Look, I commend you for wanting to take the epic voyage and starting to find an ocean kayak for sale isn’t going to be all that hard.  The reason this happens is because of the same thing I just told you.  When people get out on the open water, they often freak when they can no longer see land, and actually lose their sense of direction, which happens all too easily.  Once you get out of sight of land, the waves often pick up which pushes you around a lot more.  If you aren’t careful, you and your entire group could be turned without ever realizing it, so for this reason alone you all must make sure you carry a mechanical compass, as well as a few of you having electronic satellite GPS systems.  These two items are life savers out there.

photo credit: mikebaird

A few other items that you need on ocean kayaks are a very loud whistle, a flare gun, and a solar lamp that shines 360 degrees with a high visibility white light.  You want it to be the whitest that you can get, because it is going to be used for both visibility as well as a flagging device should an approaching boat get to close, or you need to flag for help at night.  Having a loud whistle will help to alert any boats in your area during the day, while having a flare gun on board your ocean kayak will allow you to signal passing boats or helicopters at night.  Once you have gotten their attention, you are going to need the bright solar lamp to flag them to your position.

Above all, and no matter whether you are just out ocean kayaking for the afternoon, or taking a long ocean kayak fishing expedition, hopping from island to island, you need to have a satellite UHF/VHF radio on board, as well as a life jacket that will keep your face up out of the water should you become unconscious.  During the day, or even at night, when boats get in range, you can use the waterproof satellite radio to contact them and alert them of your presence.  Hopefully that solar lamp is charged so that you can help bring them closer in to you, without having to play Marco Polo after 3 days at sea.  So before you go and pick up your first used ocean kayak, make sure that you have gone to the expense of adding these necessary, life saving items to your boat.

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