Are you more visible in some colour kayaks than in others? Yes, but which colours are most visible? Well it's generally accepted that the part of the spectrum from red through to yellow offers high visibility, Our eye sees these colours more quickly than others. And a light, pigment-rich opaque colour is much more visible than a dark or translucent one. But there are some surprises. Pale blue, and teal green for example often show up really well on the sea because they contrast with the natural colors. Fishermen often like black fishing floats because they show up really clearly in some conditions, and white can be strikingly more visible than other colors at a distance when there aren't too many white-caps around. So if you want your kayak to be easily visible, go for a bright pigment-rich opaque color that contrasts with the waters you expect to paddle. That'll give you plenty of options so you can pick a colour you'll be happy to identify with.
Source: Nigel Foster
