Bow/Stern lighting

Pretty simple actually, I just add another length of pvc pipe with a coupler on one end.  The fit is pretty snug, but I added a piece of tape to snug it up a bit more.  The top piece (orange tube w/ light and flag) removes for easy storage or take down prior to surf launch.

Nice idea Yarjammer.  Can a guy use a flashing strobe on something like that to make sure folks see you.  I can see the need for something like this at Buoy 10. Foggy, tons of boats etc.

uhhhmmm might wanna check around... flashing strobe ususally means you need help...

Thats kinda what I thought..  I was just thinking of something (during daylight) besides a flag that would alert powerboats to your presence.

like i was saying, might want to double check.. i think maybe a certain color light blinking once every so many seconds might not be considered a strobe used for emergencies and could be legal.. seems thats what i'd read.. but again am not 100% on that

hope Yar does post that "how to" on the extension ..it's pretty slick

Here's the nav lights I was talking about earlier on in the thread.



They are water proof and I liked 'em because I didn't need to do any modification to the yak to make it work. Just twist to turn 'em on, slide 'em under the straps and ready to go. BTW they are tethered. I'm sure they'd work well on most kayak's bow hatch straps too.

They were about $14 each @ REI but can't seem to find them on their site. They are made by Adventure lights and called the Lazer Stick. http://www.adventurelights.com/outdoors/products.asp?sid=5&cid=36&ccid=82&S=0&O=5

Z

Here's the nav lights I was talking about earlier on in the thread.



They are water proof and I liked 'em because I didn't need to do any modification to the yak to make it work. Just twist to turn 'em on, slide 'em under the straps and ready to go. BTW they are tethered. I'm sure they'd work well on most kayak's bow hatch straps too.

They were about $14 each @ REI but can't seem to find them on their site. They are made by Adventure lights and called the Lazer Stick. http://www.adventurelights.com/outdoors/products.asp?sid=5&cid=36&ccid=82&S=0&O=5

Z

They may be confusing.   Are these legal?  I think with running lights you need to be able to control the angle of viewing.  In this setup you don't see only red to port and green to starboard.  From a distance and at night, you'll see both lights.

-Allen

They may be confusing.   Are these legal?  I think with running lights you need to be able to control the angle of viewing.  In this setup you don't see only red to port and green to starboard.  From a distance and at night, you'll see both lights.

-Allen

Confusing? really? Simple enough to figure out I think. Legal? Dunno. It's not something I'm gonna have on all day long. They're just there to make things go a little better when boat traffic is high and it's really dark. I think it's easy enough to tell which side is which and I haven't had any complaints so far.

Z

They may be confusing.   Are these legal?  I think with running lights you need to be able to control the angle of viewing.  In this setup you don't see only red to port and green to starboard.  From a distance and at night, you'll see both lights.

-Allen

Confusing? really? Simple enough to figure out I think. Legal? Dunno. It's not something I'm gonna have on all day long. They're just there to make things go a little better when boat traffic is high and it's really dark. I think it's easy enough to tell which side is which and I haven't had any complaints so far.

Z

If I'm a mile away from you in the dark and I see a red and a green light, I will not know which way you are facing or which way you are going.

Here's what I'm talking about.  I know this pic is for boats under power, but the point is that red/green lights are oriented in a certain way to avoid confusion.




-Allen

If I'm a mile away from you in the dark and I see a red and a green light, I will not know which way you are facing or which way you are going.

Here's what I'm talking about.  I know this pic is for boats under power, but the point is that red/green lights are oriented in a certain way to avoid confusion.

-Allen

I feel ya and I understand your point. Although these lights may not work 100% to the letter of the law I do think they do a lot of help to avoid confusion from surrounding boaters. To put it simply, It'll make me more visible and that's not a bad thing.

In the situation I most use them, when I'm downrigging, powerboats aren't a mile away but 50'-100'. So far everyone's figured it out which way I was going and I've noticed boats moving out of my way more now than without the lights.

Z

Technically they meet the law just fine, since you aren't under power in your kayak...if I'm reading the posted regs correctly. You're going above and beyond!

I think if you felt you absolutely had to, you could use electrical tape to black out the inside half of each light so they're only visible from the outside or the front.

Out of curiosity, how long to the batteries last and can you easily turn the lights off from your sitting position?

I think if you felt you absolutely had to, you could use electrical tape to black out the inside half of each light so they're only visible from the outside or the front.

Good idea but talk about above and beyond!

Out of curiosity, how long to the batteries last and can you easily turn the lights off from your sitting position?

The site says 75 hours. And no, you can't even come close to reaching them. They are on the bow of the kayak.   But if you straddle the yak and shimmy up a little you can get to them easy enough.

Z

If I'm a mile away from you in the dark and I see a red and a green light, I will not know which way you are facing or which way you are going.

Here's what I'm talking about.  I know this pic is for boats under power, but the point is that red/green lights are oriented in a certain way to avoid confusion.

-Allen

I feel ya and I understand your point. Although these lights may not work 100% to the letter of the law I do think they do a lot of help to avoid confusion from surrounding boaters. To put it simply, It'll make me more visible and that's not a bad thing.

In the situation I most use them, when I'm downrigging, powerboats aren't a mile away but 50'-100'. So far everyone's figured it out which way I was going and I've noticed boats moving out of my way more now than without the lights.

Z

If visibility is your target, then use white lights.  No need to add red and green and possibly add confusion.

I still don't think that technically they meet the law if you were on a boat required to have running lights.  On a kayak, yeah, they probably are not breaking any laws as I don't think it is illegal to have red and green lights.

-Allen

I think if you felt you absolutely had to, you could use electrical tape to black out the inside half of each light so they're only visible from the outside or the front.

Good idea but talk about above and beyond!

It's not just the inside half.  You must have 112.5 degrees of visibility.

BTW, just found this ...

Vessels are required to show the proper navigation lights from sunset to sunrise in all weather conditions, good and bad. During these times, no other lights that could be mistaken for lights specified in the Rules of the Road can be displayed, nor any lights that impair the visibility or distinctive character of navigation lights, or interfere with the keeping of a proper lookout. The Rules also state that navigation lights must be shown in conditions of reduced visibility, and may be shown at other times considered necessary.

That implies to me that you should NOT display the full visibility red/green lights as they could be mistaken for lights specified in the Rules of the Road (Sea?).

Found this at BoatUS ...http://www.boatus.com/onlinecourse/Review%20Pages/Chapters/NAVIGATION.html

-Allen

I can't ever seem to leave anything the way it is for long and as such I have been pondering installing hardwired nav lights like some of the SoCal shops offer complete w/ light switches.  Is it necessary; hell no.  Do I want to do it; you betch'ya.  I enjoy night fishing and figure that is a good enough excuse to go all out.  This will also allow me to put in footwell and tankwell lights as well (probably amber or red colored) so that I don't have to deal with the headlamp glare on my eyeglasses anymore.