Have you ever seen a vibrant kayak in the water and wondered, “Why would someone paint their kayaks this bright?” Well, the kayak’s color determines its fate. Read on to find out how.
Does Kayak Color Matters?
Kayak color matters a lot, not just for aesthetics but also for safety reasons. Bright-colored kayaks are more easy to spot in the bright, scorching sun, making them less vulnerable to potential collisions and stand out when in need of emergency.
The color not only helps with visibility but also ensures that you get the most fishing done in your preferred location with less competition in the surroundings.
5 Factors To Consider Before Choosing Best Kayak Color
Though you can choose any color of your liking, it’s important to know how they’ll impact your kayaking experience. To determine the best kayak colors, test it on these 5 factors:
Availability
Go for the easily available color unless you can get it customized and invest a shit ton of money on just the exterior. The most common colors on the market include blue, red, white, yellow, green, and orange.
Type of Kayaking
The color of your kayak should match the purpose of kayaking. For example, if you’re a silent kayaker who focuses on kayak fishing and aims to blend with the surroundings, choose a blue or green color that’ll do the job for you.
However, when kayaking in busy waters, you must opt for orange or yellow while going for contrasting colors when you plan to kayak near a shoreline, bay or harbor.
Temperature
You can’t ignore weather and climate conditions when making paddling purchases. These factors can influence how water reflects on different colors. Certain colors might blend in desert areas while the same might be safe in a vegetated location.
The climate also affects the temperature and speed of your boat. Black color is not considered safe as it is a good conductor of heat and makes the kayak incredibly hot. I’d recommend to maintain distance from dark hideous colors and consider lighter colors, especially if you live near the equator.
Location
The most practical thing to do before choosing the best color is to decide which area of ocean you’re aiming for. Is the water white, blue or green there? Or it is muddy brown with rocks? These factors represent the amount of risk you can eliminate by being careful.
Choose a color that shines through the surrounding and vary from others. This makes you look like you’re only one sailing there.
Preference
Of course safety doesn’t mean going against your will and sailing a boat that doesn’t show your personality. Add different colors of your choice to make your boat stand out with a hint of neon or orange.
Which Kayak Colors Are The Most Visible in Waters?
Depending on the above mentioned factors, the most visible colors in water are green, yellow, orange and white. But what makes them superior than other colors? Let’s understand the science:
Wavelength
Wavelength of a color changes multiple times during the day. This could be due to lighting, angles, or weather conditions. With a wavelength of 550 nanometers in daylight, the most visible color is somewhere between green and yellow.
For night time, red appears to be the hardest to spot with a wavelength of 700 nanometers while green appears to be the most visible (505 nanometers).
Color Blindness
Boaters might not realize that the color kayak has can impact other lives. People with color blindness might struggle to notice the approaching boat, leading to destructive outcomes. In this case, no color is safe; however, fluorescent yellow seems to be a good idea.
Sea Conditions
The hull, gear, deck, and other exteriors can seamlessly blend in the water. Thus, colors like navy blue and dark green are avoided. Even if the lights are flashing, these colors don’t reflect much.
Final Thoughts
Now you know why kayak colors are a major concern when buying or selling a kayak. Remember to choose one that offers a vibrant contrast with your surroundings. Also, make sure to wear bright clothing so other sailors can easily spot you.
