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Old 07-06-2006, 05:57 PM
dwest dwest is offline
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Default Show me I'm wrong about DMV requirements!!

The California Department of Boating safety course site indicates that “unpowered” vessels – meaning boats propelled by sail or paddle [which I interpret to also apply to pedal drive craft] - under 23 feet long “should if practical” show the red-green bow and white at stern light combo – or a mast-top three-way red-green-white combo light. “If not practical” such craft should have a white light: to shine onto a sail or into the air.

http://www.boat-ed.com/ca/course/p4-9_navlights.htm

Me, I am working on making the full set “practical.” I do not want to have to stop everything to fumble out, turn on, and shine a light onto my sail when I hear or see (maybe too late) another boat approaching. Please note much of my kayaking will be in the winding 1,000 miles of the San JoaquinSacramento delta where boats at speed can be on you with little or no advance notice in a heartbeat.

Annoyingly, the same site seems to indicate I have to carry a DMV certificate of registration and put DMV registration stickers and hull numbers at least three inches (3”) high on my kayak - unless the kayak is manually propelled only, or 8 feet long or less and propelled solely by sail, neither of which categories fits the sail-rigged 16-foot-long Hobie Adventure.

http://www.boat-ed.com/ca/course/p4-1_boatnumbers.htm#HullIDNumber

Please, someone show me I’m wrong! I have never seen a kayak with this stuff on it and really do not want to go to the expense or to ugly-up my boat.
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