sitting in the dark and no lights on

MH Hawker · Sep 2, 2011

this happened to me last night , while heading back into the marina. was out night fishin and on the was back in after a decent night, as i aproched the marina i started looking close for the no wake bouys and i just barley noticed a boat sitting tied to one , and of course no lights on , it wasnt a close call i was just above idle speed and i turned away in plenty of time around 20 feet, but as i passed i though ok maybe he is broke down , the reason for no lights at all, so i dropped it in to reverse and stopped and killed the motor and asked , i get a reply no im fine other than all most getting hit, and my responce was , you may ought to put on your nav lights, and achnor light, and i cranked up and headed on in, it was very hard to see him sitting there in the dark, the only reason i noticed was the back lighting from the marina had a black shape in the silouett that didnt belong there and i thought it odd, i am very sure he was clueless about how well he blened in ,,just another day in the life of boating,lolol looks like the holiday weekend nuts are starting early

southkogs · Sep 2, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

The "native Detroiter" in me says - that's a druggie.

Fireman431 · Sep 3, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

SBL? Is that you?

brown_one · Sep 4, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

you gotta watch out for the holiday boaters. i met a pontoon friday night after being out fishing. they didn't have any lights on the front only the white light on the back. that light blended in with all the lights from the houses on the lake. too close of a call for me.

chriscraft254 · Sep 4, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Most of the ones I run across without lights are fisherman that don't want the light in there eyes. But I will say, most of them turn on there anchor light when a boat is approaching. Another reason I enjoy my Radar.

soggy_feet · Sep 6, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

The police and CG spend most of their evening on the 4th pulling big zodiacs loaded with people off the lake with no lights, and writing tickets to the bigger boats that just neglect using them.
I'm sure these same people wouldn't try to walk down the middle of the road in the middle of the night, but its got the same effect as boating without lights at night. Just dumb.

GMC2003 · Sep 6, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Fireman431 said:
SBL? Is that you?

Hahahahaha, +1

j_martin · Sep 7, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

soggy_feet said:
I'm sure these same people wouldn't try to walk down the middle of the road in the middle of the night, but its got the same effect as boating without lights at night. Just dumb.

I wouldn't be so sure. I see ID 10 T's on the road in dark clothes at night all the time. Last night there was a couple walking down the middle of the road leaving WalMart, totally oblivious to the fact that I was there. Blew my horn at about 10'. Fun or what?

They must be smokin' the good stuff.

soggy_feet · Sep 12, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

I stand corrected. Ha

freddyray21 · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

brown_one said:
you gotta watch out for the holiday boaters. i met a pontoon friday night after being out fishing. they didn't have any lights on the front only the white light on the back. that light blended in with all the lights from the houses on the lake. too close of a call for me.

the proper legal way to anchor is with just the stern light. the bow light is only to be on when moving

Beefer · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

freddyray21 said:
the proper legal way to anchor is with just the stern light. the bow light is only to be on when moving

x2. He was properly lit for the activity he was engaged in.

skargo · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

freddyray21 said:
the proper legal way to anchor is with just the stern light. the bow light is only to be on when moving

I am going to disagree. I have a stern light, and a mast light. When I turn my nav lights on the front portion(270?) of my mast light, my stern light, and my red and green bow lights are lit.
When I switch it to anchor my entire mast light (360?) is lit. Using just a stern light is not the proper, legal way, as someone approaching from your bow wouldn't see you at all.
Running, this is acceptable for any craft under 65'

OR this is acceptable if under 39' 4"

At anchor, an ALL AROUND light must be displayed.

I was out at night the other night and saw people running with no nav lights, just a mast light. Plus some running with no lights at all. and some yahoo with a pontoon had his spotlight lit while running, like a headlight!!!

*EDIT*
unless you are referring to your mast light as a stern light???
My stern light is mounted flush in my transom, in the white area, in the center, right above the "A" in Twice As Nice.

Fed · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

I've never seen a mast light as you described Skargo, are you sure about that?

southkogs · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Skargo - on all of my boats (under 18') my stern light has been a mast light (albeit a short "sissy" inland boat mast

). I don't have enough experience on bigger boats to know if a flush mounted stern light is more of a standard, but I believe that you're correct that the 360? viewed white anchor light is the requirement (typically elevated on a mast of some sort).

sschefer · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

You are both right.. The standard for small craft without a fixed mast is an all around white light mounted at the stern. This is also legal for navigation. When anchored the navigation (red/green) are turned off so that other boaters will know that you are not underway. If you mount your nav lights above deck and also have midhips nav lights then you would also want to use a white stern light that is only visible aft of midships while underway. But at anchor it's a 360 white light on the stern and/or main mast only.

j_martin · Sep 16, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Small boater here.

I've been told by one with enough (enforcement) power that I would not argue with him, that if the hook isn't down, I'm under way and need the nav lights on.

chriscraft254 · Sep 17, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Running lights, including red and green bow lights and a stern light have to be displayed from dusk till dawn while underway. Does not matter wether you are adrift or moving 100 mph, they must be displayed and have to be able to be seen 2 miles or have a rated light for 2 miles. Larger boats require 3 mile lights.

Anchor lights are exacty that, anchor lights! From dusk till dawn, if anchored, these have to be visable 360 degrees. Does not matter if it is mounted on the stern as long as it has an extension pole to allow visability to the lamp from 360 degrees. These also need to be 2 mile lights. 3 mile for larger boats.

Most anchor lights on small boats are mounted in the stern because they act as a dual purpose anchore/running light that will not impede the vision of the boats pilot. Other boats like mine, have a 360 degree light mounted above the hardtop thus, no need for a stern light. Others have both a stern light and a 360 degree on a mast head etc. They will be displayed on different boats differently but the same rules apply for all boats that it must be seen 360 while at anchore.

cb1313 · Sep 17, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

I have throught about using a Solor graden light when anchored at night. It would charge during the day and it would be on all night ?

Any throughts ?

Cb

skargo · Sep 17, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

Fed said:
I've never seen a mast light as you described Skargo, are you sure about that?

Sure about what, the one I own, that mounts to my windscreen?

CheapboatKev · Sep 17, 2011

Re: sitting in the dark and no lights on

cb1313 said:
I have throught about using a Solor graden light when anchored at night. It would charge during the day and it would be on all night ?

Any throughts ?

Cb

Highly doubt that would have enough lumens for a 2 mile visibility area

sitting in the dark and no lights on

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