Nick wrote:

"The lesson for the kayaker is to assume that nobody ever sees you, and that of those that do, a certain number have evil intent. You must "maintain a proper lookout", constantly look around you to see if there are any boats coming your way. Pay attention to the surrounding waters and try to anticipate where boaters may go in the future. Observe navigational channel markers to help predict future behavior and then assume that the other boats are either too stupid to know where the channel is, or know more about the area than you do and may ignore the channel for a well-used short-cut.

In all situations the "tonnage rule" applies. If it out weighs you, stay out of its way."

You posted the most realistic and practical reply possible. It's called defensive driving: assume every other driver wants to kill you, and act accordingly.

For the record I was a professional fisherman for the better part of my adult life. We ALWAYS maintained a proper lookout ALL the time the vessel was operating. Not everyone does.

This still does not preclude every possible accident. Perhaps unknown to kayakers, there are situations and certain lighting conditions where they are ALMOST INVISIBLE. It also doesn't help that kayakers seem to seek the center of channels that vessels constrained by their draft or regulations MUST use. I've often been in 85 fathoms of water and suddenly come up on kayakers enjoying nature in the exact center of the mile wide channel, in the exact location where power vessel traffic is prevelant.

Imagine that, a vessel that draws six inches of water in the very deepest and most heavily traveled part of a channel. I prefer to stick to water depths that the power boats cannot occupy when I am kayaking, it ups my probability of returning alive. If I have to cross deep water I try to follow your advice and anticipate where a boat will be and when. You can hear a powerboat for miles when you're paddling. It's a clue.

It is also true that there are care-less boorish boaters, just exactly like there are the same kind of car drivers. You cannot fix stupid.

Michael