# LED Light bar courtesy



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Turn off those darn LED lights and turn on the NAV lights


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

R-Dub said:


> Good Afternoon All and hope everyone is well. A friend of mine is going to start doing some night fishing and is about to install an LED light bar on his console so he posed the question. What is the common courtesy for boaters when approaching each other in a common navigable waterway?


Courtesy is to not blind other boaters. Other boater might decide to put a spotlight in your face if you're blinding him.

The legal reason is that you're not allowed to display lighting that blinds or obscures legally required navigation lights.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Turn that shit off unless there are no boats in sight. If you want a big problem run down the ICW and into the marina with that blinding bar lit up. Very limited use.


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## mavdog32 (Apr 5, 2019)

Commercial boats in homosassa dont have this one figured out.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

My run home about a week ago well before nautical twilight. 3 idiots coming at me. With the furthest probably 3 miles away. The ONLY good thing here is that the furthest one turned into my canals just behind me and instead of riding home lit up by his efffing lights, I stopped to put him in front of me. About the time he got around me good, the blue lights popped on and the game wardens pulled him. I surely hope they wrote a ticket for that freakin’ light, but I bet they didn’t.

I’d tell your buddy to not install the thing.


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## R-Dub (May 15, 2018)

The “what not to do” Input definitely has value and I can see using them under power can and is a severe issue for other boaters and I see them on plenty of boats, but have never put much thought into it. I’ve had the misery of passing an oncoming barge on the ICW plenty of times. There’s some concrete info in the Nav Rules 101 I can share with him too.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Anyone that pulls into the marina with their light bar on gets an ass chewing. All the guides hate these damn light bars because like everything, ignorant people don’t know common courtesy or navigational common sense. It’s a status symbol for many to see who can get the biggest, most and brightest light bars on their $80k live bait taxis.


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## R-Dub (May 15, 2018)

Don’t forget the loudest speakers on the market. Gotta make sure EVERYONE hears their Georgia Florida Line...


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

Hate Them !


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## R-Dub (May 15, 2018)

I hate Georgia Florida Line too...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

R-Dub said:


> I hate Georgia Florida Line too...


GFL=gay for life


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## Backlasher (May 20, 2016)

Outlaw that POS. Between the light bar, colored LED cockpit and transom lights, and the stereo blasting some shit being passed off as country, the waterway at night is as bad as I10 through downtown San Antonio or Houston. The push boats do use a spotlight occasionally but I have no issue with anyone needing to light up the water if you are pushing a couple hundred feet of barge.

Somehow we managed to get around at night just fine for many years with little red, green and white lights and maybe a small handheld spotlight in tight quarters.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Light bar on his skiff? Does he own a jet ski to?


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## R-Dub (May 15, 2018)

Bay boat. No jet ski.


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

I'm always amazed & mystified why people fishing would want their music blasting.
Can't get away from them fast enough.
I digress, kill the light bars.....ICM


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

We where at the marina this afternoon putting gas in my son in laws boat. Herd load music a here come some younger folks using only one of two engines. The engine tilted up had a mangled prop. Probably hit Frying Pan Shoals while dancing to the music


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## AggieFlyGuy (Jun 12, 2018)

I cannot imagine a light bar on a skiff. Give me an old school Q-Beam and stay off my lawn, damn it!!!!


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

There are some very interesting sights to beheld in the middle of the night under lights.
Just don't do it around other boats...


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