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?

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.

thanks

These are the only ones I know of that are USCG approved, its stamped on the light.
Rub Rail bow lights

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

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.

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.

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.

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?