Kayakers are idiots. I was piloting a 45' boat through the Cape Cod Canal the other day, going fair tide and doing almost twice the hull speed.
I came upon a huge push barge with a standby tug waiting for fair tide. I had to come to a dead stop and then back into the tidal current because two idiots in kayaks were parked in the center of the channel admiring the barge. Even when they saw me making evasive manouvers they still sat there, apparently completely unaware of the risk they put themselves as well as my vessel and crew into.
Kayakers, sailboaters, paddleboarders and pleasure boats in general;
Please get a copy of "The Rules of the Road" and read it! You do not always have the right of way.
In fact, a power vessel, constrained by it's draft, in a chanel has the right of way over sail vessels.
Furthermore, remember the gross tonnage rule. The larger the difference in gross tonnage between two vessels involved in a collision, the grosser the the accident will be. In other words, stay out of the way of larger, slower turning, slower stopping vessels. It is always prudent to take one's stern, rather than risking your vessel and life to take their bow instead.
