Boating lights - Danger
 

I have a pet peave. Tournament anglers who don't turn their running lights
on in the morning. First off guys. Let me be perfectly clear. The USCG
says on any USCG regulated waters the lights must be on from sunset to
sunrise. It says nothing about, "its light enough so we don't need them."
Most state boating regs I have reviewed don't jive precisely with USCG, but
in AZ and Ca they do require running lights to be on from sunset to sunrise.
Not last light to first light.

I know that I had a near miss last year because of somebody who wasn't
running with their lights on. I was moving pretty fast up the river. I
glanced over my right shoulder and didn't see anybody so I started to cut
over into the lake I was going to fish. As I cut over I glanced back again,
and anoither boat who had decided to overtake me on the right instead of the
left was right on top of me. I was able to smack the throttle and swing the
boat enough so that we didn't have an accident, but in that early morning
twilight if they had been running their lights they would not have blended
into the background weedline, and I could have noticed that they were trying
to overtake and cut me off from the wrong side. I'ld have just backed off
and let them by or tached it out and cleared them easily.

What reminded me of this was the start yesterday morning. We had fog. It
had started to lift inside the host marina when we launched, but I notice
that more than half the field didn't have their lights on. When we hit the
river it got thick. I ran by my GPS and followed a bank where I know there
is deep enough water to make the run. I also backed it off to about 25 MPH
so I had time to react to any obstuctions or other boats that might already
be fishing or running slow. About four or five miles down I noticed another
boat was dropped into the center of my wake following me down river. What
bothered me was I had to look twice to realize he was there. He didn't have
his running lights on. COME ON!!!! It was a good fifteen or twenty minutes
before sunrise, and we had heavy fog and he still didn't have his lights on.

Sure you may have fished local club tournaments for twenty years like that
and never had an accident, but it only takes once. For a simple thing like
not turning on your lights as required by USCG regulation (which has the
force of law) or your own state statutues you may cost somebody their boat
or their life. And I know for a fact most of these people know the regs.
Go fish a classic like the ABA on Lake Mead and all those same anglers will
have their lights on. The difference is the tournament officials will DQ a
boat they see blatantly disregarding safety regulations.

--
** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com

At the very least I think tournament officials should yell at anglers who
don't have their light on to turn them on before allowing them to leave the
marina.

--
** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com

Another is people using tape to reduce the reflections... Justin Hires
almost got run over on Dale Hollow because of this! Dave and I were trying
to follow him and Joe one night, and I was lost. If it weren't for my spot
light seeing "Something Red" in the water... I probably would have mowed him
over.

Remember that night Justin???

Now, I know the law states that you are suppose to have your anchor light on
at all times, but around here... most people turn them off when fishing. I'm
guilty of that myself, but will turn them back on when I hear an approaching
boat. I'm usually camped out against a bluff wall when I do this, so my
thinking is that people *should* know not to run straight into a wall. I've
since seen people that make me change this way of thinking, but thankfully
they're usually the weekend drunks. They also keep me off the lake on the
weekend nights.

Use you common sense...


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I have a pet peave. Tournament anglers who don't turn their running
lights
on in the morning.

When I was president of our 50 man club. . . no lights no tourney. No life
jackets on while big motor running . . no tourney. Simple. Rule was there
when I got there an it's still in force.

Good point well taken Bob.

--
God Bless America

Josh The Bad Bear

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
snip a needed PSA --

I agree too Bob, and I don't even fish in tournaments, yet.

I do know that the couple of clubs I've looked into around here have
steadfast rules: Lights on at blast off, or no blast off.

Now, beyond the ramp/marina, I guess it is up to the boater's best
judgement, but at least the clubs I've looked into do that much. How hard is
it really, to plug in a couple of lamp posts and flip a switch? A lot easier
than telling your partner's (or competitor's) widow what happened if I had
to guess...

** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com

I posted this in several forums, and in one it was pointed out to me there
was an error in my post. In USCG regulated waters you are supposed to
overtake on the right and give a blast on the horn before overtaking. My
mistake in saying the person was overtaking on the wrong side except I think
in inland waters where traffic is counter clockwise you are supposed to
overtake on the left. I'm not 100% certain on this since most folks
overtake and pass on the left around here. Its been over 20 years since I
took my USCG Aux small craft certification. I suppose we could all use a
refresher course.

--
** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com


"SimRacer" wrote in message
. com...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
snip a needed PSA --

I agree too Bob, and I don't even fish in tournaments, yet.

I do know that the couple of clubs I've looked into around here have
steadfast rules: Lights on at blast off, or no blast off.

Now, beyond the ramp/marina, I guess it is up to the boater's best
judgement, but at least the clubs I've looked into do that much. How hard
is
it really, to plug in a couple of lamp posts and flip a switch? A lot
easier
than telling your partner's (or competitor's) widow what happened if I had
to guess...

** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I posted this in several forums, and in one it was pointed out to me there
was an error in my post. In USCG regulated waters you are supposed to
overtake on the right and give a blast on the horn before overtaking. My
mistake in saying the person was overtaking on the wrong side except I
think
in inland waters where traffic is counter clockwise you are supposed to
overtake on the left. I'm not 100% certain on this since most folks
overtake and pass on the left around here. Its been over 20 years since I
took my USCG Aux small craft certification. I suppose we could all use a
refresher course.

I'm probably wrong, but I overtake on whatever side has the most room and is
most safe to do so.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I posted this in several forums, and in one it was pointed out to me
there
was an error in my post. In USCG regulated waters you are supposed to
overtake on the right and give a blast on the horn before overtaking.
My
mistake in saying the person was overtaking on the wrong side except I
think
in inland waters where traffic is counter clockwise you are supposed to
overtake on the left. I'm not 100% certain on this since most folks
overtake and pass on the left around here. Its been over 20 years since
I
took my USCG Aux small craft certification. I suppose we could all use
a
refresher course.

I'm probably wrong, but I overtake on whatever side has the most room and
is
most safe to do so.

That's me as well Steve. I *know* the rule says to overtake on the right
(and I think it may indicate "when possible") but if the person I am coming
up on is riding with the bank a few yards to his right and 800 yds of open
water to his left, then I'm obviously going to take the open route.

--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

SimRacer wrote:
"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...

I posted this in several forums, and in one it was pointed out to me

there

was an error in my post. In USCG regulated waters you are supposed to
overtake on the right and give a blast on the horn before overtaking.

My

mistake in saying the person was overtaking on the wrong side except I
think
in inland waters where traffic is counter clockwise you are supposed to
overtake on the left. I'm not 100% certain on this since most folks
overtake and pass on the left around here. Its been over 20 years since

I

took my USCG Aux small craft certification. I suppose we could all use

a

refresher course.

I'm probably wrong, but I overtake on whatever side has the most room and

is

most safe to do so.



As a boating novice, I have been "reading up", and the Texas Handbook of

boating laws put out by TPWD says you can overtske on either side:

http://www.boat-ed.com/tx/handbook/nav.htm

http://www.boat-ed.com/tx/handbook/night.htm

Bob La Londe wrote:

I posted this in several forums, and in one it was pointed out to me there
was an error in my post. In USCG regulated waters you are supposed to
overtake on the right and give a blast on the horn before overtaking. My
mistake in saying the person was overtaking on the wrong side except I think
in inland waters where traffic is counter clockwise you are supposed to
overtake on the left. I'm not 100% certain on this since most folks
overtake and pass on the left around here. Its been over 20 years since I
took my USCG Aux small craft certification. I suppose we could all use a
refresher course.

This is what the Coast Guard says online "a) Notwithstanding
anything contained in the Rules [of Part B, Sections I and II / 4
through 18], any vessel overtaking any other shall keep out of the way
of the vessel being overtaken.

Sounds like you can overtake the vessel on either side but they have the
righ of way. In Georgia , the state safety rules say pass on either side
but pass safely with plenty of room between the two boats.