Docking or running head lights

[HURRICANEBOB]

I disagree, and here's why. Just applying some food for thought.

a. If you saw the white light in the fog, why did you continue at full speed toward it? Conditions of limited visibility require a skipper to slow to a speed that will allow him to see and steer clear of any other water borne object, be it a floating tree, broke down boat, or pontoon with headlights on. If you are operating your boat so fast that you can not avoid another boat, then you are in fact operating dangerously, in that particular set of circumstances.

b. Why did you get that close to another boat at night, in the fog, in the dark, anyway?

c. Do you fish the Ohio River? I do. Tugs pushing barges always have a searchlight on looking to see where the bank is, looking for other craft, and or things in the water near or in front of them. Its save navigation that is the reason they do this. Given they are allowed to operate a a ZENON 1KW searchlight (produces in excess of 80 million candle power )or a the 2.5KW (over 130 million candlepower), you want to tell me I can't run on that body of water with 500 watt headlights cause they blind you? Good luck pulling over a push boat.

d. Why single out pontoons? I've seen guide boats rocketing down the lake with headlights on, and that makes good sense to me. With the headlights on, they are more likely to see the log that threatens the safety of their craft, and they are more likely to see the poor boater whose battery died and is sitting with a dead engine in the lake with no lights on. You want to tell the guides they have to turn them off?

e. What about all the bass boats I see running with remote control searchlight on the bow that generates 5-10 million candle power? Want to tell me my 500 watt headlights (comparison something like sun light to moon light), is still a major problem to you?

f. They are HEADLIGHTS, operative word "HEAD". What part of the boat did you think they were mounted on, the stern?

g. Given he had a 5 watt stern light lit, and 500 watts on the bow, do you really want me to buy that you could not distinquish which way he was going? Di you really think he was backing up?

h. And to the guy who wrote "if you can't see in the dark, don't go or buy a spot light", I got to say don't you realize the spotlight is brighter than the dock lights? You mean a SPOT is okay, but a DOCK light is not?!?!?!?! Isn't that like saying "don't shoot me with that bee-bee gun, go get your 30-0t-six and shoot me.......gaaaaaaahhhhh?

Man, for YOUR safety, cause I love ya man, just slow down in the dark! DRIVING TOO FAST IN THE DARK, ON A BOAT, COSTS LIFES, NOT ILLUMINATION.

Last thing: "On a vessel under way between sunset and sunrise, an operator shall not display other lights which could be mistaken for the lights specified in this section." 301 KAR 6:020. Boating safety equipment.

Help me to understand how a red bow light or green bow light, or white stern light, looks like a headlight beam? They do not look anthing remotely a like, and so are not likely to be :"mistaken" for the lighting required. Want to get fussie? Take the light bulbs out of your helm tach, hour meter, kill the fish finder, and speedometer, and teh radio/cd player when you run at ngiht cause they got lights, and I might just mistake them for a red/green/or white required nav light.

[HURRICANEBOB]

WHOOPS MISSED ONE:

"If not sure of the course or direction an approaching vessel will take, shall immediately slow to idle speed until the other vessel has passed." 301 KAR 6:030. Waterway safety requirements

[Danny]

Bob,

Looks like someone needs to notify water patrol that you say to heck with the laws, and make sure they know when you are on the water in the evening. Then you can take your ticket, fight it in court, and see if you can get the law changed.

I agree with Crazy completely.

What really amazes me is that you and probably all those that agree with you will raise bloody heck over someone tieing up bass in a tournament, because it is cheating, but not mind a bit that you are breaking a law, which is also cheating.

I guess cheating is really a point of view. If it's you, it's OK, if not, then hang 'em.

Danny

[glenmorebuckman1]

I disagree, and here's why. Just applying some food for thought.

a. If you saw the white light in the fog, why did you continue at full speed toward it? Conditions of limited visibility require a skipper to slow to a speed that will allow him to see and steer clear of any other water borne object, be it a floating tree, broke down boat, or pontoon with headlights on. If you are operating your boat so fast that you can not avoid another boat, then you are in fact operating dangerously, in that particular set of circumstances.

b. Why did you get that close to another boat at night, in the fog, in the dark, anyway?

c. Do you fish the Ohio River? I do. Tugs pushing barges always have a searchlight on looking to see where the bank is, looking for other craft, and or things in the water near or in front of them. Its save navigation that is the reason they do this. Given they are allowed to operate a a ZENON 1KW searchlight (produces in excess of 80 million candle power )or a the 2.5KW (over 130 million candlepower), you want to tell me I can't run on that body of water with 500 watt headlights cause they blind you? Good luck pulling over a push boat.

d. Why single out pontoons? I've seen guide boats rocketing down the lake with headlights on, and that makes good sense to me. With the headlights on, they are more likely to see the log that threatens the safety of their craft, and they are more likely to see the poor boater whose battery died and is sitting with a dead engine in the lake with no lights on. You want to tell the guides they have to turn them off?

e. What about all the bass boats I see running with remote control searchlight on the bow that generates 5-10 million candle power? Want to tell me my 500 watt headlights (comparison something like sun light to moon light), is still a major problem to you?

f. They are HEADLIGHTS, operative word "HEAD". What part of the boat did you think they were mounted on, the stern?

g. Given he had a 5 watt stern light lit, and 500 watts on the bow, do you really want me to buy that you could not distinquish which way he was going? Di you really think he was backing up?

h. And to the guy who wrote "if you can't see in the dark, don't go or buy a spot light", I got to say don't you realize the spotlight is brighter than the dock lights? You mean a SPOT is okay, but a DOCK light is not?!?!?!?! Isn't that like saying "don't shoot me with that bee-bee gun, go get your 30-0t-six and shoot me.......gaaaaaaahhhhh?

Man, for YOUR safety, cause I love ya man, just slow down in the dark! DRIVING TOO FAST IN THE DARK, ON A BOAT, COSTS LIFES, NOT ILLUMINATION.

Last thing: "On a vessel under way between sunset and sunrise, an operator shall not display other lights which could be mistaken for the lights specified in this section." 301 KAR 6:020. Boating safety equipment.

Help me to understand how a red bow light or green bow light, or white stern light, looks like a headlight beam? They do not look anthing remotely a like, and so are not likely to be :"mistaken" for the lighting required. Want to get fussie? Take the light bulbs out of your helm tach, hour meter, kill the fish finder, and speedometer, and teh radio/cd player when you run at ngiht cause they got lights, and I might just mistake them for a red/green/or white required nav light.

Bravo! Bravo! Very well said!

[fishdaddy]

a spot lite is too run the banks they arent too shine in peoples face while you are moving and unlike people on pontoons with headlites most bass boats will turn them off or away from you if your going near them.

[apb]

Good thoughts Bob.

a spot lite is too run the banks they arent too shine in peoples face while you are moving and unlike people on pontoons with headlites most bass boats will turn them off or away from you if your going near them.

Sorry, but I have been blinded by plenty of spot lights while on the lake. Many people use them while running if there is debris on the water. I've had of boats (of all makes) keep their headlights on while come straight at me.

Just takes a little common sense while on the water. If you turn a corner and are coming right at another boat, kill the spot/head lights. Same as you would your brights when in a car. And if headlights on a boat are such a bad idea, should I drive home from the lake at night without my lights on???

Andrew

[fishdaddy]

no you shouldnt because its not against the law,well ok its against the law too without them how about that

[BigPoppy]

I own a pontoon and I do most of my night fishing on Barren since I know it the best, I learned to fish in the dark using the minnimum amount of light possible. I do not have head lights mounted, I do have a spot and use it sparingly I never operate over half speed even on a full moon and I am on the bay by the dam alone. 1. It makes no sense at all to run fast at night period!! 2. Your safty is your responsiblilty, and my liability, if I am at fault I can be arrested if your neglegent you can be hospitalized. 3. Above all else it is the boater not the boat that makes the difference, if you have been on Barren when the Bowling Green House Boat Party Club opens the bar on weekends then you know what light up the night means. I have had the twin motor ski boats with 6 sets of lights and speakers nearly land on my deck while night fishing on the hogs back with my official lights, black lights and a submerged light all running and a mag light trying to flag him off. We all have our own horror stories about some A--H--- who has done us wrong, while we thought we were in the right but when it comes to the water and night time your safty depends on you, and that is what most of us have said here I* just have a big mouth and want to say it to, also don't get off your boat on the islands with out checking the bank with a light there are a pair of skunks near baily's that do not like night visits for a rest room break, you will leave with more than you brought lol.

[Moose1am]

edited due to faulty formating. Inline responses didn't work right!

[jdkd]

I think both partys have good points. But the main point is missing. Use "GOOD" judgement. When running at night everyone needs to be on top of everything that is going on around them, a little common courtesy, and common sense goes a long way. I dont post much on here, but this light or no light thing sets me off. I love to fish at night in the warmer months, and have been blinded by spotlights, and headlights plenty of times, but you can bet that I always have my navigation lights on while running, and my anchor light on while I am fishing, its just makes sense.

[kyradman]

Bob,

I agree with you completely! Good points. Also, laws can change. Speed limit used to be 55mph, but now we can go 65 mph on the same roads. Just b/c there is a law about lights now doesn't mean it makes sense or won't change in the future. I think you have valid points.

[crazyfishinnut]

Most of the arguments are garbage.
1 It is against the law
2 I wasn't going fast and by the lights i had no question as to which way he was going (apparently this confused you) but it turns out I was mistaken because the head lights over powered the colored lights it is like looking at a oncoming car in the rain and asking for the drivers hair color... You just cant see it
3 Spot lights are not fixed and are easily recognised unless you are doing some serious stunt driving
4 If you don't know the water well enough to drive at night you shouldn't be out there.
5 The brakes on a slow pontoon aren't good enough to prevent you from hitting anything just maybe IDing what you hit
6 On barren up the river the channel is narrow in a few spots and you have to pass close sometimes
7 I grew up fishing the Ohio and i have never saw head lights on a barge BUT You can always see the red and green because they have no other lights in front to over shadow them.
8 The problem is that the safety lights design does not allow for any lights other than red and green. this was put in place to keep every one safe. running with head lights on is as bad as running with out lights a all. I know it is illegal and since this post there have been hundreds of emails to the kdfw
9 My boat doesn't run fast top maybe 45 but I run just fast enough to stay on plane at night. If you want to see how dangerous they are show up at barren the 4th and when the fire works are over if everyone has not been ticketed by then. look around at the head lights and white lights and you dont know what is coming and what is going
10 Lastly my dash dont light up while I am driving so you wont be mistaken