[karl]

Paddle in the dark all the time. Just wear an LED light on a headstrap. More for the boats and ferries to see me.

[Blue crab]

Thanks Karl & Spookini. I am probably making a simple thing complicated! I prefer the notion of a head lamp to having a board that looks like a giant glow stick. On the other hand, might be cool from a special effects perspective to have a neon board during a nighttime downwinder….

[NoogaSup]

A group of us here in Chattanooga paddle pretty regularly before work in the mornings.  It is dark this time of year.  We don't use lights at all.  Night vision, at least here on the Tennessee River, is actually pretty good.  Lights from the city reflect off the sky and illuminate the water reasonably well, and then a full moon is always great.  There isn't a lot of boat traffic in the early morning hours, but we generally stay out of the channel and pretty close to the bank.  I've found (after many years in race canoes, and now on boards) that lights (whether small strobes or seriously bright mountain bike racing lights) actually distract from my ability to see well on the water in the dark.  They also seem to make it harder to balance somehow or another.

[JimK]

As a young lad I had an extremely terrible experience in night time "boating" I really don't want to relive it here (or any where) But I feel compelled to recommend staying off the water at night on any type of craft particularly SUP's.

Really folks it is NOT worth it

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[feet]

Paddling at night is cool, but realize the danger.  A light saved me from an an collision with a jetski like boat  of hot dogging fools.  A headlamp that is easily switched on will probably do the trick. 


From the USCG via Sweetwater Kayaks webpage:

Navigational Lights

The required navigation lights must be displayed between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility.
A sailing vessel, or one under oars, of less than 7 meters in length shall if practical exhibit red and green sidelights, and a stern light visible from at least one mile away. However if she does not, she can have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
Reference:
Title 33 CFR 83.25 Sailing vessels and vessels under oars.

[RATbeachrider]

I SUP'ed a few times this past September with a group out of Mother's Beach in MDR.  We mostly stayed in the harbor.  I worn a cap with 3 LEDs that can be switched from solid to blinking.  For the back, I used the light from the bicycle attached to the PFD. 

[Blue crab]

Thoughts about safety are really appreciated. There is definitely some risk, but objectively probably less than that of my other forms of local recreation (biking, skiing) each of which is associated with yearly fatalities in the Pacific NW.  Our section of Puget Sound has extremely limited amounts of boat traffic, even on beautiful summer days (except for known shipping & ferry passages which are easily avoided). Will approach it with a great deal of caution.

[gtcali]

The reason I don't like headlamps is when it's on I temporarily get blinded when my top hand crosses in front of me when it reflects off the back of my hand.  And I'm a brown.  Probably worse for you white guys.  It kinda gives me a headache after a while.

[karl]

Extra white in winter too 

Some LED head lights can be tilted, so you can reduce the glare off you hands.