Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I added some additional LED lighting to my boat. I put red LED strip lights in 8 foot lengths of polycarbonate tubing and mounted them on my bimini frame. I think they look like antennae on a giant bug. I used bullet connectors for the wiring and ratcheting cable clips to hold the tubes so you can mount or dismount them in seconds. Since law enforcement on my lake seems to accept the concept of "more light is safer," I don't anticipate any problems with them.



I used:

• 1/2" ID (5/8" OD) polycarbonate tubing from McMaster Carr. About $12 each before shipping.
  http://www.mcmaster.com/#8585k41/=10j9651
  
  16' red LED rope lights in each tube. (5050,60 leds/m - 300 led,waterproof) I used the adhesive backing to make double sided strips so you can see them from any angle. Stupid cheap on Ebay. Currently $6.84 per 16' strip.
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/181435517609
  
  0.85" Ratcheting cable clamps from Amazon. About $5 for 10 of them. (I used 4.)
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U32 ... ge_o04_s00
  
  Bullet connectors. A couple of bucks at Lowes.
  http://www.lowes.com/pd_135789-12704-770312_0__

1/2" CPVC pipe caps from Lowes fit perfectly on the 5/8" polycarbonate tubing. $0.26 each at Lowes.

Looks good but that would get a ticket real quick where I boat.

BobL wrote:Looks good but that would get a ticket real quick where I boat.

I have nothing in writing, but the head DNR officer on our large lake is an acquaintance of mine. After I installed my blue under deck strip lights, the first time I saw him at a marina after dark I asked him to come look at my boat and give me a definitive yes or no on whether any of his officers would pull me for light violations. He said, unequivocally, "No." I can't see how anyone could mistake my new red antennae for navigational lights either. YMMV.

BobL wrote:Looks good but that would get a ticket real quick where I boat.

That is my concern.

Hopefully you won't get in any trouble, but i can only think of one type of vehicle that is allowed to have red and blue lights on it. I wonder if other boaters may mistake your "toon" for a Police vehicle when it is bobbing up and down at night.

Tim in Michigan wrote:Hopefully you won't get in any trouble, but i can only think of one type of vehicle that is allowed to have red and blue lights on it. I wonder if other boaters may mistake your "toon" for a Police vehicle when it is bobbing up and down at night.

Look, I know many people will interpret any lights other than the tiny red, white and greens a violation of the law. But many, including several major toon manufacturers who include perimeter lighting from the factory, don't. I am of the opinion, for my lake and circumstances, more light is safer. You can see toons with under deck rope and strip lights for literally miles.

And law enforcement doesn't use red and blue in my area. Only blue. Tons of boats on my lake have both red and blue so I don't anticipate that being a reason for getting pulled.

These are the folks we hang out with after late at night at Sandy Beach. The party starts around 1 AM. I'm just trying to keep up:

I like the idea!
You could put some green lights down by the motor and attract the fish.

sunedog wrote:

Docked, Adrift or at Anchor I could care less if light up like CIRCUS CIRCUS on the strip in Las Vegas....

As for myself while underway I want NOTHING but running lights and as needed the under-seat floor lighting as it is very subdued; I've long since removed the bulbs or turned off the lights in my dash gauges

I think it all depends where you boating and beached on a sandy beach is a whole different story. The purpose of navigation lights is to tell others where you coming from and going. If you are on a waterway with traffic you would undermine that purpose. Even running with your dock lights is a big NO NO. We have the annual Christmas Parade in San Diego Bay and all boats are decorated with lights but....this is a special event and accompanied by police & USCG boats for safety.
So the "more lights is better" approach is faulty. But like I said, it all depends where you are and what the local authority has to say. One thing for sure is that you would loose in court if an accident happens no matter if your boat looks like a X-Mas tree.

Have fun & boat safe!

You would be facing big fines if you ran those lights on our lakes. Anchored is okay but underway, no way .

I'm not a fan but if neon billboard is your thing then go for it!

Anchored great but not when underway. I almost hit a boat on Bull Shoals because a Pontoon had all his neon on plus his docking lights. It created enough blinding light that you couldnt see the red & green of other boats and it almost cost me. Love the lights but be careful.

No argument with docking lights. I never run them except when actually docking. And then only for as long as necessary. Turning your docking lights on while in open water is the most sure fire way to get pulled by law enforcement on our lake.

But no one has convinced me the under deck lights are a problem. Lots of high end manufacturers include them from the factory.

I already posted this in another topic on this forum:

"I added blue LED's to both sides of my pontoon. My boat is 22' long and I added 16' strips to each side. They stop 2' or 3' from the front navigational lights so I don't think they "impair the visibility or distinctive character of approved and properly placed navigation lights." They are not green, yellow or white, so I don't see how they could be "mistaken for navigation lights." While they reflect off the water beautifully, they don't in any way "interfere with the operator’s ability to maintain a proper lookout."

After being out in the madness of the fireworks celebration of Independence Day, there is no doubt in my mind a boat with strip lights down its length is much easier to see and less likely to get into a collision. You can literally see them for miles."

I've read my state's actual code of laws thoroughly and don't believe I am violating any statutes with my lights. While there are what I would describe as gray areas, I think I would win in court if I challenged a citation for illegal lights.

But, to each his own. I respect everyone who doesn't like them.

You will be fine. Go have fun. . Don't worry about the law. They are not going to bother you.