texasfishingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Power-Pole CS, T-Rigger, JoeGoes, EcKo
119150 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
hopalong 120,565
TexDawg 119,511
Bigbob_FTW 94,879
John175☮ 85,892
Pilothawk 83,259
Bob Davis 81,478
Mark Perry 72,280
Derek 🐝 68,311
JDavis7873 67,416
Forum Statistics
Forums59
Topics1,037,807
Posts13,934,808
Members144,150
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
Print Thread
Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? #11622545 05/24/16 03:38 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,149
krawlin 47 Offline OP
TFF Guru
OP Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,149
I am looking at putting the Bluewater Bow Navigation lights in my rubrail on the front of my Skeeter.

My question is this....do these serve as a legal replacement for the Nav Lights on the small pole up front? I want to remove the pole if I can...in the way - want this to be legal though.

Anyone know the skinny on this?


Whether you think you can or you can't, you are probably right.
Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11622597 05/24/16 03:59 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 25,655
T Bird Online Content
TFF Guru
Online Content
TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 25,655
According to TPWD they must be USCG approved. To the best of my knowledge none of the LED manufacturers have gotten approval yet. Lot's of info on this subject on TFF. Search LED bow lights.


Okie by birth, Texan by choice.
[Linked Image]
USAF "Thunderbirds" Alumni 1985-1989




Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11622628 05/24/16 04:14 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,149
krawlin 47 Offline OP
TFF Guru
OP Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,149
thanks


Whether you think you can or you can't, you are probably right.
Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11624066 05/25/16 01:21 AM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 319
H
HItec Redneck Offline
Angler
Offline
Angler
H
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 319
These are the only ones I know of that are USCG approved, its stamped on the light.
Rub Rail bow lights

Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11624240 05/25/16 02:02 AM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340
B
Bobby Milam Offline
TFF Team Angler
Offline
TFF Team Angler
B
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjZp4fGkPTMAhUPGlIKHSEpAWUQFghDMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uscg.mil%2Fhq%2Fcg5%2Fcg545%2Falerts%2F1015.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFlfPL8Im6EwOWEWDe5r2bH46bPAA

Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11624806 05/25/16 12:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957
B
Bob Landry Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
B
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957
The CG approval encompasses both distance and arc of visibility and It's hard to tell how the
Taco lights meet the arc of visibility requirements from their drawing, but they might.
I would be very careful with the mounting of these because non-compliant lights will certainly
get you a ticket, especially from an over-zealous game warden who is not familiar with them.


2015 Seaark 1872 MV CC Etec-90
Two Helix 12 CHIRP SI's, , MinnKota Riptide ST80/i-pilot Link, Bob's Hydraulic
2020 Robalo R200 CC, Yamaha 150

Bitter Gun Owner
Bitter Clinger
Armed Infidel
Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11627800 05/26/16 03:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,681
C
Capt Craig Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
C
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,681
Taco's marine LED bow lights are approved by the USCG. Proper installation is required so that they are visible to the degrees that is required by the USCG. I do know that many Wardens and USCG personnel are not very familiar with the use and therefore I would carry a laminated spec sheet showing they have received approval. It is a nice alternative to having to put in the bow stem early and late.


Capt. Craig Copeland
Licensed by the US Coast Guard

2019 Nautic Star 215 XTS Shallow Bay Boat
Humminbird HELIX 12 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3N
Nautic Star Boats Pro Staff (nauticstarboats.com)
Redneck Fish'n Jigs Pro Staff (redneckfishn.com)
Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11631750 05/28/16 12:33 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 120,568
hopalong Online Confused
Pescador Loco
Online Confused
Pescador Loco
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 120,568
Navigation Lights

Power Driven Vessels Underway: Power driven vessels of less than 20 meters (65.6 ft.) but more than 12 meters (39.4 ft.) shall exhibit navigation lights as shown in Figure 1. Vessels of less than 12 meters in length, shall show the lights in either Figure 1 or Figure 2.


https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat/safety/vessel_requirements/


short answer is yes they are legal, in about 40+ yrs of boating I have yet to see a light that says uscg approved on it. if they meet the specs. they are legal.


" Hop, set the hook"!
hopalong 99,999
TexDawg 99,999
FJB! not my president by a long shot!

lake fork FISHERMANS COVE MARINA/reservations - 903 474 7479
Re: Bow lights in the rub rail - legal replacement? [Re: krawlin 47] #11631908 05/28/16 02:57 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957
B
Bob Landry Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
B
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,957
The term "Coast Guard Approved" ranks up there in the ranks of marketing jargon with "Clinically Proven" and "but wait, if you order now". It means nothing. What does count is the angle of visibility and the distance which with which it can be seen. The angle of visibility is easy enough to check, the visibility distance, not so much. I would seriously doubt that there are very many white lights that can be seen from two miles away.
IMHO you are probably least likely to be stopped and ticketed for factory installed lights with your defense being, "That's how it came from the factory". The offense most likely to get you cited would be a burned out bulb.
Looking blingy on the water is more important to many than actually catching fish, but why would you want to take a chance and ruin a perfectly good day of fishing?


2015 Seaark 1872 MV CC Etec-90
Two Helix 12 CHIRP SI's, , MinnKota Riptide ST80/i-pilot Link, Bob's Hydraulic
2020 Robalo R200 CC, Yamaha 150

Bitter Gun Owner
Bitter Clinger
Armed Infidel
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 1998-2022 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3