I am having some trouble locating on the TPWD website, the laws covering navigation lights.

My question is not "Do I need them?" I know I do.

Question is the nav lights location and visibility...

I just bought a Pelican predator and the front nav light is hidden behind the front trolling motor mount and is not visible at all from the front of the boat.

I'm pretty shure the light must be visible almost all the way around the boat and was going to buy a clamp on nav light.

Could someone post a link to the page detailing the laws covering nav lights?

You bet. Just scroll down to navigation lights. The rear light is the one that must be visible 360 degrees.

When you mention the front light, is it the light itself or just the plug? If it's the plug you use a light on a short (8-14") pole that lifts it up above the trolling motor. (not sure if you knew that or not. )

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/safety/vessel_requirements/

I had that same issue when I built a new mount for my trolling motor. The light worked fine but the trolling motor obscured it on one side. I was able to modify the light to stick up above the trolling motor.

The way I read the requirements and interpret the image below is that the nav lights need to be visible from the front all the way to the side of the boat. To me it was better to be safe than broke. I hear that those kind of tickets can be pricey.

The image on the right is incorrect for Texas. The bow light on either side must cover a 105 degree arc like the image on the left.

Not sure how it can be incorrect for Texas since both images are taken directly from TP&W's website. The difference is that one set of lights is at the very front of the boat and shines rearward, the other is like the type where you see a single light on each side of the boat independent of the other. These lights shine forward. The degree of arc is the same for both lights, it's just their locations that are different in the example. The most narrow point of each color is indicative of the lights location on the vessel.

Ok so. After going over those pics and reading the TPWD site.

My Factory installed nav lights will not be suffcient.
So As a temporary measure, I bought one of those clamp on batt powerd nav lights from Acadamy, Brought it home and set it up.
Well from the very Front, looking directly at the boat all is well. BUT! my TM STILL! Blocks a good portion of the light.
Depending on which side of the TM I mount it it blocks either red or green.

Which frikin sux! Cause now Im forced to buy a pole mount and mount it offset of the TM, it will be sticking up aprox 8" and be all in the way. of the troll motor handle.
I even thought about a "bow" light? the style that mounts on the hull? below the gunwales? Im sorry my boat terminology sucks.
But since this boat is sealed and I have no access ports to the inside of the boat I cannot wire it up.

So I guess unless you guys have another alternative. Im stuck with a 8" pole standing up in the front of my boat and not using my TM at night (yess thats frikin impossible! I must have my TM).

Anyone have any suggestions? Well I guess I better take a pic of my setup to help out....
bear with me as my only cam is my iphone and it sucks at night pics.
As you can see when I lower my TM it will hit the mast mounted nav light.
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My bread n butter is night fishing. So I must sort this problem out. The GW and lake police will only let me slide so many times before they just start slapping me around..

I guess if all else fails I can get a bow mounted TM and "RIG" up some way of mounting it to the bow, but I DO NOT want to "Rig" this boat up. Its a stepping stone for a full on bass boat or CC bay boat. It will be resold in the future.
I do need to solve this problem tho.

Like suggested above, get one of the sockets that accepts a pole mounted light assembly. You can get the whole thing as a kit at Academy or any real boat shop worth a dang. I have to use this set-up on my boat too. The pole light will raise it about 8-10" and doesn't interfere with the TM one bit.


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...5005000_225-5-0


Jay

Attwood makes seperate green/starboard and red/port low profile deck mounted navigation lights that you can permanently mount just like you
have done with the bi-colored light behind your T/M in the picture. These should work for you as you'll mount them on the corners of the bow instead of the center. Cabelas & Bass Pro both have them on their websites for under $20 each.
Also, if you remove the light from behind the T/M, there should be a hole that you can use a fishtape to pull wire to the corners of the bow. I have a BassTender that is very similar to your Predator & have run wires this way.

Dang! Worm wiggler you nailed it! Thanks!
Found a set on fleabay, all stainless Attwoods for 30$ shipped.

Great! Happy to help.