Headlights at night and Shop to repair boat damage

[Tn bullet]

Also how is it legal to have running lights built into the Boat hull and be okay but if if you put rub rail running lights in a boat you still have to have the pole in and on on the front??

 

[gobigorange]

Doesnt TWRA have lights on their boat pretty sure I have seem them on from them? Blinding other boaters is not good but after dark those buoys dont glow without a light hitting them. Im just glad you guys are ok cause that was some serious damage.

 

[silvertalon]

rsimms - 6/21/2018 4:04 PM

OK, I'm 63 years old. At one time I was a game warden who enforced boating laws. I've been an outdoor journalist for 33 years and a fishing guide for 12 years.

But lo and behold... it is true. I called a game warden friend and I have learned that external lighting other than the required navigation lights is indeed, illegal. In spite of the fact that it is not mentioned in ANY online Tennessee Boating Regulations anywhere on TWRA's website. (I suggested that be changed)

Also amazing considering many boats are sold with headlights actually installed. What salesman is ever going to tell a customer, "Yea, it's got headlights but it's illegal for you to use them." emoEek

I guess I better start being far more judicious with the LED headlight installed on my duck boat huh? emoBigsmile

We're never too old to learn.

Boat manufacturers that install lights in their hulls- They are considered "Docking Lights". Not headlights. These lights are low output and installed to aim slightly downward toward the water and not designed for running. I learned this at Cobalt Boats School. Headlights on boats are not just state law. They are USCG laws. Anyone concerned with using lights for navigation safety needs to use a spotlight for short bursts of time if needed. This way the light can be manually aimed 'out of the way' in a hurry if impeding another boater etc. Speed is of utmost importance when running on plane at night. Back when I lived on Table Rock, Missouri State Water Patrol initiated a 30 MPH speed limit in 1995, on all waterways from dusk till dawn. There were too many fatality's from high speed boating at night. Needless to say, it worked well as you couldn't see if it was a cop at night! Gave out a lot of tickets!

 

[silvertalon]

Tn bullet - 6/21/2018 5:33 PM

Also how is it legal to have running lights built into the Boat hull and be okay but if if you put rub rail running lights in a boat you still have to have the pole in and on on the front??

Built-in lights are "docking Lights" not for running. Pole lights are considered to be "Clearance Lights" not just to show the stern of the vessel but the overall height and so it can be seen as an "all-around" light.

 

[Tn bullet]

Okay let me clarify bow navigation light red and green on a short pole center of bow the front of the Boat. The new tritons and I believe nitro has done it and maybe even ranger have no pole any more. They have installed in the side of the hull red and green running lights as stated above. They are the legal red and green running light. Not white docking light. But on my bullet when I had the red and green led blue water Mac lights installed on the rub rail I have been told that I still must use the pole light in which came with the boat and that the red and green led are not legal

 

[Chick68]

Call the guys at Cleveland Metal Works 339-0204 They could hopefully do something to help your boat , They are very good fabricators.. As for Preston

 

[Carl]

I have installed a bigfoot switch at my foot and attached it to my light. Think old school high beam switch. Tap the light with my foot to see and let off to turn light back off. Hands stay on the wheel.

 

[FishingwithRusty]

Tn bullet - 6/21/2018 9:52 PM

Okay let me clarify bow navigation light red and green on a short pole center of bow the front of the Boat. The new tritons and I believe nitro has done it and maybe even ranger have no pole any more. They have installed in the side of the hull red and green running lights as stated above. They are the legal red and green running light. Not white docking light. But on my bullet when I had the red and green led blue water Mac lights installed on the rub rail I have been told that I still must use the pole light in which came with the boat and that the red and green led are not legal

not sure who told you that but as long as the lights are visible from a certain angle to the front of the boat(120degrees, i think), are oriented(red on port, green on starboard) and can be seen at the required distance(LED's are brighter than the little poles anyway) then they meet the requirements PERIOD.

 

[Tn bullet]

TWRA

 

[FishingwithRusty]

emoScratch

 

[churly]

I also heard from a guy that installed the LED lights they don’t count as legal nav lights. Doesn’t make sense

 

[Tn bullet]

But they count if they come in the Boat from manufacture????

 

[sdfd504]

The issue with attaching aftermarket LED lights is they have not been tested to make sure they are visible from the proper angles. Every boat has a different angle bow so a company can not legally say they are direct replacements for a standard pole light. They are much brighter which is why you see boat companies swapping to the LED style lights but they are USCG approved due to being an OEM product.

 

[camaro88z]

I like everyone else here will say yes it is illegal to run them all the time at night. But you always run into people that seem to think it is ok. May not be right to do but I have repayed people the same way when they blind me at night. Had a white bullet do that to me last year that I did repay. Spangler Sheet Metal in Rossville might be able to help with fixing the damage. I have had them to weld cracks for me my alum rig. Would be worth a try.

 

[Tn bullet]

What is all the time camaro that is my question on for 1 minute what is the standard? Or the actual law?

 

[camaro88z]

From what I have been told only long enough to get you placement or to spot bouys. Run slow. I never leave mine on when running more than 10 seconds. You should be able to do that in that time. You see the bouys coming up on map start looking early can be miss marked.

 

[Aries 181]

Might give this guy a call. He'll come to you. https://chattanooga.craigslist.org/boa/d/repair-your-aluminum-boat/6629318800.html

Bill

 

[porthos33]

FishingwithRusty - 6/22/2018 10:46 AM

Tn bullet - 6/21/2018 9:52 PM Okay let me clarify bow navigation light red and green on a short pole center of bow the front of the Boat. The new tritons and I believe nitro has done it and maybe even ranger have no pole any more. They have installed in the side of the hull red and green running lights as stated above. They are the legal red and green running light. Not white docking light. But on my bullet when I had the red and green led blue water Mac lights installed on the rub rail I have been told that I still must use the pole light in which came with the boat and that the red and green led are not legal

not sure who told you that but as long as the lights are visible from a certain angle to the front of the boat(120degrees, i think), are oriented(red on port, green on starboard) and can be seen at the required distance(LED's are brighter than the little poles anyway) then they meet the requirements PERIOD.

I've done some reading on this and one of the main reasons they don't count aftermarket led nav lights is b/c you see both the red and green at the same time. They say it can appear as two boats approaching you when it is only one. The boats that have them installed from the manufacturer recess the lights in and create a straighter angle so that you only see one at a time and this still may be illegal.</p>

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 18px">The United States Coast Guard recently issued the following Marine Safety Alert concerning marine navigation lights. In particular, they call to our attention numerous non-compliant lights and lighting schemes that may be available to recreational boaters, either through aftermarket sale or as original equipment.</span></p><p style="padding: 10px 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 18px">The main takeaway here is:Just because something is offered for sale does not automatically make it safe or compliant.Whether buying a new boat, or retrofiting an older one, look or ask for documentation proving USCG compliance.--Kevin Falvey</p>

 

[fish4thepeck]

jenko157 - 6/21/2018 7:47 AM

Last Friday night , TWRA was out in force. I was sitting on the river fishing about 10 pm, and watched them stop 6 different boats for running with their headlights on. Things got pretty dark after that.

Jeremy, Glad you guys are ok, could've been much worse.

Hey Matt get a chance ask Ole Oscar about our Holler trip. They had firework show at one of the Marinas and it looked like I 24 on thanksgiving night,we had to run 20 miles to get out of traffic! Every pleasure boat on the water were shinning lights. I'm sure I scared OT weaving thru Willow Grove, It was scary.

 

[fish4thepeck]

A big help in my opinion would be for THE COAST guard to install lights on bouys. Some has took it on there on to stick solar lights on
On em at Dale Holler. I know most GPS maps have them but I usually place my unit on standby because looking down at it blinds me and I can't see it when its in nightmode.