anyone help me find the laws pertaining to 360 lights in tpwd site.
i cant find it.

You want the Texas water safety act

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/pwd_br_l2000_0001/

Here's this...

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

Funny how it's kind of unclear isn't it? It seems that they'd want some clearer guidelines what with all the people out there paddling these days...

I ended up getting this one.

Yeah, it 'recommends' you carry a light, then says regulations say you 'shall exhibit' the light they recommend. As far as I can tell from the water safety act, the 360 light is required to be on when not docked. But it's kinda like reading my divorce decree, seems like it could be made clearer.

As far as the game wardens around here and as well as the Arlington PD that patrols lake arlington, you shall have a 360 light 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise, or they will put paperwork in yo' life.

Heck I do that just for my own personal safety, regardless of any laws. What I don't understand is why can't the regulations just SAY that... Instead, they say this...

Remember that you must carry one bright white light that can be exhibited in time to prevent a collision. It is recommended that you carry a lantern, flashlight, or other attached white light that will be visible from 360 degrees.

Exhibited in time? WTF? Does that mean that it doesn't have to be on continuously? I could see how someone reading this could interpret it this way. And is it just me, or is a recommendation very different from a legal requirement? Then there's this...

Regulations state that canoes, kayaks, and all other manually driven vessels shall exhibit sidelights and a sternlight, and shall exhibit at least one bright light, lantern, or flashlight from sunset to sunrise when not at dock.

Seems to me that this means you have to have sidelights... Hell, many of the powerboats I see out past dark/before light don't have sidelights. A stern or bow light, or both, maybe, but most don't have any sidelights. My yak doesn't have them. Anybody else here have sidelights?

We've had threads about this before. Lot's of "well, the warden at lake ________ told me this..." I get it, and you're right, I guess that's all that should matter. It just bothers me that this part of the TPWD website is worded so piss-poorly. I'm one of those guys who is bothered by vague and imprecise language when it comes to laws...

Lights Required

All vessels including motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, rubber rafts, or other vessels when not at dock """""MUST HAVE""""" and """"""""""""EXHIBIT"""""""""" at least one bright light, lantern or flashlight visible all around the horizon from sunset to sunrise in all weather and during restricted visibility.


�All other manually driven vessels """"""MAY""""" exhibit sidelights and a sternlight, """""""""OR""""""""" shall ~~~EXHIBIT~~~ at least one bright light, lantern, or flashlight from sunset to sunrise when not at dock.

But I do agree the wording is very ticky tack!....... but from this I take the word EXHIBIT as, have showing ...... then for the second point the "OR" voids out the sternlights and sidelights, if you "SHOW" one bright light from sunset to sunrise

Chess I'm not disagreeing with you. I've fished before sunrise or after sunset on dozens upon dozens of occasions. I turn on my 360 light. It's mounted on a pole above my head. I also place another c light in the scotty mount in front of me. Always have a hat light in these situations too. Is that because all three lights are required? No, I just wanna make sure that joe bassboat can see me on the way to his favorite hole. Have seen wardens on a few occasions and they obviously felt no reason to stop me.

It just bothers me that someone new to this could go to the above link and be confused about what is required. It could happen.

TPWD needs to get rid of the lawyers that are wording that book and hire a redneck kayaker to do it.
Man......It's way more confusing then it needs to be.

Tell them I'll volunteer.

Totally agree, I understand the good intent behind the post