Headlights at night and Shop to repair boat damage
- Thread starter davisjeremy1981
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Hook1
Well-known member
Exactly what I do at night.
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</p>I have looked for a law/regulation that says this is illegal, but cannot find one. I know that TWRA will pull you over and tell you it is illegal, but again, I can't find it in writing anywhere.
Can anyone find the regulation that makes driving with constant head or spot lights is illegal?
Here are the US Coast Guard Regs:
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-i...e5863c225eb&mc=true&node=sp33.1.83.c&rgn=div6
TWRA Regs:
https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/boating/regulations-and-safety-concerns.html#lighting
Some people say this is the rule that makes it illegal...
83.20b:
"(b) The Rules concerning lights (§§83.20 through 83.31) shall be complied with from sunset to sunrise, and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these Rules or do not impair their visibility or distinctive character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper lookout."
...BUT, if the spot or headlight CAN be mistaken for (or impair) our RED/GREEN/360 lights, then spot/head lights would be illegal regardless of constant or intermittent use.
...and I would say the spot/head light is the best method of keeping a proper lookout for the buoys, and doesn't interfere with seeing other boaters lights.
FishingwithRusty
Well-known member
"during such times no other lights shall be exhibited"
my understanding is that even intermittent use of spot lights is technically illegal but not really an issue for leo is willing to enforce. they can also loop it under a safety deal , that youre making others unsafe/blind.
my understanding is that even intermittent use of spot lights is technically illegal but not really an issue for leo is willing to enforce. they can also loop it under a safety deal , that youre making others unsafe/blind.
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All of the buoys and main river cans have reflective material for spotlight use, so it doesn't make sense that you can't use spot lights for navigation.
There doesn't seem to be any specific law making it illegal, unless it interferes with other boaters seeing and understanding YOUR RED/GREEN/360 lights.
If continuous docking/spot light use always interfered other people interpreting your navigation lights, then why wouldn't they have a specifically worded regulation making it illegal?
WaterChap
Well-known member
Has anyone ever actually gotten a fine for this?
Softbaitmaker
Well-known member
I'm very glad you and your father were not injured. If you had insurance they should have replaced your equipment and paid to have your boat repaired. I have a glass boat and I have had to have mine fixed twice and they covered all but the deductible. Rocks and fiberglass do not go well together and the play heck with lower units and props too.
I have been running headlights on my boats for years. I have a set of lights that will light up a football field but I don't run with them on. I have a momentary switch much like on a trolling motor but it iis an old style auto car horn buttom mounted inside my console and all I have to do is lay my left kneee against it to turn them on and remove my knee to turn them off. They are mounted below the rub rail on both port and starboard and when I run at night I never run over about 25 mph and the only time I turn the lights on is to line up with channel markers and do a quick check of any floating debris. Oh yea, I also have a couple friends that are game wardens that fish with me at night sometimes and they have never said a word about my light operation except 1 time. (now take into consideration my headlights are airplane landing lights) very bright but aimed down just enough to reach the channel marker reflectors and I never turn them on if I have a boat coming in my direction. Well that is except for once. I was running up stream on Old Hickory lake and a 36 foot cruiser was coming down stream with his spot light on moving it all over the place and finally he focused it directly on my boat and I just sat my boat down. Told my buddy I was going to show him some lights. I Trimmed up so when I throttled hard the nose would lift up and when I throtled up I had My boat aimed right at the cruiser that was about 45 yards away and I lit up my headlights and lit his boat up like it was on display at a boat show. All we heard was a bunch of cursing and the cruiser sat down in the channel. I turned my lights off. Trimmed down and proceeded up stream to next fishing spot. He didn't turn his spot light back on while we could still see him. And incidently one of my warden buddy's was with me that night. I did flash my lights on and off a couple times when he had his spot on me but he just didn't get the message. I try to be as polite as I can be while on the water and I only request the same from other boaters, even the big ones.
I have been running headlights on my boats for years. I have a set of lights that will light up a football field but I don't run with them on. I have a momentary switch much like on a trolling motor but it iis an old style auto car horn buttom mounted inside my console and all I have to do is lay my left kneee against it to turn them on and remove my knee to turn them off. They are mounted below the rub rail on both port and starboard and when I run at night I never run over about 25 mph and the only time I turn the lights on is to line up with channel markers and do a quick check of any floating debris. Oh yea, I also have a couple friends that are game wardens that fish with me at night sometimes and they have never said a word about my light operation except 1 time. (now take into consideration my headlights are airplane landing lights) very bright but aimed down just enough to reach the channel marker reflectors and I never turn them on if I have a boat coming in my direction. Well that is except for once. I was running up stream on Old Hickory lake and a 36 foot cruiser was coming down stream with his spot light on moving it all over the place and finally he focused it directly on my boat and I just sat my boat down. Told my buddy I was going to show him some lights. I Trimmed up so when I throttled hard the nose would lift up and when I throtled up I had My boat aimed right at the cruiser that was about 45 yards away and I lit up my headlights and lit his boat up like it was on display at a boat show. All we heard was a bunch of cursing and the cruiser sat down in the channel. I turned my lights off. Trimmed down and proceeded up stream to next fishing spot. He didn't turn his spot light back on while we could still see him. And incidently one of my warden buddy's was with me that night. I did flash my lights on and off a couple times when he had his spot on me but he just didn't get the message. I try to be as polite as I can be while on the water and I only request the same from other boaters, even the big ones.
bluewingjb
Well-known member
For what its worth on the red and green lights.. The coast guard has rules of inland and ocean waters. I was in the navy and had to become very familiar with these. The lighting for the bow is 1 red and 1 green light. Both must be visible from head on to the boat in question. Also if I am not mistaken you should be able to see either one from the side at least from 120 degrees off the bow.. In other words draw a line from stern to bow then go 120 degrees to either side and you should still be able to see the side lights.
Also the stern or as they call it all around light must be at least 3 feet taller than the bow lights
https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
Also the stern or as they call it all around light must be at least 3 feet taller than the bow lights
https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
bluewingjb
Well-known member
But on the headlights yes they are "DOCKING" lights.. not running lights.. and yes they are NOT supposed to be used when running.. but the people running them full time are probably the same idiot who prep their boat on the ramp and leave their lights on while on the ramp at night.. You cant fix stupid
FirstLight
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2008
- Messages
- 1,479
If driving with headlights/spotlights is truly "illegal", then theTWRA or Coast Guard could have thrown the book at what I am assuming was a bow fishing boat that same night. We were fishing the flat across the main channel from pinkys point and that boat was buzzing the shallows around pinkys with all his lights on - which is ok I guess. But it was BRIGHT over there and we were all the way across the lake. He then came out of there and crossed the main channel right towards where we were fishing lighting the whole area up - never turning any lights off. He proceeded down the lake with all those lights blaring. He would have blinded anyone coming in his direction.
I was on the lake that night and he blinded me coming out of chester frost and he was all the way across the lake on the other shoreline. I couldnt see the bouys or anything in front of me... I had to turn left and hold my hat up to block the light in my eyes. I saw him later down at pinkys point and he illuminated the shoreline like day time... crazy bright.
rusty50576
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2008
- Messages
- 606
The key part of this - they “could” have thrown the book at him
