Blue Accent Lighting

[kawishiwi]

Originally Posted by correric12

We just bought a new boat which has Blue LED accent lighting on it including underwater lighting.

I am looking for input on the appropriate use of this lighting before we receive it this spring.

It has a radar arch with lights that shine down into the cockpit of the boat.

It has accent lights in the rear facing speakers at the swim platform.

It has rear facing underwater lights

It has blue accent lighting in the vent panels on the rear sides of the boat.

Can any of these lights be used underway, or while floating on the lake at night or only at the dock.

I have been told a number of answers and looking to see what the group can share. I do have an e-mail inquiry in to MP to get input.

Please let me know your thoughts.

I don't believe you can have any visible light other than red/green & all around when under power, AND I am pretty sure blue lights of any kind are completely disallowed, probably because thats the color marine patrol uses.

[camp guy]

For correric12:

This topic has been discussed extensively in the past, and everybody, and I do mean everybody, had an opinion, right, wrong, and indifferent. My suggestion to you: Prepare your question, then ask the Marine Patrol directly, and only discuss it with them. They are the authority. When all is said and done, you can post your results.

[TiltonBB]

I just did a quick search on the Forum using "underwater lights"

There were a lot of posts. This came up:

The Marine Patrol would also remind boaters that any light being exhibited in addition to the prescribed navigation lights for their vessel is also illegal. After-market accent light fixtures have become very popular the last several years with the emergence of LED (light-emitting diode) lighting. Boat operators must extinguish these types of lights before getting underway on the water.

[Hillcountry]

My toon has these lights too. I would use them at anchor at night along with the proper anchor light but only if I were having some kind of night time swim party with guests, which I haven’t done yet...but I won’t rule it out for some future occasion. I don’t see a problem unless you are UNDERWAY. A lot worse things going on out there...

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

My toon has these lights too. I would use them at anchor at night along with the proper anchor light but only if I were having some kind of night time swim party with guests, which I haven’t done yet...but I won’t rule it out for some future occasion. I don’t see a problem unless you are UNDERWAY. A lot worse things going on out there...

Just an FYI...the under water accent lighting is illegal in NH while underway or anchored. This is direct from Marine Patrol who gave me a warning for it a couple years ago while anchored.

Dan

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Just an FYI...the under water accent lighting is illegal in NH while underway or anchored. This is direct from Marine Patrol who gave me a warning for it a couple years ago while anchored.

Dan

Thanks for the FYI.
Like I said, I have never left these lights on (one time I tried them just to see the effect when pulling out of Meredith in the dark before sun up) when going fishing. I had heard that they were illegal underway so I quickly shut them off after seeing what they looked like. By the way they looked very cool!
Seems to me to be one of “those laws” that different MP officers interpret differently?

[codeman671]

I believe that I heard recently that the side lights were approved now. I was having a conversation at the boat show, I think it was Winnisquam that told me they got the ruling changed??? Or maybe it was too many drinks?

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by codeman671

I believe that I heard recently that the side lights were approved now. I was having a conversation at the boat show, I think it was Winnisquam that told me they got the ruling changed??? Or maybe it was too many drinks?

I’ll drink to that!

[Seaplane Pilot]

Here are the current rules for lights. In my opinion, any lights other than what's described here are subject to the individual MP's interpretation. Why take the chance?

Interesting to see the last paragraph (paragraph "e"). I wonder what these federal requirements are that can be followed in lieu of the State requirements?


Saf-C 403.14 Time for Lights. Proper lighting, as required in Saf-C 403.15 and Saf-C 403.16, shall be displayed between sunset and sunrise. Lights shall be lighted at such times and no other lights which might be mistaken for, interfere with, or distract from, the prescribed lights shall be exhibited.



Source. #2351, eff 4-25-83; ss by #3010, eff 5-2-85; ss by #4562, eff 1-3-89; amd by #5862, eff 7-1-94; amd by #5936, INTERIM, eff 1-3-95, EXPIRES, 5-3-95 (formerly Saf-C 403.16); ss by #6005, eff 3-24-95, EXPIRED: 3-24-03



New. #7904, INTERIM, eff 6-24-03, EXPIRED: 12-21-03



New. #8093, EMERGENCY, eff 5-28-04, EXPIRES: 11-24-04; ss and moved by #8172, eff 9-21-04 (from Saf-C 403.13); ss by #10293, eff 3-20-13


Saf-C 403.15 Lights on all Motorboats.



(a) All motorboats, including boats propelled by outboard motors, shall while under way, carry lights with distances of visibility on clear nights shown as follows:



(1) For class A and I motorboats:



a. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon; and



b. A combined light on the fore part of the vessel and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam of their respective sides; and



(2) For class II and III motorboats:



a. A bright white light in the fore part of the vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 20 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light 10 points on each side of the vessel, namely, from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on either side;



b. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon, and higher than the white light forward;



c. On the starboard side, a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the starboard side;



d. On the port side, a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the port side; and



e. The side lights shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height and so set as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.



(b) Each motorboat shall carry only the combined light or separate side lights as appropriate to its class. Additionally, one white light at the stern so constructed that it shall show an unbroken light over an area of the horizon of 12 points of the compass so fixed as to show the light 6 points from right aft on each side of the vessel.



(c) When propelled by both sail and machinery a motorboat shall carry the lights required by this section for a motorboat propelled by machinery only.



(d) Every white light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least 2 miles. Every colored light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least one mile. The word "visible" in this paragraph, when applied to lights, means visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere.



(e) Any motorboat may carry and exhibit the lights required by the federal requirements for preventing collisions at sea, 1960, International Rules of the Road, federal act of September 24, 1963, 33 USC 1051-1053, 1061-1094, 77 Stat. 194-210, as amended, in lieu of the lights required by this section.

[joey2665]

Now that clears it up.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by joey2665

Now that clears it up.

I agree - clear as mud!

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

I agree - clear as mud!

[joey2665]

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

Interesting. laws have changed? I got a ticket anchoring off Timber Island one night by a cadet officer, he stated the red/green bow lights shall be displayed when anchoring. I showed him my NH Boater's manual and it states that the red/green lights shall be display only when under way.

I contested the ticket. While I was waiting for the court date, an apologetic letter from marine patrol came in the mail asking me to disregard the summon.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

See, that's what bothers me. This answer is contradictory to the law, which prohibits bow lights from being on when anchored. So the poor guy that gets this advice from one MP person, has the potential to get a ticket from another. Makes no sense to me.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

See, that's what bothers me. This answer is contradictory to the law, which prohibits bow lights from being on when anchored. So the poor guy that gets this advice from one MP person, has the potential to get a ticket from another. Makes no sense to me.

I agree, he did say it was an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol and this is mainly because the law preceded this type of lighting on pleasure boats.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

Thanks for reporting back!

So you must have your NAVIGATION lights on so other boaters know your anchored...Huh??... I must say I do not agree whatsoever with what Marine Patrol told you. I agree with Seaplane Pilot that this is completely contradictory to the law as is currently written.

Bow lights (red / green) should only be on when underway, this is how other boats know you are a moving vessel. This is also a boating standard! When anchored, just the all around White stern light should be on... I don’t get it... I would rather they wouldn’t allow accent lighting at all and make bow / stern anchor and nav lights they way they should be. Makes no sense to me...

Thanks again for taking the time to ask!

Dan

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Just an FYI...the under water accent lighting is illegal in NH while underway or anchored. This is direct from Marine Patrol who gave me a warning for it a couple years ago while anchored.

Dan

Dan is correct. My neighbor bought one of the biggest if not the biggest toon on the lake from Thurston's. When he turns on the nav or anchor light both outside pontoons will light up just below the waterline. First night out he was stop by marine patrol and was told only the nav or anchor light is to be displayed. There was an altercation between the LEO and the owner as the owner could not switch off the LED lights without switching off the nav or anchor lights. The owner was told he cannot go anywhere without any lights. He would have to cut the wires or pull the fuse, just turn the LED lights off!
I don't what he did to turn the LED off but he did tell me Thurston told home it was his problem. He ended up putting an extra light switch on the dash for the LED lights. He found out he was not the only one.

I was stop once for having the cockpit lights on underway. Cockpit lights and cabin lights are not allowed under way. Maybe Skip or Capt Dunleavy can clarify for us.