What's legal? just nav lights?

[Falko]

I don't think the aux light issue is being seen, but it is blinding others. Boaters running with no lights are using thier night vision, you destroy that when you are in the vicinity with the spots/floods going.

[MalibuTime]

I don't think the aux light issue is being seen, but it is blinding others. Boaters running with no lights are using thier night vision, you destroy that when you are in the vicinity with the spots/floods going.

Totally agree. I don't use mine if there are other boats running with nav ligths anywhere close. Unfortunately, there are many rowers and kayaks on the lake I frequent after dusk, and they seem to be indifferent to the possibily of getting run over by a power boat. I have seen only one shell that had a light running at dusk/after sunset.

[Falko]

Good point, that would drive me nuts.

[wakebrdr94]

Isn't the main function of the bow light to determine a) the bow of the boat, and b) port or starboard side. If they made the light bigger, woul it be a non issue? I saw a picture of a boat at a boat show where they put red and green led strips below the outside of the windshield. (appropriately placed). Would that solve the issue?

[Bill_AirJunky]

Isn't the main function of the bow light to determine a) the bow of the boat, and b) port or starboard side. If they made the light bigger, woul it be a non issue? I saw a picture of a boat at a boat show where they put red and green led strips below the outside of the windshield. (appropriately placed). Would that solve the issue?

If you can see the red light, then the boat is heading to your left. If you can see the green light, then their heading to your right.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Bill_AirJunky

[Falko]

The green is on the starboard side.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Fixed it. Guess I don't drive enough at night.

[mrnate450r]

Every time I read this thread, I think about the boats on The Deadliest Catch. They have huge sodium lights that are used to light the deck up. I am sure those are brighter than any tower lights. While most of us won't encounter 100+ ft boats on our lakes, they should still be following CG rules. Point being, what's the difference?

[itznowonder]

I have 2 forward and 2 rear tower lights and they are pretty useless for anything except looking pretty good. They never have helped while underway at night. The only other lights I use aside from nav /anchor is when I'm floating and my 2 DVD player system is playing a horror movie. FUN.

[Falko]

Every time I read this thread, I think about the boats on The Deadliest Catch. They have huge sodium lights that are used to light the deck up. I am sure those are brighter than any tower lights. While most of us won't encounter 100+ ft boats on our lakes, they should still be following CG rules. Point being, what's the difference?

Difference being, they have different rules and are far enough off shore to not worry about the rules. I sailed to the Bahamas from Key West a few years back. During the trip, we ran the Gulf Stream for a little while, along with many large ships. All they had on were thier marker lights. We approached too closely to one and that thing lit up with many spots and floods. They don't run with them on, just have them in case.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Every time I read this thread, I think about the boats on The Deadliest Catch. They have huge sodium lights that are used to light the deck up. I am sure those are brighter than any tower lights. While most of us won't encounter 100+ ft boats on our lakes, they should still be following CG rules. Point being, what's the difference?

Different rules in the open ocean like that.

[malibuparadise]

Fixed it. Guess I don't drive enough at night.

We in the Navy remember by "Port wine"

[Bill_AirJunky]

We in the Navy remember by "Port wine"

Too funny. Pretty easy to remember though.

Maybe you can explain this one..... "red right returning".

Funny story about that one..... well, kinda funny.... now.

We were hired to ride between the heats at the Columbia Cup unlimited hydro races in TriCities one year. Actually paid us. Guess that makes us pros, huh. So I get together 3 boats, 3 trucks, and like 12 riders. We all go out to do our thing in front of around 100,000 people between heats. Great fun. So Friday afternoon we head out to practice a little. I'm driving, Curley is riding. We're driving up the Snake River & I realize I have a red nav marker ahead of us. I look over at Kevin & ask him, "hey, know that saying about 'red right returning', whats that mean?" He's like "WTH are you talkin about?" And about that time Curley crashes. We're like a mile from anything, in the middle of the Snake, and the crash doesn't look bad at all. I drop the speed & turn the LSV around to pick him back up.... as we approach him I realize he is pissed off, and maybe even hurt. About the time we pull the boat up to him, HE STANDS UP! He's in thigh deep water! Standing on a gravel bar! Unreal that the boat didn't touch at all!

Anyway, I have yet to figure out what the deal is with that saying, other than if I see a nav marker, start looking for the other one!! And then stay away from them BOTH! I know if has to do with the red nav marker, and returning to the sea. Or is it returning FROM the sea? And if I'm 350 miles from the sea, HOW DO I TELL WTF THE SEA IS??

Obviously I don't deal with nav markers very often. Maybe one of you guys who do can clarify that saying.

[barefootpaul]

I know heading up river Red is on the Right.

Look for both, stay between them. That's what I do

[Falko]

Red right return only works while returning from the ocean. Inland waters are a different story. Many lakes and such have their own rules that you have to find out and I can't remember the exact notion, but I think it is standard going north while east of the MS river is considered returning and vice versa, kind of counter clock wise. But it's been a while since that class and I don't boat where it's necessary.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I know heading up river Red is on the Right.

Look for both, stay between them. That's what I do

Yea, thats what I end up trying to do. But sometimes you can't find the green one right away.

The Snake is called the "Snake" because it twists & turns about a bazillion times. So 1/2 the time I have no clue if we're going upstream or down. And the thing is dammed up so many times, looking at the direction the water is running is not a clue.... 1/2 the time it's either not running at all, or it's flowing backwards.

[malibuparadise]

Too funny. Pretty easy to remember though.

Maybe you can explain this one..... "red right returning".

Funny story about that one..... well, kinda funny.... now.

We were hired to ride between the heats at the Columbia Cup unlimited hydro races in TriCities one year. Actually paid us. Guess that makes us pros, huh. So I get together 3 boats, 3 trucks, and like 12 riders. We all go out to do our thing in front of around 100,000 people between heats. Great fun. So Friday afternoon we head out to practice a little. I'm driving, Curley is riding. We're driving up the Snake River & I realize I have a red nav marker ahead of us. I look over at Kevin & ask him, "hey, know that saying about 'red right returning', whats that mean?" He's like "WTH are you talkin about?" And about that time Curley crashes. We're like a mile from anything, in the middle of the Snake, and the crash doesn't look bad at all. I drop the speed & turn the LSV around to pick him back up.... as we approach him I realize he is pissed off, and maybe even hurt. About the time we pull the boat up to him, HE STANDS UP! He's in thigh deep water! Standing on a gravel bar! Unreal that the boat didn't touch at all!

Anyway, I have yet to figure out what the deal is with that saying, other than if I see a nav marker, start looking for the other one!! And then stay away from them BOTH! I know if has to do with the red nav marker, and returning to the sea. Or is it returning FROM the sea? And if I'm 350 miles from the sea, HOW DO I TELL WTF THE SEA IS??

Obviously I don't deal with nav markers very often. Maybe one of you guys who do can clarify that saying.

Channels are marked with green and red bouys and/or lights, duh...and like your running lights, the red ones are on the left and the green ones are on your right, with an imaginary line between them. They are positioned relative to leaving the harbor, so you stay to the right of the imaginary line (closer to the green nav aids) when leaving the harbor. Not too close though, as they are the boundary and if you cross the boundary bad things can happen....fast.

So as the saying goes, when returning to harbor, as you approach the channel, the red nav aids will be on your right and you stay on that side of the channel so you don't hit anyone leaving. That's it. This helps you remember how to leave the harbor too (opposite). ;-)

Regarding your WTF is the sea, don't know never been that far!!

[CumminsBu]

Your nav buoys mark the deepest part of the channel. If your a big ship you always want to be between the red and green buoys. Red on the right if your coming from the sea going to a sea port, green on the left in that case. Going to open ocean from a sea port green on the right, red on the left.

[CumminsBu]

Guess I need to learn to type faster.

[MalibuTime]

Bill's point was they only could see the red bouy, so it's pretty dang hard to go between the red one and green one. That is one thing for sure about the Snake and Columbia, sand bars in some pretty sneaky spots, and it's not like you can look down and see the bottom getting closer as you drive in the Snake (for those of you that haven't seen it, it is brown, silty water).

[[email protected]]

That is where POSH came from: PORT OUT STARBOARD HOME

[Spencer20]

Hey I just had a wakeboard tower put on my boat and it has a light on top of the tower does that count as the back light while riding at night or do you have to put the other light up on back of the stern as well thanks 

[Spencer20]

I know you gotta have the bow lights on I didn’t know if the new night on too if the tower counts for night time driving 

[Pnwrider]

Yes, all the newer boats only have the tower light in lieu of the pole light on the transom. 

[MLA]

2 hours ago, Spencer20 said:

Hey I just had a wakeboard tower put on my boat and it has a light on top of the tower does that count as the back light while riding at night or do you have to put the other light up on back of the stern as well thanks 

Basic lighting is a white 360* and green/red seen from the front and no more then about 120* to the side. A tower mounted white light thats seen 360* would take the place of your old pole mounted white 360*