Kayak at night? Yes! I love to go kayaking…obviously. Sometimes I wish there was more time in the day to enjoy being on the water in my kayak.
One morning, I started out super early so I could get a paddle in before I reported to my day job.
As I slid my kayak into the water at 4:45 am, I realized I had never been on the water in the absence of sunlight.
It was almost pitch black at that time. That’s when I first began to wonder
“Can you go kayaking at night?”
The answer: Absolutely! There are some additional safety steps needed like having navigational lights on your kayak or a handheld lantern-type device. You also need to comply with standard safety measures like personal flotation devices, safety whistle, etc. Other than that, the sky’s the limit. Go out any time and have fun!
Standard Gear for Any Kayak Trip
I’ve already done over this here: What do I need to start kayaking?
Additional Gear for Kayaking in the Dark
Two new circumstances for a kayaker are presented when kayaking at night.
- Making sure anyone else on the water can see you in the dark
- Making sure you can see everything you need to see for your safety
In order to be seen by other people on the water, you will need to add some lights to your kayak.
There are boating standards established eons ago for any floating vessel in order to establish visibility at night.
Whether you are dealing with a clear line of sight or challenges like fog and rain, there is still a basic lighting protocol established.
An unmotorized kayak is classified as a “vessel under oars” and subject to the U.S. Coast Guard Rules when it comes to navigation lights.
Citing U.S.C.G. Rule #25:
“A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this rule for sailing vessels, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent a collision.”
So there is your first requirement. You should either have lights on your kayak or carry a handheld light source.
Here are some great navigational lights that are super easy to be added to your kayak. If you choose to go the handheld route, check these out what they have on Amazon.
However, if you read on you can see an except for kayaks:
From U.S.C.G. Rule 30:
- A vessel of fewer than 7 meters in length, when at anchor not in or near a narrow channel, fairway or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shape prescribed in Rule 30(a) and (b).