I don't agree, and your application of common sense is misplaced. Common sense says understand and follow the rules. That alone will go a long way toward safe operation. Marine lighting is a well thought out system, just like automotive lighting. What if we started putting red lights on the front of some vehicles and white lights on the rear? That would be chaos, and DOT wouldn't stand for it. Lack of understanding of the rules (or a choice to ignore them) is not an excuse to avoid citation or simply do as one wishes.

Here's an example for you to consider: Your boat is off my bow, moving very slowly at a right angle to my course. I'm approaching rapidly (on plane, but at a safe speed for conditions). I see your boat and decide (correctly) that I want to slightly alter course to pass safely behind you, with the other choice being to pass of right off your bow. If I know the rules about color and your boat is lighted correctly, I can easily do this. If I have no clue, I could end up passing right in front of you. Is that OK with you? I'm guessing not. Everyone needs to know the rules in order to operate safely. It's about more than just being seen.

Sadly, many don't even understand why the red/green lights are positioned as they are. Do you? How about that old saying about the vessel on the right has the right of way? Well, at night, that vessel on the right will have a red light visible to you, WARNING YOU (by design of the system) to give way to that vessel. Likewise, a green light is an indication that your vessel has a "green light to go" meaning you are the stand-on (right of way) vessel. If you think about right of way, and the colors, it actually DOES borrow from common sense! Common sense is exactly what should be helping in the decision about what to do when an operator sees properly displayed red or green on another vessel.

Here is what I would say after looking at many versions of bow lighting.

First...it flat shocks me that somehow no-one has created a version of the rub rail lighting that is USCG approved. Are YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!

The lighting is much more visible in low light or dark conditions when presented correctly. The sticker adhesive based led stuff will never pass USCG .. not durable. You have the have something that is secured and highly visible.

Look out - I am quite sure someone will have an option approved soon...there is a lot of money to be made with s product that doesn't get in the way on the front of your bass boat and require stowing to be out of the way. IMO

Flippin Out:
I think you're giving people way too much credit on the water. IF, IF all people knew the right of way rules, then I do agree with you that every boat on the water would need to adhere to 112* rule. Since very few actually know the rules (and less follow them) then I'm more concerned with simply being seen.

And you're acting like these guys are putting all white lights on their boats or mixing up different colors in different spots. We are all putting red on the left and green on the right. The only discrepancy is the slight chance you may not see either of them if the boat is headed right at you. The other issue would be if you saw both, the red and green light, at the same time if the boat was headed straight towards you. In all other cases on the water, other boats are going to see the bright red or green LED just like normal and know what's going on (or the few will that understand right of way).

Because the State doesnt set the Regs the lights to do not meet the requirments set forth by the CG so there for they are not legal lights. The rules of the road lights and shapes Annex ii for all you people go read it.

Yall are missing the whole point of the lights yes its to be seen but most importantly its to let the other vessels know which way you are headed so you dont have a collision with another boat. Yes they are brighter but they do not show at the right degree. Example you have rub rail lights and they are installed a foot or two back like some I have seen and that boat is coming towards you at dark but you only see a red when you should see both. Its pointless to explain this to you go take a course or come get a liscnse like I have and learn this stuff and you might understand then. This topic is one of the main reasons I dont go out until I can see because of all the uneducated guys that have no clue what the lights are for or what they mean.