Technicalities aside, night boating can be a real
"Iffy".
Last year, three things were mentioned here that transcend what's "legal":
1) A swim raft was announced that it had "broken free" and its location wasn't known for >24 hours.
2) A pair of boats passed before my eyes -- before sundown -- to the West. And 1½ hours later, now in the dark, passed by again to the East. The occupants were two small boys, and the older boy was getting the two of them home -- tied together. He was using a single oar.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...8&postcount=22
3) Nyctalopia. (Night-blindness) affects 1 out of 50 boaters. Additionally, one's night vision is also affected negatively by radial keratotamy and LASIK operations.
In the case of the latter, the operator ("driver") is clearly the only arbiter of how carefree his night boating can be.
In the case of "the boys", I have no idea what to offer: Calling the MPs was probably the worst thing I did (or could have done) that night.
Although the swim raft had reflectors on it, how many boaters use their docking lights to boat at night?
Answer: A few. One out of 50? Those having night-blindness?
We're left with "Common Sense".
Too bad.
