Boating at night and reflective gear might not be two items that many people connect together, but they really should. The water ways of this country can be a dangerous place, especially at night, when a person is out sport fishing or enjoying a night out on the water.

     On still pond or lake a person in a dark boat it is very hard to distinguish it from the background. This is because the water will also be dark and with no observable features to help other boaters or travelers on the water to see someone sitting still fishing, accidental collisions can and do occur. This is where the retro-reflective active wear can be of a major assistance.

     Most boaters travel across the water with some type of light source shinning a beam ahead of them. It has the same purpose as a head light on a land vehicle. It is so the driver can locate and identify any obstacles in their chosen path. By a night boater wearing the recto-reflective sports apparel, any one that might come across their location will then be able to distinguish a silhouette of a person in an object because the light beam will be shining back at them from the reflection generated by the glass beads in the material the person is wearing.

     Just like on land, the boater will generally only have a short allotment of time to react to anything they might interpret as an obstacle in their path. The reflective clothing will be shining a light beam back to them in the outline of a person which is rather easy to interpret. This should give the moving boater sufficient time to change course and avoid a collision so no one gets wet and lose their fishing equipment.

     To help make a boat more receptive to reflecting a light source while on the water, many boat owners also place reflective tape on their boats. This is generally done on both the bow and the stern of the boat above the waterline so the overall length of it can be recognized and avoided in the darkness of night on the water.

     Many boat owners also place some reflective tape on their motors and other equipment they might take with them on to the water. Some of which is meant to make them more visible to others. Another reason for this is to help the owner of this equipment to locate them in the dark with just a small light so they can be found easier and faster when trying to catch those elusive fish from below.

     Boating and fishing after dark is a sport that is enjoyed by many across America. By using reflective gear including apparel and tape can make these excursions safe and reduce the number of boating accidents on the water. This is advisable since there are fewer people around at night that can lend assistance in case of an accident.