Boat headlights....legal or not ??

[lew]

I spend alot of time fishing at night and often have many miles to run back to the dock in total darkness after midnight, so rather than holding a million candle power flashlight all the time like I do now to watch for other boaters who don't like to use lights I thought I'd permanentely mount a floodlight on the bow of my boat, with a dash mounted switch, to make things easier.

 

I know it's legal to have bow lights for when your coming into the dock after dark, but someone told me it's against the law to use them while travelling out on the main lake because they can make it difficult for oncoming boats to see your red/green marker lights on your bow.

 

Anybody know for sure if were allowed to use headlights while underway ??

 

I'm thinking something like this, but it may have to be elevated somehow to shine over top of the troll motor when it's stowed.

 

[BillM]

I thnk headlights on a boat would be worse then someone driving with their highbeams on, can you imagine the reflection off the water? :eek:

 

From what I've read, they are illegal in most states, I would *assume* they'd most likely be illegal here to.

[2 tone z71]

I had 4 lights on my T Top of my first Center Console Lew 2 facing forward 2 rearward ,it helped alot ,if I would have kept it I was gonna put on of them revolving remote spotlights on it

[gdelongchamp]

I have spent many years travelling on the water at night as I lived on and island and traveled to work every day by boat early in the morning and late at night and never felt the need for a "headlight". Once your eyes adapt to the existing light you can see further then what you will see reflected back at you in a headlight.

 

Furhtermore, due to your eyes adapting to a strong light on the water you would not see a boat with proper lights travelling towards you at a high rate of speed. And likely the other boat would mistake you for someone standing on shore with a powerful flashlight and not a moving object coming at them.

 

Being safe on the lake while boating also means not being a hazard to other boaters.

 

Regular running lights are more than adequate when boating at night.

 

I recall one night as I was returning home by boat, I was approaching a channel which had a white blinking marker light on the right shoreline at the entrance. I kept that blinking light approximately six inches to the right of my bow light at night so that I would not run up on shore. I was still approx. one mile from the entrance, and low and behold that same blinking light passed me on my port side travelling in the opposite direction at approximately 40 mph. What I was assuming was the shore line marker was actually a jet boat with no bow lights and a blinking stern light that blinked on and off because of the wave action and loose wires?

 

That was one of several scares I had due to boates traveling with improper lights.

[Fang]

Have been looking at a similar set up Lew. We fish evenings on Temagami and for the most part you can get buy but on those moonless nights or when there's heavy cloud cover it sure does get dark.

 

I want to pick up an inexpensive set of halogen driving lights from Princess Auto and rig a clamp system so I can position them on the nose of my boat just like car head lights. That way I can put these lights on at night, plug them in via a 12V auto plug and get a bit of light to make out shorleines and bouys.

 

Most important is to position them outside and below the transom height so you don't get the glare back in your face. I hate trying to drive with a spotlight as the reflection off the casting deck just blinds me.

 

As far as legal, the OPP boat on Temagami has a pretty large set of bridge likes that they run with after dark sometimes and I know there not searching for anything doing 40+ MPH

[POLLIWOGG]

Theres about 5 or 6 pages on lights in the collision regs, let me get back to you and I'll tell you why they are illegal when under way. also a cop magnet .

[hirk]

Lew I would guess they are legal since Allison makes a boat with built in head lights that has been imported into Ontario for re-sale and shown at a number of boat shows.

[Sinker]

A hand held spot light works much better than a permanently mounted head light Lew.

[SlowPoke]

Lights on while driving is a nightmare but can be handy for docking. I would suggest a single remote unit on the bow.

They're not cheap but I've been on a friends boat that has one and it's the cat's behind!!! Remote is super handy if you're fishing solo.

 

Example:

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/ProductDetails...01&click=19

[Guest steel'n'esox]

As long as its not a red lite lew there only legal in Nevada and Amsterdam, and their trying to get rid of it in Amsterdam.

[sonny]

I'd have to go with slowpoke on this one lew,,I don't think you'd be happy with a stationary mount as alot of times you want to see off to the side as well!

 

oh ya,,,i believe they are legal,,but you definatley don't want to be shining it at another boat,,,besides,,the cops have them!

Edited April 2, 2009 by sonny

[irishfield]

Most of the 'tune boats on the lake have them and I hate them. I actually stop my boat and turn away from them until they go by...

[camillj]

Most of the 'tune boats on the lake have them and I hate them. I actually stop my boat and turn away from them until they go by...

 

 

Hmmm .. you might have sometihng there

[GeorgeJ]

I'm in the process of making some brackets to mount a couple of lights on the front of my boat, my intention is to use them close to shore, docking and shallow waters. Coming across a stretch of big water though I'd have them off, I can see where they may cause some confusion to other boaters, anyway they would be as useful as lights on a plane high in the sky.

[POLLIWOGG]

Collision regs -part c - lights and shapes

Rule 20 (

 

The rules concerning lights shall be complied with from sunset to sunrise and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these rules or do not impair their visibility or distinctive character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper look-out

 

On a small craft your sidelights have to be visible for 1 mile and the all round light for 2 miles. I doubt you could tell the all round from a pair of headlights at 2 miles or notice the red -green sidelights at 1 mile between a pair of headlights or see the sidelight from the side when its lined up with a headlight .

[lew]

Thanks for your responses everyone.

[Slick Willy]

Here's a few options: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...rentId=cat21276

 

>Bill