bow navigation lights rules

[ryan_ekubass]

While night fishing at Jamestown at Lake Cumberland Friday night, someone from another boat yelled that my navigation lights are backwards. My port side is green and my starboard side is red. I have a 1988 16.5 foot Dynatrak bassboat and this is they way it came from when purchased. I only seen one other boat's navigation lights wired like mine that night, all others had port side red and starboard side green. Do the rules change according to size of the boat? I want the navigation lights correct to keep from confusing others. By the way, we did not boat any stripers or walleye Friday night. I had 3 blowups on a Red Fin with no hookup at the mouth of Lily Creek. Started bass fishing and boated 4 Kentucky's and one Smallmouth.

i bet what happened is if u or someone else changed the bulb out and u or whoever just accidently put the lens in upside down.... it should be an easy fix......

[bxrinc]

i bet what happened is if u or someone else changed the bulb out and u or whoever just accidently put the lens in upside down.... it should be an easy fix......

Thanks guys, I will switch the lens around to keep oncoming boaters at night from getting confused. Like I mentioned I saw one other boat Friday night that had the lens wrong also. I wonder if it was from the same manufacturer and Friday just before quitting time when they made them.

[jigboy]

I can't say I ever had a close call at night but I always watch which side the lights are on so that I know exactly which direction the other boat is going. If it wasn't a big deal the law would be to not to have them at all or just make them both white.

[jigman73]

Here's my night time boating rules. 1) red and green lights mean bow of boat. 2) white light means stern of boat. 3) avoid all space in between lights. 4) if can only see bow lights or stern light only then stay a very good distance away from that boat. (because you should be able to see both sets of lights if the other boat is running if it is coming at you, but you will only see the stern light if the other boat is going away from you, so I just watch and try to completely avoid it)

The ones you really have to watch out for are the ones that are setting in the middle of the lake with NO lights on... This has happened to us several times on Cumberland... Most of the time it was one of those very big house boats on the lower end of the lake... And they don't want us to use headlights on our boats at night... Headlights have saved us a few times from hitting one of those floating barges sitting in the middle of the lake with no lights on...

[bigwormy]

im 33 yrs. old and bought my first boat 10 years ago. ive been bass fishing and in bass boats night fishing since i was a kid with my dad. i had no idea that it mattered what side the lights were on. i have always just got out of the way when i see them and have had no problems. i guess if u dont know and get out of the way, it could be easier than trying to figure out what light is what. LOL.

[Duayne]

I think its one of those things some know without knowing they know. LOL You become conditioned to it without realizing. You would probably think something was odd if you saw a boat coming at you with the colors reversed. Just a hunch.

[mhall]

I just give all cabin cruisers plenty of room, lol.

[Duayne]

It would be nice if the cruisers gave us smaller boats plenty of room. I've been blown by three times while trolling at night. Blown by close enough where they caught a planer board line. If any boat flies by me close enough to hit a planer board line, they are way too close. One guy was laughing his bottom off as he did his blow by. Wonder how much he was laughing when he had to cut 200 yards of 20# big game off his prop! LOL

[jigboy]

On the Department of Fish and Wildlife web site under education they have an on-line class you can take to learn all sorts of stuff about boating. It only cost money if you want the official certification from the state. I did it just for information sakes and made both my boys do it also. They also have boater education classes you can go to for free. Its not a joke and if you learn one simple thing it might be worth it.

[roadrunner]

It would be nice if the cruisers gave us smaller boats plenty of room. I've been blown by three times while trolling at night. Blown by close enough where they caught a planer board line. If any boat flies by me close enough to hit a planer board line, they are way too close. One guy was laughing his bottom off as he did his blow by. Wonder how much he was laughing when he had to cut 200 yards of 20# big game off his prop! LOL

turn your spot light on him and get the boat name and turn them in this is stupid and dangerous.

[Jabbo]

Man this is a great question and topic.. I am an insurance adjuster that works boat claims and I can tell you that it is very important to have your lights on correctly. A good rule of thumb is, if you see green, You have the right of way, if you see red, they have the right of way..
The basic maritime rules are in the back of the fishing and hunting guide that you pick up at Wal-mart.
I can also tell you that if anyone is so unfortunate to be involved in a boating accident at night, that the liability will be based heavily on proper boating procedures regarding running lights. I have worked claims where boaters have run aground because some one didn't have the correct lighting or were using lights when not underway.
My suggestion would be to make sure that you are very aware of the rules of the water.. Laws are very different on the water vs the roadway. If you don't know the correct passing or overtaking laws and there is an accident you may very well be at fault even if someone turned into you, or avoided you because they thought you were underway. Be careful out there!!

[offdtop]

Has anyone found out whether those led lights that are mounted in the bump rail have been coast gaurd approved yet?