I got this off the kayak-sailing mailing list!

Let me give a tip Bill from experience
And I do a lot of Coastal..
I do use bright colors always..
But try to rig your boat with a long sprig up alert flag
that can be seen... Ya know like you see on cycles ect...
I have been known to raise a divers flag on ocassion to alert
people I seen skipping across the water in my direction....
A simple radar reflector is also a high plus in sea lanes
and whereever "idiots" travel...

I carry VHF and will hail a craft coming to close...
I also will shoot up a star flare if need be...
Im not bashful in doing so.....
Two years ago of Boca Grande Pass I was almost run down..
I had a flag up, sea had slight chop...
A idiot came outa Lemon Bay into the pass to head for the open Gulf..
He and his buddies was partying heavy and had locked the wheel
unattended to "drink " a few....
He came within 50 ft of me in a cigarette boat...
When I popped off a star shell across his bow, it didn't take long for them
to back off from the wide open boat.....
I grabbed the VHF and hailed the skipper.... he didn't answer. But the USCG
did, as they had a craft in area.... They got him for being under the
influence...
One can never be to careful in open seas or close to power craft..