As a year-round Kayak and Stand Up Paddle-board outfitter we're a little bit safety obsessed.
In addition to mandatory life-jackets, and in cold weather, dry-suits, we have an emergency 2 way radio system that works on, and if necessary, in the water.
Using waterproof walk-talkie devices on the LTE cellular network, each craft, (or small group), gets a radio with GPS map tracking and 2 way voice capability.
In an emergency, its pretty easy to open up your craft's safety bag and raise us.