head lights for a boat

[artcarney_agr]

Ummmmm....... I'm sorry but IF you can't see either the red or green light how do you know who has the "right of way" and who is to yield?????

Well, let's see.......ummmmmmmmmm.....the "rules of the road" are that when meeting a vessel head on, you keep to the right - doesn't matter if you see green, or red, or blue, or purple.

[sglass]

So does this mean that 90 percent of the boats I see running at night are breaking the law??? I dont want to take the risk of hitting a floater at night and most if not all the bass anglers who have the lights on thier boats have them where they point about 30 feet or so in front of the boat and not straight ahead like car head lights. I have only been blinded three times while night fishing in my old boat and that was by a spotlight pointed at me, a big cabin cruiser who had unleashed the power of the sun on the front of his boat and a pontoon who had at least ten monster lights hanging from the side of the boat crappie fishing i guess. When that guy passed me it sounded like he was runnng a generator on his boat to keep all of his lights on. I will do some digging and try and find something that suits me. Thanks to the guys who helped me out and for the guys who didnt sorry I stirred up your nest and gave you something to argue about.

Shawn

[Duayne]

So does this mean that 90 percent of the boats I see running at night are breaking the law??? I dont want to take the risk of hitting a floater at night and most if not all the bass anglers who have the lights on thier boats have them where they point about 30 feet or so in front of the boat and not straight ahead like car head lights. I have only been blinded three times while night fishing in my old boat and that was by a spotlight pointed at me, a big cabin cruiser who had unleashed the power of the sun on the front of his boat and a pontoon who had at least ten monster lights hanging from the side of the boat crappie fishing i guess. When that guy passed me it sounded like he was runnng a generator on his boat to keep all of his lights on. I will do some digging and try and find something that suits me. Thanks to the guys who helped me out and for the guys who didnt sorry I stirred up your nest and gave you something to argue about.

Shawn

I honestly do not think water patrol will care if you use them as long as you turn them off when another boat is in front of you. I can't speak for them, but that's what I do and have never had them say anything. I was in a boat with someone that got yelled at by water patrol so I know at least some of them are touchy about it. Getting hit with a spot light is 100 times worse, IMO. I have no idea why someone in a cabin cuddy 200 yards away feels the need to see the whites of my eyes and never will. Good luck on your search and let us know what you decide on.

[mayracing]

If you ever run herrington they wil ticket you in a heart beat.

[SINK-OR-SWIM]

I would save myself time and money. Just call KDFWR or pull up to one of the officers and ask them if they would ticket you for that. I do not fish at night so i really don't know the answer. But working in law enforcment I would not try to interpret the law, its really up the county attorney if they uphold the ticket.

[crazyfishinnut]

They were ticketing head lights on nolin last weekend. I think if you need head light to run after dark you should not be on the water.
If it is one on one it is easy to tell right away but like after the fireworks on barren last year we almost ran over someone thinking we were coming up behind them and the were coming at us. I hope they start ticketing everywhere.

[aceoky]

So does this mean that 90 percent of the boats I see running at night are breaking the law??? I dont want to take the risk of hitting a floater at night and most if not all the bass anglers who have the lights on thier boats have them where they point about 30 feet or so in front of the boat and not straight ahead like car head lights. I have only been blinded three times while night fishing in my old boat and that was by a spotlight pointed at me, a big cabin cruiser who had unleashed the power of the sun on the front of his boat and a pontoon who had at least ten monster lights hanging from the side of the boat crappie fishing i guess. When that guy passed me it sounded like he was runnng a generator on his boat to keep all of his lights on. I will do some digging and try and find something that suits me. Thanks to the guys who helped me out and for the guys who didnt sorry I stirred up your nest and gave you something to argue about.

Shawn

IF "90%" of the boats you see running at night are running "docking lights" on constantly down the lake AND you can't clearly see the green/red lights obviously they are.......

I've never been on any Ky lake that is "straight" thus you'll encounter boats where each needs to see the nav lights at night, which is impossible when other lights are too bright.... (well maybe some have "super vision" but most I'd guess don't)

I've personally never seen this by even 10% , most where I've fished only use them for a few seconds to get bearing on shores or buoys....... which I've never known anyone to be cited for "running down the lake with them on" is totally different and you can be cited (and many have been on several lakes btw)

But for "me" it's not "only about" possibly getting cited, it's about common courtesy and safety .... many can tell stories about someone coming around a sharp bend running bright lights and blinding them, I can't believe that anyone can dispute that it's not a serious safety issue (especially "at speed" being underway)

It's not my place to try to tell anyone "what to do" (nor am I trying to do so) , I do think we need to think about the dangers of our own actions and try to avoid all of that whenever possible..

As for "floating debris" if you're not driving "too fast" then your nav lights should show them up in plenty time to avoid them??? IF the other boats haven't blinded you with driving down the lake with theirs on

[artcarney_agr]

So does this mean that 90 percent of the boats I see running at night are breaking the law??? I dont want to take the risk of hitting a floater at night and most if not all the bass anglers who have the lights on thier boats have them where they point about 30 feet or so in front of the boat and not straight ahead like car head lights. I have only been blinded three times while night fishing in my old boat and that was by a spotlight pointed at me, a big cabin cruiser who had unleashed the power of the sun on the front of his boat and a pontoon who had at least ten monster lights hanging from the side of the boat crappie fishing i guess. When that guy passed me it sounded like he was runnng a generator on his boat to keep all of his lights on. I will do some digging and try and find something that suits me. Thanks to the guys who helped me out and for the guys who didnt sorry I stirred up your nest and gave you something to argue about.

Shawn

You're welcome.

If you happen to come across something like I described, please let me know, because I need a second one for my buddy's boat.

[Dave Stewart]

Has anyone figured out yet why I quit guiding at night...LOL.

[SlopFishin]

Has anyone figured out yet why I quit guiding at night...LOL.

Yup. There's alot of morons out there. That's why I put in on South KY to night fish and only idle while hugging the shoreline.

PS - Boats are NOT equipped with headlights for a reason. Unforatunately, some folks don't understand why.

[sglass]

Yup. There's alot of morons out there. That's why I put in on South KY to night fish and only idle while hugging the shoreline.

PS - Boats are NOT equipped with headlights for a reason. Unforatunately, some folks don't understand why.

So am I a moron for asking this question??? I was not meaning a "head light like a car" I was meaning any type of light to see where the heck I am going at night. I do not want a spot light I was wanting something to mount on the boat. I am not the type that would run wide open on a lake at night because that is dangerous to me and other boaters. I also do not want to ruin my lower unit or hurt myself by hitting a floater. Some guys take things WAY to seriously on this board. I am sorry I even asked this question!!

Shawn

[SlopFishin]

Never said you were a moron for asking the question. The morons are the people running WOT with fricking headlights on their boats blinding the rest of us. Calm down.