Boat head lights

I have two headlights on the front of my boat. Both of them wired up the exact same with same 12g wire both have their own wires that run all the way back to the battery. When I installed them years ago was told to break the negative with the switch. I had no issue until last year one light burned out on me. Thought it may have been bad considering it was 5 years old. Installed two new lights Friday, went fishing the same light burnt out about half way through the night. It slowly dimmed down then went out. I noticed the lens kind of looks smokey or milky

Does anyone have any idea what may have caused this to all of a sudden start doing this?

What type of bulbs are they?

They are sealed bulbs not sure of the brand the whole light pops in and out of the rubber boot

Are running headlights illegal or not? Or is this one of those gray areas? Not meaning to highjack from the title.

Sounds like you just got a bad bulb.

I have been told that multiple times I'm going to put the good light that worked all night that I know works in the other boot and buy another light

As far as being illegal I don't know but I wouldn't run on lake Cumberland right now with out them

Actually .... YES, it is illegal to have forward lights/search lights/Q-beams/etc on "all the time" while running.

In fact, we had a rather "spirited" discussion on this very subject back in 2009 --- [url]http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php/75978-Head-Lights-on-Boats[/url]

... pappy

[QUOTE=crappiepappy;555825]Actually .... YES, it is illegal to have forward lights/search lights/Q-beams/etc on "all the time" while running.

In fact, we had a rather "spirited" discussion on this very subject back in 2009 --- [url]http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php/75978-Head-Lights-on-Boats[/url]

... pappy[/QUOTE]Headlights kinda defeat the purpose of navigation lights at night. Below explains the importance of using navigation lights only for the safety of all boaters instead of the safety of only the boat with the headlights.

To avoid collisions, vessels mount navigation lights that permit other vessels to determine the type and relative angle of a vessel, and thus decide if there is a danger of collision. In general sailing vessels are required to carry a green light that shines from dead ahead to 2 points (22 1⁄2°) abaft the beam on the starboard side (the right side from the perspective of someone on board facing forward), a red light from dead ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side (left side) and a white light that shines from astern to two points abaft the beam on both sides. Power driven vessels, in addition to these lights, must carry either one or two (depending on length) white masthead lights that shine from ahead to two points abaft the beam on both sides. If two masthead lights are carried then the after one must be higher than the forward one.

So is it illegal for me to use my lights at night for bow fishing?

[QUOTE=findingem;555819]Are running headlights illegal or not? Or is this one of those gray areas? Not meaning to highjack from the title.[/QUOTE] Section 2, bottom line. [url]http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/301/006/020.htm[/url]

[QUOTE=aps71285;555831]So is it illegal for me to use my lights at night for bow fishing?[/QUOTE]It's my understanding that as long as you are not underway it is not illegal to have a light on. Not sure about the bow fishing part. Back home in Bama we used to float clear flowing creeks at night in the winter time and gig catfish under a floating headlight. I won't go into the legality of that.

I hate when boats come up the lake with their bright lights . My eyes are adjusted to the night and I can see relatively well, I get blasted by those whit lights and I go blind again until my eyes can readjust. Just happened on the east end of Cumberland to me last week. Maybe I have sensitive eyes.
I remember reading some where that the red/ green lights in the rub rail weren't legal either I as wanting o clean my deck up.