There's nothing like the thrill of an offshore kayak adventure after dark, and finally there's a rugged and reliable product to tackle the night. The Kayalite is a high-visibility light for recreational and pro paddlers like none other in its class.
From its durable construction and U.S. NATO tested, deep water submersible (IPX8 rated), bright white dual‑LED light, to its patented "Secure-Attach™" mounting system, the Kayalite outperforms competitive lights and mounting systems for USCG-classified "vessels under oars." Clipped and pulled taut to an eyelet, deck loop, deck rigging or kayak carry handle, you're good to go.
Pro paddler Greg Stamer wrote on paddling.net, "For the stern it's hard to beat the Kayalite." We had no prior contact with Stamer. His comments echo those of amateur and pro paddlers worldwide.
Unlike any other portable navigation light available, the Kayalite is loss-proof and virtually indestructible. It can take a blow if you paddle into a branch or roll your kayak or SUP through a bed of reeds.
It's waterproof. And it floats if accidentally dropped overboard.
Arctic explorer Wave Vidmar contacted us, inquiring about the Kayalite. He later wrote, "I chose the Kayalite for the Seaward Pacific Expedition because it meets all of the criteria I need in a kayak deck light. It's the only light I think is tough enough to handle this expedition and trust my life to."
For night angling, the Kayalite won't tie up a rod holder, snag low-hanging brush or interfere with casts. The Kayalite stows easily, is simpler to mount, easier to access and more affordable than any comparable DIY or commercial kit.
And if thrown on a rocky shore, banged around in storage, or stepped on, a Kayalite is tough enough not to sustain significant damage.
The Kayalite in any configuration meets and/or exceeds requirements under U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rule 25 for vessels under oars, including kayak, SUP, SOT, surfski and canoe.
"Any configuration" means that you can switch lenses (diffusion lens or clear lens with reflector) and/or change LED modules (i.e. 1‑LED, 2‑LED, 4‑LED). It also means you can add acccessories later, such as the Kayalite Extension Kit.
We've published our recommendations if you are outfitting your own kayak or canoe with a light for visibility and compliance with U. S. Coast Guard inland waterways and SOLAS international regulatory standards for operating a "vessel under oars" at night or in conditions of limited visibility.
We can assert the claim that the Kayalite "exceeds" USCG/SOLAS requirements, not only based on the Kayalite′s visibility, but because the Kayalite's proven mounting technology overcomes safety issues found when depending on suction-cups, magnets, poles on fixed, rigid bases, and other portable navigation light mounting methods.
A tension cable passing through the center of the Kayalite mast holds the light firmly upright on its base while preventing it from accidentally detaching. While held firmly in tension, the Kayalite can flex.
But it can also be released from tension without being unclipped from the deck surface or other point of attachment. In other words, a paddler that has capsized unexpectedly won't be impeded from reentry by a light with a rigid mount. And the paddler won't lose the Kayalite, even if tension is released to allow the light to be pulled aside in an emergency.
The video below demonstrates how a Kayalite unit is assembled, and how it mounts to a deck.
Considering a kayak light mounted on a suction cup, magnet or rigid pole?
Do your homework. You'll find that the Kayalite is the #1 choice of both recreational and professional paddlers around the globe.
The Kayalite's clip can be pulled taut to a stand-up paddleboard or sit-on-top deck, a canoe seat or a mast. In a jam it can even be clipped to an existing bungee, webbing or tie-down.
The Kayalite is the only premium quality portable stern light that gives you the security of a clasping attachment system without requiring a bulky rigid permanent mounting.
That is the core innovation of our patented "Secure-Attach" technology.
And while the Kayalite mounts firmly,, its soft, EVA foam rubber base protects the surface, whether the material is plastic, fiberglass, kevlar, gel coat, plywood, teak, brass, bronze or aluminum.
Consider that just a single grain of sand caught under a suction-cup can scratch a smooth deck surface. Even a minor scratch can damage the structural integrity of some deck materials such as fiberglass or kevlar. And a minor scratch on a non-porous material, such as smooth plastic, can render a suction-cup's vacuum seal unreliable.
The Kayalite is 18" tall (45 cm). During development, we evaluated performance of commercial and prototype stern lights on the afterdeck of a kayak — a watercraft with particularly harsh demands.
Short stern lights, most particularly those mounted within inches of a kayak's deck, may not be visible to others on the watersheet because of the arc of the horizon and the impact of ripples or waves.
At surprisingly short distances, even a small disturbance on the watersheet can completely obscure the visibility of a kayak outfitted with a light that only extends 1-2 feet above the waterline.
The Kayalite's 18" height easily provides visibility while completely shielding your kayak's bow, paddle and forward surfaces from illumination, thereby protecting your night vision while properly respecting that of arriving boaters and paddlers.
At 18" in height, with a tensioning system engineered to provide some resilience to impact, the Kayalite is more likely than a tall, rigid pole to recover from a roll in shallows, sand or mud. Imagine your kayak upside down when you consider your options. That will be an important consideration if you execute a roll, flip or wash ashore in the dark.
And mounted within reach, the Kayalite can be easily turned off — another critically important factor when enjoying a moonlit evening in the company of other paddlers and boaters.
The Kayalite was designed to address risks and challenges associated with many portable and semi-permanent night navigation lighting solutions available.
Issues inherent in the design of portable navigation lights include:
The Kayalite rises to these challenges, and many more.
A foam cushion under the Kayalite's base is designed to adapt to contours and protect the surface from scratches.
The Kayalite's base enables the light to be used free standing, so it can serve double-duty at a campsite table, in a tent — even as a weatherproof torch for a midnight hike in rain, sleet or snow.
We've continued to improve the Kayalite over the past decade in response to customer feedback, interactions with the U.S. Coast Guard and through our own testing.
In recent years, we worked with our partners at Tektite Industries (NJ) to develop a titanium-infused diffusion lens (image at right), replacing the original clear lens and reflector. The original lens remains available in our catalog.
We've standardized a bright white 2‑LED module on all models, making the original 1‑LED module and a 4‑LED module available as options in our catalog.
We've manufactured a Kayalite-SUP that includes a SUP-Clip, compatible with most SUP leash plugs.
And we've engineered, tested and manufactured a Kayalite Extension Kit for Kayalite owners interested in transforming the 18‑inch model to 21 and 28 inches (image at above left). Taller models are designed for use on vessels under oars such as sit-on-tops (SOTs) canoes, rowboats and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs).