[dwest]

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 Joaquin – Sacramento 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.