Boating at night

[chpthril]

Bottom line is safety... You know that if it was legal we'd ALL be out there after dark and someone would get hurt...

No argument there

[Big Wave]

Bottom line is safety... You know that if it was legal we'd ALL be out there after dark and someone would get hurt...

Well said, I had to learn it the hard way.

[illiniboarder88]

I know the rules vary from state to state. In Indiana, for example, state law makes all lakes no wake zones after sundown. In Illinois, there is no towing after sundown, but there isn't speed restriction. I love tearing accross the backside of the lake under a full moon, but I've never been towed after dark. We've gotten yelled at a number of times for playing a little after sundown. It's always hard to leave that glass, and you can still see for quite a while...Here's another question on this subject; does your stern light have to be the highest point on the boat? I know I've heard that at some time, but I've seen plenty of boats that don't comply with this. I ask mainly because of towers on wake boats.

[chpthril]

I know the rules vary from state to state. In Indiana, for example, state law makes all lakes no wake zones after sundown. In Illinois, there is no towing after sundown, but there isn't speed restriction. I love tearing accross the backside of the lake under a full moon, but I've never been towed after dark. We've gotten yelled at a number of times for playing a little after sundown. It's always hard to leave that glass, and you can still see for quite a while...Here's another question on this subject; does your stern light have to be the highest point on the boat? I know I've heard that at some time, but I've seen plenty of boats that don't comply with this. I ask mainly because of towers on wake boats.

The US coast guard rules say a boat has to display a white light that can be seen for 360* while running or anchored (green/red while running needs to be seen for 120* of straight on) This white stern light can be more than one light ( 2 usually works). Boats with a fly bridge will have a 360 on the stern to be seen from the sides/back, and a 120* on top of the fly bridge that will be seen from the front/sides.

*EDIT* not 100% sure, may be: seen from rear while underway and 360 while anchored.

[Lunchbox]

How does this work on Private lakes? I know that there are a few subdivisions around here that have small private waterski lakes that aren't very big where everyone has a boat... I imagine as long as it was cool with your neighbors you'd be all right...

[illiniboarder88]

Technically, they should be subect to state law. Nonetheless, the odds of DNR being out there is not good.

[zad0030]

How does this work on Private lakes? I know that there are a few subdivisions around here that have small private waterski lakes that aren't very big where everyone has a boat... I imagine as long as it was cool with your neighbors you'd be all right...

Becuase its private it wont be controlled by Water Patrol obvioulsy, so yeah you could. My cousin has a ski lake all to his own, we dont go out at night simply becuase its too dark. He has joked around with the idea of putting those big generator work lights around the lake.

[ragboy]

That is going on at Lake Mead as well. Its just not leagal. In 20 years I have never seen a ranger on Mead at night.

One time ran out of gas on my way back from a LONG trip into the grand canyon on mead. Came back to temple bar, to get gas for my trip back to lake mead marina. They were closed, I didn't realize at the time that AZ didn't honor daylight savings, and it had just changed.

We ran out of gas before we even got to the narrows, it was getting dark, scary. Got on channel 16, you should always have a radio on a big trip like that, and I called the ranger. They came out and brought me 10 gals of gas, and wouldn't take any money for it. I asked if I had to stay at 5mph, and he said no, he also told me to turn off all of my lights completely. He said with my lights on I could see a few feet, with them off, my night vision would kick in and I would be able to see much better. It was good advice, that I have used many other times. I went about 25mph, and it was one hell of a scary drive, and it was real hard to find the marina on the other side of the lake. If there was a speed limit and such, he wasn't enforcing it.

On lake oroville, we regularly ride back late, at 25-30mph, and have never had a problem, even on 7/4 when everyone is doing it, and the patrolman are right there.

We have pushed the limit towing after dusk, but for the most part, don't tow after dark.

[CP3]

Becuase its private it wont be controlled by Water Patrol obvioulsy, so yeah you could. My cousin has a ski lake all to his own, we dont go out at night simply becuase its too dark. He has joked around with the idea of putting those big generator work lights around the lake.

Man now thatd be sweet. I wish I had my own lake...

[scoot18]

he also told me to turn off all of my lights completely. He said with my lights on I could see a few feet, with them off, my night vision would kick in and I would be able to see much better. It was good advice, that I have used many other times.

I agree, and with that said; does anyone know if Tige' has ever offered a dimmer for the helm & instrumentation lighting? The dash lights are so bright that it severly affects your night vision. I was on the water at night several times this past season and I would have to turn off the nav lights for a few seconds to make sure I was still on a good path and then turn them back on again. It would be nice if there was a secondary switch to turn off just the helm lighting and keep on the nav lights. Then again maybe this set up makes it a deterent for boating at night. Boating at night under a full moon is awesome no better way to relax after a hard day of boarding.

[Jason B]

You would not even get the rider out of the water around here before 1/2 a dozen a-holes would have the rangers on the phone tattling!! I don't know what it is around here, but these folks buy a house on the lake and turn into instant jerks--tattling and just waiting for something a little off to come throw a fit. I literally had one dude follow me around the lake watching his clock waiting for the stroke of 8pm and then he blew his air horn and started pointing at his watch. He got my best "salute." Jerk.

Our lakes are mostly soooo crowded riding after dark would be crazily unsafe. I'd never do it unless the lake was all mine.

[Moki]

I wakesurfed in the dark this year in an area in Lake Powell where I was very familiar with the area and knew where all the cliffs and submerged hazards were. We used the tower lights for the wakesurfer and a 10 million watt hand held spot light for the driver. Probably not the smarted thing but it was fun. If you fell, we made sure the surfer was spotted before trying to pick them up and as the surfer we would hold up the board for better visibility.

I have also launched at the ramps at Lake Powell at 10:00 pm at night and used the lighted buoy markers and a hand held spotlight to navigate to our camp. We ran aground one year on the cut off pass when the water was low (higher than now) at Wahweap and scared the *%&) out of me, but everybody and the boat was fine. There is definitely a higher risk boating at night.

[illiniboarder88]

I get the watch point regularly. I love the morons who feel that sundown is that time of the evening where if you are close to shore, you can't see the sun over the trees. Jason B, I've heard stories that on some of the lakes up in WI there are only limited hours when you can ski/board/tube. Do you know about that?

[dogbert]

Boarding at night is a bad idea, too many opportunities for bad things to happen.

I know my area lakes pretty well and I still have close calls. Most are other boats floating out in the middle of the lake with no lights at all. On a cloudy night, this is stupid, especially on a lake with lots of boat traffic.

When I go out at night, I'm either fishing or just chillin'. Either way, I try not to add stress to the equation. So, I don't go real fast and I try to limit the things I have to worry about.

[ragboy]

I agree, and with that said; does anyone know if Tige' has ever offered a dimmer for the helm & instrumentation lighting? The dash lights are so bright that it severly affects your night vision. I was on the water at night several times this past season and I would have to turn off the nav lights for a few seconds to make sure I was still on a good path and then turn them back on again. It would be nice if there was a secondary switch to turn off just the helm lighting and keep on the nav lights. Then again maybe this set up makes it a deterent for boating at night. Boating at night under a full moon is awesome no better way to relax after a hard day of boarding.

I agree, I have used a towel, to cover them up. Several times this past summer, we would go to the dock at 10pm on friday night, navigate safely to our boarding/surfing cove on oroville, and sleep there. Then me and the kids would wake up at dawn for the glass, since we new there would be no glass on saturday. We would have glass from dawn til almost 10am, then we would surf. It was a blast. The wife didn't come, so it was me and all 6 of my kids, mostly chatting all night. Even my 2 yr old came with me. Those were good memories, and I am sure we will do it again this summer.