For safety kayaking in the night, a rower will need some form of lighting. This is in order for him, or to have a clear vision in the pitch dark night and also as a safety measure for other moving vessels to spot. Most laws require boats that are longer than 16 feet to have lights. This law however, should not deter anyone from fitting kayak lights in their boats.

Even though, the law does not say anything about vessels that are less than 16 feet in length, it is wise to install safety lighting. Lighting techniques are quite varied, and one will be spoilt for choice. Depending on the function, these include headlights, reflective tapes, flares, deck lighting and the navigating light.

Flares are mainly used for large boats, but it can also be used in kayaks. Flares are more efficient at night, but they can also be used during the day. It is recommended to fire flares against the wind while rowing on a boat so that others can easily spot the direction. Orange smoke signals are produced when flares are fired into the sky. This technique is not terribly ineffective as a flare only lasts a short time before it burns out.

The deck light is the most powerful light to a paddler during the night. This light is referred to as an anchor light by some people. It is supposed to be mounted on the stern and is usually used together with the red light on its left, and to the right a green light is fitted. The main advantage of the deck light is that is has the ability to illuminate a 360 degree angle. A drawback of this light is that it obscures the vision.

Headlights are won on the head of the paddler while he or she is rowing. This lighting gadget has two purposes. Sometimes the night can be extremely dark that visibility is hampered, and in such a situation, the headlights come in handy. Headlights are also used as a safety precaution as they make the rower visible to other people on boats.

Reflective tapes are highly effective when used on kayaks. They are also used by police on their uniforms and also at the back of most vehicles especially trucks. The hull of the vessel is fitted with these reflective tapes and the paddles too can also be fitted with them. Orange, yellow and lime are the best colors as they are bright and therefore are easily spotted by an approaching vessel.

Navigating light may not be necessary for kayaks, but as a precautionary measure, no one should ignore its usage. This type of lighting increases the chances of a kayak being visible by other approaching vessels and thus prevent a collision in deep waters. The navigating lights are fond of inhibiting the vision of a user therefore, the user should know how to fit them by avoiding them to glare on the eyes.

Kayak lights serve the same function as the lamp of a miner deep in the shaft. For safety purposes, it is advisable to use them at all times and should not be ignored because they help one navigate easily through the water at night.