Kayaking is an adventurous and fascinating journey out the water. It gives a chance to know nature closely. Before going on a kayaking trip, you have to ensure safety rearrangement. A flag in a kayak is a safety feature that makes you visible when you are on the water.
When you are kayaking, you might see other boat traffic on the route. However, you may be the small and low-profile creature out there, so it is important to show your visibility, and a highlighted flag can do the job.
Do I need a flag on my kayak? Yes, you need a visible flag on the kayak. Read more to know the importance of a flag on a kayak and how to kayak flag mount.
What is a kayak flag?
When you are paddling in the ocean, lakes, or rivers, others may hardly spot yourself out on the water. If there are overcast conditions, gray skies, or little sunlight, it gets more difficult for the watercraft to see the kayakers, and terrible incidents happen. There are many cases where kayakers have had near misses.
Many carry air horns and whistles for their kayak safety gear, but the sound of these things becomes faded when a powerful motorboat passes because of the roar of the motor. Moreover, you may think a colorful kayak can save you. But do not count it; the boater never saw it. Even the kayaker standing or waving the boater miss that.
A high visible flag can save you from this situation, making visible yourself to others. A flag is a piece of bright cloth or polyester attached to a pole and mounted on a kayak. Day to day, the kayak visibility flag is getting improved, and you can buy a combo pack with a flag and light. This combination gives safety both during the day and after sunset.
The types of Kayak Flag
As we told you, kayak flags make you visible when you are padding in the water. There are different uses of the kayak flag:
Fishing Flag
When you go fishing, you need to stay still in one spot for a long time. When something stands still, it becomes difficult for others to spot the kayak. The best kayak flag allows you to stay visible that you are finishing in the location. It also warns others not to make noises.
Diving Flag
You can find the best diving spot by kayaking on the way. Diving is a great way to enjoy the undersea wildlife. A diving flag allows others to know that you are engaging in the underwater activity.
Towing Flag
Towing flag is a diamond-shaped flag that indicates that the kayak is towed by a car. Actually, this flag is used to let other road users know that you need some extra space to maintain the proper distance.
Safety
A kayak safety flag is often brightly colored and informs other paddlers, boaters, kayakers, and road users of your presence in or out of the water.
How to put a flag on a kayak?
Kayak safety flag mount is not a difficult task. Almost every kayak flag comes with poles and other required mounting hardware. Different models have their own track to mount the flag on the kayak. So reading the manual properly, you can mount it. Usually, most kayak flag holders are directly placed on the fishing crate behind the seat.
Some kayak flags need more effort to secure fit and remove. But if your kayak has a built-in gear track then it will be easy to fit the flag pole in it. Others need bolts in the yak. Moreover, many kayaks have rod holders and you can mount the flag on them easily. Sometimes, the rod holder may be bigger in diameter than the flagpole, so you can use tape for a secure fit.
How to make a DIY kayak flag safety pole?
You can easily make a kayak safety pole at home at less cost. Here you need some material:
- 1″ PVC pipe
- Frost spray bottle
- 3/4″ coupling
- 1″ coupling
- Flashlight
- Reflective tape
- Electrical tape
Step By Step guide for making a Diy kayak flag:
- Step 1: we will use a 1” PVC pipe for making a DIY kayak flag pole. Cut the pipe to the desired height that you need.
- Step 2: tape the front of the flashlight about 3/4” coupling using electrical tape.
- Step 3: cut the spray bottle and remove the top. Now attach one end to the coupling using tape.
- Step 4: Now attach the other side of the spray bottle with the PVC pipe with a 1” coupling.
- Step 5: Wrap the pipe with reflective tape for more visibility.
Now you can use the pole light in the kayak. By removing the 1” coupling you can press the power button of the flashlight. You need to attach a bright flag to add more visibility. You need to follow a standard size for making the flag, and it should be polyester or other mixed fabric.
Recommended Best kayak Flag Poles & Mounts For Kayakers
1. YakAttack VISIPole II (GearTrac Ready Light with Flag)
- Length: 4 foot 6 inches
- Weight: 15.2 ounces
The YakAttack VISIpole II is designed to improve your paddling safety. It has a lightweight fiberglass pole that is 54 inches long, allowing you to be seen from nearly every angle while your flag is flying.
In addition to the high visibility orange flag, there is a brilliant white LED light at the top of the pole that is meant to last up to 100 hours on 3 AA batteries. The portable light is designed to improve your visibility on the water and comply with rules that require you to display a white light during hours of darkness or low light.
The flag’s base is designed to float, making it much easier to use on a kayak, and it can be readily fitted on existing gear track systems. This flag pole, however, cannot be folded for storage.
2. YakAttack VISICarbon Pro 360 Degree Safety Flag for kayak (Best Safety Flag for Kayaks)
- Length: 48 inches (14 inches folded)
- Weight: 14 ounces
YakAttack’s VISICarbon Pro is another kayak safety flag and LED light combo that is very visible on the water. There’s a bright orange day-glow flag to aid with visibility, as well as a 100-hour plus LED light to boost your visibility much more.
The VISICarbon Pro flag pole is made of carbon fiber, which is lightweight but sturdy and durable enough to withstand adverse weather conditions. The flag and pole, with the AA batteries that power the LED light, weigh only 14 ounces. This safety flag pole is GearTrac and MightyMount ready, much like the YakAttack VISIPole II, so you can quickly install it to your boat.
3. Seagator Premium Quality Dive Flag (Best Kayak Dive Flag)
The Seagate Dive Flag is a high-quality diving flag that serves as a warning to people nearby that you may be underwater. A ‘diver down’ flag in the United States is a red flag with a white line pointing diagonally downwards, which is exactly the design of this flag.
Boats should keep at least 100 feet away from your flag when it is flying.
This flag is 20×24 inches in size and comes with a detachable stiffening pole. If you want to fly it from your kayak, you’ll need to bring your own kayak pole.
DIY Kayak Flag with a Twist
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What flag does your kayak fly?
You will find varied types of flags and each flag has different indications. So, according to your goal, you prefer to select the right kayak flag. So that when it will fly the other should instantly understand whether you are diving, finishing, or towing. So make sure you choose a right as well as a bright kayak flag.
2. What is the ideal size of the kayak flag?
The kayak flag comes in several forms and heights. The square flags are common types that you can see out on the water. The most common size of the flag is seen 20 × 24-inch or 12 × 18-inch. Pendant flags come in 17″ in length. Moreover, bigger flags ensure more visibility.
Final Words
A kayak flag can save you from many hazardous situations and even save your life. When a flag indicates your presence out on the water and protects you from other watercraft, then why do you disregard it? According to the law, if there is a kayak out on the water, other boats are restricted from coming within a 100-foot radius. So ultimately, you will get the space that you need to resurface without worrying about being stuck.
Hello. My name is Tony K. Henderson. I love kayaking whenever I get the time, and I am very fond of fishing, too. The techniques and knowledge of being a paddler are amusing. I have shared all my knowledge about kayaking and fishing on my website. Feel free to read them and learn more important things and facts about kayaking and fishing.