Led lights? I’m re rigging my 16/52 jon boat and plan on night fishing. Besides the required lighting I want to put some green leds on the inside of the gunnels for deck lighting to...

Douglasdzaster Loc: Smithville Texas

I’m re rigging my 16/52 jon boat and plan on night fishing. Besides the required lighting I want to put some green leds on the inside of the gunnels for deck lighting to see by. Is this legal as long as I don’t have them on while underway? Also while drifting at 1 mph without the motor? I was going to put a led light bar on the bow but I think that is bad news. It’s a gray area seems like.
Anyone have any experience here in Texas with this subject. I would really like some input from some fishermen.
Thank y’all.

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Douglasdzaster wrote:

I’m re rigging my 16/52 jon boat and plan on night... (show quote)

Really good question Doug. All states might have a different say on that. Maybe more folks from your state will chime in. Other wise I would check in with the C G or the local fishery folks for a for sure answer.

Is green the color of choice because of the glare from white? Any boat I have been on white was it. But everywhere may be different.

CamT Loc: La Porte, Texas

Douglasdzaster wrote:

I’m re rigging my 16/52 jon boat and plan on night... (show quote)

Welcome aboard Douglas, here is what the TPWD web site says. This is for 16 foot and smaller but it is the same for 16 to 26 ft boats

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

In Maryland from the rear of the boat, the Port/left (Red Light) and the Starboard/right (Green Light) and a White light above the boat at night. I don't think that you can use the green LEDs as you want. White or even blue might work, but the other lights will have to be on. No Dark Boats on the water at night.

Jeremy Loc: America

Douglasdzaster wrote:

I’m re rigging my 16/52 jon boat and plan on night... (show quote)

You can have lights inside below the gunnels. You can have headlights. Look at the Ocean at night all the boats have huge white lights. You of course need the red and green in the factory location on the bow.

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

But white and not green or red. Also don't use Stainless steel for the wiring connections. Friend did that in Texas and the lights would not come on. He touched one of the contacts and almost burned his finger after turning them off. He replaced the Stainless steel with copper and they worked fine. Stainless steel has much more resistance to DC voltage. He thought that Stainless steel would be better than copper as he was using the boat on salt water and didn't want them corroding. Oops. LOL

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

audigger53 wrote:

In Maryland from the rear of the boat, the Port/left (Red Light) and the Starboard/right (Green Light) and a White light above the boat at night. I don't think that you can use the green LEDs as you want. White or even blue might work, but the other lights will have to be on. No Dark Boats on the water at night.

Really 53 no dark boats?

New one to me. Over there at Curtis bay I don't think they got the word either. But than again haven't seen the law there at all. C G early morn, but not the cops.

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

NP You have to have the lights on at night. I Read that as the lic requirement for even a 15 foot boat on the water. It gets even harder for a 25 foot boat for a boating license. Helped a friend through the online test.
Just wait on the cops. LOL they will be there when you don't want them. LOL

Douglasdzaster Loc: Smithville Texas

Yes sir, it was green , blue or red. It’s supposed to not mess with your night vision like white lights.

Douglasdzaster Loc: Smithville Texas

A lot of why I choose colored light it’s not supposed to interfere with your night vision like white lights. My be I should have went with blue since one of the bow lights is green. Don’t want to get told it looked like I was underway. They mainly light up just the inside of the boat but they’re going to still put out a green glow.

Douglasdzaster Loc: Smithville Texas

I do know better than stainless wire connectors. I’ve been rebuilding my boat and getting ready to hit the water. It had plan copper wire. I’m replacing it all with tinned copper wire with has 600 volt capacity and 105 degrees Celsius. The real deal marine wire. All the connectors are tinned copper as well as heat shrink with adhesive that melts inside to make it stay moisture free.

Jeremy Loc: America

audigger53 wrote:

NP You have to have the lights on at night. I Read that as the lic requirement for even a 15 foot boat on the water. It gets even harder for a 25 foot boat for a boating license. Helped a friend through the online test.
Just wait on the cops. LOL they will be there when you don't want them. LOL

USCG is the COPS. Nav Lights are required no matter where you are in us waters. It doesn't mean a bunch goofballs are using them. You can have lights below the gunnel in addition to the required white stern bulb to make hull visible and red/green on bow. Look at regulations because you will get factual info.

Douglasdzaster Loc: Smithville Texas

I’m wondering if I should have went with blue instead of green since that’s one of the bow colors. I really would like to have a light on the bow not to leave on but long enough to keep my bearings then turn it off. They will be able to see my red and green that way. The boat had 2 led lights mounted on each corner of the transom facing forward. I hooked them up and didn’t use them until I came in late one evening and turned them on at the boat ramp. Those things lit up everything I could see deer past the parking lot. Made it nice loading up at night. I’ve left them on it and running them to the new switch panel with everything else. They’re old lights but made are they bright.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

USCG, and every state requires lights at night. Your running lights if you're moving, and your anchor light if you're not.

rapala54 Loc: Nappanee,IN.

Black lights work good inside boat.