We already have one form of inspection. The GWs do it and the CG does it on the coast. Keep your boat compliant with the safety regs and you should have no problem being inspected. If you don't support that, maybe seeing a couple of boat fires, explosions, collisions, and observing recovery operations might change your mind.

Why bother? Take the ticket and go see the judge, getting more tickets "just because" doesn't make sense. If the GW is wrong, you win, if you're wrong, take it up with your boat manufacturer.

On my back white light, I'm going to use common sense and use what is brightest. I currently have exactly what Marc said he has - a white LED strip wrapped all the way around the top. There's no comparison to the brightness of that LED strip versus the old pole light. I do understand the issue with the front lights regarding angle. I also have the LED strips in my rub rail and at the right angle you can actually see both the red and green at the same time. I realize that isn't the optimal setup, and I will prolly start using my pole more upfront.

You can't convince me to use my pole in the back. It's not as bright and there's no reason to revert back to it. There is zero reason my LED light isn't safer.

From a distance you can see the LED lights much better and you cannot tell they are a series of lights verses one light.

I took a picture of the boat in the water with lights on and there just is no way to see that it is a series of lights.

I was just passing along the info in this post and I am going to look into what is Coast Guard Approved just to be sure.

All you have to do is READ what is on the packaging. It has to state USCG Approved 33 CFR 183.810 with it's info below that. PERIOD Whether a strand of lights or a single bulb. Before you get someone selling these lights and installing them for a fee, inquire about the packaging info FIRST.

What kind of new boat are you referring to, Steez? I have a '14 Skeeter with the red and green LEDs (single lights) encased in a stainless steel housing and inset into the top cap on the nose of my boat. These are USCG approved. How many tickets have you received?

Dumb question: do the boats that are being sold with LED lights in the rub rail also come with light poles and mounting locations for poles? Or do they only come with the LED strips?

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=755598
Marc
I bet this talon one would pass coast guard regs

Just another example of a government agency being wrong and some sort of red tape or regulation keeping people from using a better alternative. its like arguing with a women.... You might be right but your still wrong...

These are what I have been seeing on the new boats and what I plan to install on my skeeter. Issue seems to be the use of LED strips which are composed of more than one LED light.

Using USCG lighting regs on freshwater boats, in my opinion, is flawed. The single white stern light (anchor light) is good for saltwater, but it sure looks like a dock light or someone's porch light on the lake, especially if the boat is idling or sitting still.

A bright red/green/blue stern light would sure identify the boat a lot better in low light conditions and at night. This was brought up to the Evinrude guys and they agreed it was a great idea, possibly building red LEDs lights into the back of the mid housing of the engine. Boat manufacturers could also install flush mounted LEDs to the transom.

THIS<THIS<THIS!!!!

the correct term is...

I rode around with a game warden this summer and he said it is not illegal to have them but they DONT replace your nav lights. So if you have LEDs you still need nav lights.