Re: install of underwater lighting
Why did they say "No Way?"
Background - We have a pontoon boat. Lake of the Ozarks is notorious for it's number of large cruisers driven by idiots who think that everyone else has to get out of their way. I wanted to add strings of LED's, colored appropriate for the sides. i.e. red on port, green on starboard, and white on the rear.
At our local February boat show, I talked to several WP officers about my plans. All said that the only lights that are legal when underway at night are the "normal" navigation lights. So I asked what about just a horizontal string of white lights along my stern and explained my concern being run over by the big azz cruisers that can't see 100 feet in front of them. Nope. You do and we'll write you a ticket for displaying improper navigation lights at night.
When anchored out, their only concern is displaying the anchor lights. One can add any other lights, where ever one wants, but one must also have the anchor light lit.
So I ask, there are several large dinner cruise boats out at night and they have all kind of lights displayed. Their answer - They are big and slow so it is not an issue. Huh? Wait a minute. I am small and slow. It would seem that I would need more illumination than a big honkin party boat to keep me from being run over. No dice.
Soooo, I do have a 2 million candle power spot light that I will take, if and when, we go out at night. When one of them big azz cruisers comes up behind me, in my wake, and looks like they don't see me, I'll let them know that I am there. Not in their eyes, but above them enough to let them know that I don't like to be tailgated.
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