A word of warning for night fishermen on Lake Cumberland

[1998tritontr20]

A friend of mine was stopped and given a ticket on Lake Cumberland around Low Gap for having his running light on after dark. I know most guys have a headlight on their boats that they may use from time to time but according to a KDFW officer we are not suppose to do that because it obstructs oncoming boats from seeing the navigation lights. I wasn't aware they would give you a ticket for it but they did my friend.

[Joe Skeeter]

I saw the KDFW pull over a pontoon a few weeks ago on Nolin that was running with the headlights on and when the officer left the lights were off. It does blind you when your running towards them.

[1998tritontr20]

I have them on my boat but don't run them very often especially when the moon is out. I just run the navigation lights.

[worm1]

I wish they would enforce this law and definitely spread the word a lot more. I couldn't tell you how many times I have been blinded by oncoming boats, usually pontoons or crusers.

[gilly]

why don't cars blind you on the road? i think all boats should have headlights on when on plane for safety. there's too many floating drunks out there now with no lights on at all. my buddy lost a leg when he hit a barge with no lights. i'd rather be temporarily blinded than dead.

[mlh1955]

Is having them the problem/illegal or leaving them on constantly the issue? I have a Go lite and only use it for short periods when needed.

[jseasor]

personally i would like to tell the KDFWR where to stick this law......

[1998tritontr20]

They told him that they were running them because of some jet ski's that were running after dark without lights. He told them to let him worry about the jet ski's he would take care of them.

[BeeNix]

I talked to a customer a few days ago that fishes Herrington regularly.....he just paid $188.50 for running with his headlights on. I've been hearing they were going to crack down for a few years on all navigable waters in Ky. They have been doing this on Dale for a few years now, I've been warned more than a few times by the water patrol to not get caught running with headlights on longer than a quick blink, and to not get caught fishin' without the anchor light on.

[2ozone]

You will have to tell more than the KDWFR. This is a Fedral Boating Law that should be inforced by the Coast Guard also. Do yourself a favor and take a boating course or at least read about it.

[Mike Daleo]

I can understand if you have commercial navigation on a body of water and idiots are out there with super bright headlights, but can't you do the same with a spotlight? Pretty dumb law if it is the same on every body of water.

[chris20]

That's just dumb!!! period!!!! The jackazz's need to quit worrying about the fishermen and worry about the idiots on these runabouts drinking and partying on them!!! They won't mess with them because they know they are drinking and don't want a confrontation with the drunk rednecks!!!! All I know if they try to give me a ticket for have my spotlight on, they are going to have to catch me!!!!! Don't think they will be able to either!!!!

[dpage70]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">All I know if they try to give me a ticket for have my spotlight on, they are going to have to catch me!!!!! Don't think they will be able to either!!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>
let us know how that works out for you man

[chris20]

It will work out good when they try it!! Don't see them catching me!!!!!

[chris20]

This is must be what they are writing tickets to.
Section 2. Lighting Equipment. (1) Between actual sunset and sunrise:

(a) Power driven boats less than sixty-five and six-tenths (65.6) feet in length, including sailboats operating under engine power, shall have:

1. Red and green sidelights. The red and green sidelights shall:

a. Have a red light indicating the port (left) side, and a green light indicating the starboard (right) side of the boat;

b. Be visible to another boat approaching from the side or head on;

c. Be visible from at least one (1) mile on a clear, dark night if the boat is less than thirty-nine and four tenths (39.4) feet in length; and

2. Either:

a. An all-around white light which shall be higher than the sidelights; or

b.(i) A white masthead light that shines forward; and

(ii) A white stern light visible from the rear of the boat.

(b) An operator of a manually-powered vessel or sailboat less than twenty-two (22) feet, nine (9) inches in length shall:

1. Carry aboard and have immediately available for use a white light of sufficient intensity to illuminate the vessel and its occupants; and

2. Display the white light in time to prevent a collision from an approaching vessel.

(c) A person operating or responsible for a vessel anchored or adrift in a normal navigation channel or passageway, shall display a white light visible in a 360 degree arc.

(2) Combination or separate red and green lights shall:

(a) Have an arc of visibility extending from dead ahead to 112.5 degrees on either side of the vessel;

(b) Show the red light on the port side, and the green light on the starboard side, of the vessel; and

(c) Be visible at a distance of at least one (1) mile on a dark night with clear atmosphere.

(3) White lights required by this section shall be visible at a distance of at least two (2) miles on a dark night with clear atmosphere.

(4) On a vessel under way between sunset and sunrise, an operator shall not display other lights which could be mistaken for the lights specified in this section.

[mlh1955]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It will work out good when they try it!! Don't see them catching me!!!!! </TD></TR></TABLE> Try shining the spot light at them while you haul A$$, maybe they will hit one of those Jet Skis during the chase.

[flippindrew]

i dont care what they say, if im running down a lake at night, ill have a spot light in my hand! i was down at c-land the other night, running back to the ramp...... if i HAD NOT had my spot light on i would have hit a bass boat HEAD ON b/c he had NO lights on at all. he was also running WOT!

its also a matter of safety, there is too much debris on most lakes in ky to not run with some type of light. of course im not gonna shine it directly at a boat that is coming down the lake with his nav lights on, but i just do not agree with that.

[chris20]

I'm still not fully understanding why they are writing tickets for it. What about the barges that go up and down Barkley at night they have spot lights, guess they will need to be ticketed as well!

[1998tritontr20]

They were told with their headlamp that is permanently mounted on the boat turned on it keeps oncoming boats from being able to see the navigation lights. Therefore, they cannot determine which side of the boat they need to go on.

[chris20]

I have been looking for the Coast Guard regulations, so I'm thinking it would be ok to run a spot light as long as it's not attached to the navigation lights