A scaled-down search continues today for Mr Weisswange, who has not been heard from since he left for a fishing and kayaking trip on Monday last week. Police believe he was not wearing a lifejacket.
Mr Black said when he saw the kayak and paddle used by Mr Weisswange - which were found by searchers washed up on the beach below the Lake Hawea village last Wednesday - his heart sunk.
"In my view his craft was not suitable for open water. There was no buoyancy and limited freeboard should conditions become rough," Mr Black said.
"It took me immediately to December last year when we lost two young Frenchmen on Lake Wakatipu. In both cases the kayaks were grossly inappropriate for the conditions, it's absolutely tragic."
In each case, conditions were calm in the morning when the young men set off to paddle across lakes Hawea and Wakatipu, before a strong wind got up in the afternoon.
"It breaks your heart to see these young men with their lives in front of them lost because they have not been prepared for the conditions."
Mr Black is calling on Queenstown Lakes district locals to "watch out" for visitors.
"Our waterways are stunning but in a very short window of time they can become deadly. Survival in these alpine lakes, particularly without the aid of a lifejacket, comes down to minutes, not hours."
Senior Sergeant Allan Grindell said yesterday was a review day in the search for Mr Weisswange. The shoreline would be searched again today.
