Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

With the night temps being so mild right now, I have been doing more sunset, moonlight cruises. This tends to be a sensitive subject among some boaters, but
sometimes I wish I had a big time PA system to announce to other boaters cruising after dark:

"Turn off your docking lights! They are not headlights, you are blinding other boaters. Learn the rules."

In general, when I have had the chance to go one-on-one and explain it nicely, the response that I get is something like "Hey, it's dark out here and I WILL light it up for my own safety." I continue to resist installing some really serious "high beams." It is surprising how much raw, focused candlepower power is readily available when you have the alternator/battery reserve.

Rant over

Docking lights are legal to utilize to search for flotsam and unlit obstacles. On the other hand it IS ILLEGAL to deliberately blind another boater in retaliation.
If someone’s dock lights offend you...change course and don’t look at them is the proper solution. IMO

FogHorn wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:02 pm

Docking lights are legal to utilize to search for flotsam and unlit obstacles. On the other hand it IS ILLEGAL to deliberately blind another boater in retaliation.
If someone’s dock lights offend you...change course and don’t look at them is the proper solution. IMO

Foghorn, I generally share the same pet peeve as the OP and have always heard it was illegal. Do you have any documentation that states it's legal to use them? Not trying to call you out, just want to learn.

The best way to deal with the idiots is to carry a bright handheld spotlight or even some of the flashlights available these days. Just point the light at them and briefly blast them. If they fail to turn them off blast them again for a bit longer, repeat as needed until they get the message. Nobody needs lights out on the water it's remarkable how well one can see at night once one eyes adjust to the darkness.

in TN its illegal to use lights other than your nav/anchor markers while you are running. They may make an exception for a handheld spotlight at slow speeds, but I know I was talking to a TWRA officer the other day about writing a pontoon boat for running his docking lights while underway.

Illegal to run with docking lights on in
VA
MO
Ks
and many more.


check your facts!

coast gaurd...

https://www.pdbmagazine.com/2014/01/are-you-legal

FogHorn wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:02 pm

Docking lights are legal to utilize to search for flotsam and unlit obstacles. On the other hand it IS ILLEGAL to deliberately blind another boater in retaliation.
If someone’s dock lights offend you...change course and don’t look at them is the proper solution. IMO

LOL, it isn't a matter of feeling offended, it's the dramatic loss of night vision for a good bit of time. Yes, of course safety comes first and that is a two way street. I have never seen anyone complain about judicious use of lights to check for obstacles. The intent of the rule is to avoid unnecessary blinding of other boaters, and/or masking the standard nav lights - which creates a hazard of its own. Obviously there are exceptions, but the key is to use them "only as needed." Sorry if that was unclear in my post.

Internet posts are often misunderstood, but your tone would suggest that you are one of the people who feels that they need headlights full time?

Marc

it seems to me... whenever i'd turn on my docking lights, my field of vision greatly decreases.

Thanks, Marc.
It turns out that just last evening my wife and I went out for an overnight on our tritoon and I was coaching her on navigating the lake, when we came upon a long left curve in the lake. In the middle of that two-mile bend, coming opposite direction was another pontoon with so many lights showing it was difficult to determine his direction of travel. He had perimeter blue LED lights which gave an overwhelming blue to the water surrounding his boat and completely washing out/overpowering his navigation lighting (exactly what the Coast Guard guidlines intend to combat).
To top that off, the other boater apparently realized he was being approached by us so he switched on his Docking Lights which further made a mess of things. (I have no idea how he/she retained any night-vision on the otherwise pitch-dark lake as they rode around in their brilliance.)

I agree completely that Dock lights (and other search lights, etc) should not be used if they interfere with other boats in the area. But I personally have used them when navigating in open water which had debris/logs in the water as an avoidance technique. If an oncoming boat came within range of my short-distance docking lights then I would have already steered away from them to avoid them and the lights would not be pointed at them.

It’s important I feel to not mis-read the Coast Guard. They do not prohibit other lighting. (Look at any cruise ship.). Coast Guard only cautions against lighting that interferes with a vessels required navigation lighting.

I appreciate your internet interpretation comment. Thanks.

I know I go as far as to cover my console with towels at night so the gauge lights don't contribute to screwing up my night vision. Why they don't come back lighted with red or green bulbs from the get go is beyond my pay grade.

Bamby wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:14 am

I know I go as far as to cover my console with towels at night so the gauge lights don't contribute to screwing up my night vision. Why they don't come back lighted with red or green bulbs from the get go is beyond my pay grade.

That's actually a pretty good idea. I was struggling to see on my way back from the July 4th fireworks on a moonless night with dozens of boats all around. I had turned off my GPS and radio because even in night mode they were bright. When we got back to my slip, one of my passengers mentioned how much light the gauges were shining on my face, which would have certainly diminished my night vision. I'll have to remember to cover them next time. Or maybe look into replacing the bulbs or seeing If there is any way to put the gauge lights on a separate switch.

I changed my white instrument lights to red. no longer need to cover dash with a towel.


https://www.amazon.com/10pcs-Dashboard- ... ay&sr=8-28

Definitely know the feeling, i caught grief from a long time boater friend about my 4x4 led lights front/rear...UNTIL!...he realized i wasnt using them for headlights. He was also amazed when we got back to dock (8 or so rows of slips), I flipped them on and he was like "great idea! I gotta do that".

Whats that you ask?

My lights are pointed down about 60*, all they light up is about 12 foot circle of water in front and couple feet on the side, plenty of light to dock.

I was also thanked many times by folks partying on docks that I didn't blind them and actually had MORE light than them pointing straight.

Try it folks and give me feedback on your thoughts

That's a good idea! I will try it. With the water reflectivity, it makes a lot of sense. I have kept mine old school incandescent bulbs intentionally to avoid the blue blindness from LEDs. I know that I am being repetitive, but night vision is slowly earned and rapidly taken away. Even the low glow of a cigarette lighter "night blinds" you for about 15 minutes. With bright LEDs with the blue color temps, kiss it off longer. I have down lights in my boathouse, so I have never once used my docking lights in the almost 2 years that I have lived on the lake.

Age is huge factor also. On average, at 35-40 years old, your visual acuity in deep darkness is roughly half compared to when you are 18 years old. Then it really starts going to heck at about 60. Think about all of the older folks who just don't want to drive at night - they simply cannot see well. Again, this is for most people - not everyone.

Try it sometime with younger folks when everyone has had a chance to stabilize their "night vision." I did it as a part of a training course and got a big dent in my ego

Make sure review the light id3a for others in this thread