Blue Accent Lighting

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Just an FYI...the under water accent lighting is illegal in NH while underway or anchored. This is direct from Marine Patrol who gave me a warning for it a couple years ago while anchored.

Dan

Thanks for the FYI.
Like I said, I have never left these lights on (one time I tried them just to see the effect when pulling out of Meredith in the dark before sun up) when going fishing. I had heard that they were illegal underway so I quickly shut them off after seeing what they looked like. By the way they looked very cool!
Seems to me to be one of “those laws” that different MP officers interpret differently?

[codeman671]

I believe that I heard recently that the side lights were approved now. I was having a conversation at the boat show, I think it was Winnisquam that told me they got the ruling changed??? Or maybe it was too many drinks?

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by codeman671

I believe that I heard recently that the side lights were approved now. I was having a conversation at the boat show, I think it was Winnisquam that told me they got the ruling changed??? Or maybe it was too many drinks?

I’ll drink to that!

[Seaplane Pilot]

Here are the current rules for lights. In my opinion, any lights other than what's described here are subject to the individual MP's interpretation. Why take the chance?

Interesting to see the last paragraph (paragraph "e"). I wonder what these federal requirements are that can be followed in lieu of the State requirements?


Saf-C 403.14 Time for Lights. Proper lighting, as required in Saf-C 403.15 and Saf-C 403.16, shall be displayed between sunset and sunrise. Lights shall be lighted at such times and no other lights which might be mistaken for, interfere with, or distract from, the prescribed lights shall be exhibited.



Source. #2351, eff 4-25-83; ss by #3010, eff 5-2-85; ss by #4562, eff 1-3-89; amd by #5862, eff 7-1-94; amd by #5936, INTERIM, eff 1-3-95, EXPIRES, 5-3-95 (formerly Saf-C 403.16); ss by #6005, eff 3-24-95, EXPIRED: 3-24-03



New. #7904, INTERIM, eff 6-24-03, EXPIRED: 12-21-03



New. #8093, EMERGENCY, eff 5-28-04, EXPIRES: 11-24-04; ss and moved by #8172, eff 9-21-04 (from Saf-C 403.13); ss by #10293, eff 3-20-13


Saf-C 403.15 Lights on all Motorboats.



(a) All motorboats, including boats propelled by outboard motors, shall while under way, carry lights with distances of visibility on clear nights shown as follows:



(1) For class A and I motorboats:



a. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon; and



b. A combined light on the fore part of the vessel and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam of their respective sides; and



(2) For class II and III motorboats:



a. A bright white light in the fore part of the vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 20 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light 10 points on each side of the vessel, namely, from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on either side;



b. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon, and higher than the white light forward;



c. On the starboard side, a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the starboard side;



d. On the port side, a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from straight ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the port side; and



e. The side lights shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height and so set as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.



(b) Each motorboat shall carry only the combined light or separate side lights as appropriate to its class. Additionally, one white light at the stern so constructed that it shall show an unbroken light over an area of the horizon of 12 points of the compass so fixed as to show the light 6 points from right aft on each side of the vessel.



(c) When propelled by both sail and machinery a motorboat shall carry the lights required by this section for a motorboat propelled by machinery only.



(d) Every white light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least 2 miles. Every colored light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least one mile. The word "visible" in this paragraph, when applied to lights, means visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere.



(e) Any motorboat may carry and exhibit the lights required by the federal requirements for preventing collisions at sea, 1960, International Rules of the Road, federal act of September 24, 1963, 33 USC 1051-1053, 1061-1094, 77 Stat. 194-210, as amended, in lieu of the lights required by this section.

[joey2665]

Now that clears it up.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by joey2665

Now that clears it up.

I agree - clear as mud!

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

I agree - clear as mud!

[joey2665]

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

Interesting. laws have changed? I got a ticket anchoring off Timber Island one night by a cadet officer, he stated the red/green bow lights shall be displayed when anchoring. I showed him my NH Boater's manual and it states that the red/green lights shall be display only when under way.

I contested the ticket. While I was waiting for the court date, an apologetic letter from marine patrol came in the mail asking me to disregard the summon.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

See, that's what bothers me. This answer is contradictory to the law, which prohibits bow lights from being on when anchored. So the poor guy that gets this advice from one MP person, has the potential to get a ticket from another. Makes no sense to me.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

See, that's what bothers me. This answer is contradictory to the law, which prohibits bow lights from being on when anchored. So the poor guy that gets this advice from one MP person, has the potential to get a ticket from another. Makes no sense to me.

I agree, he did say it was an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol and this is mainly because the law preceded this type of lighting on pleasure boats.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by joey2665

OK, I have spoken to the Marine Patrol in Meredith.

Their stance on the issue is that if you are anchored and your accent lighting in on, you must also have your stern and bow lights on so as if passing by it can be easily seen that you are in fact an anchored boat.

There is nothing is writing and this has been an ongoing discussion at Marine Patrol but this is their current position.

Thanks for reporting back!

So you must have your NAVIGATION lights on so other boaters know your anchored...Huh??... I must say I do not agree whatsoever with what Marine Patrol told you. I agree with Seaplane Pilot that this is completely contradictory to the law as is currently written.

Bow lights (red / green) should only be on when underway, this is how other boats know you are a moving vessel. This is also a boating standard! When anchored, just the all around White stern light should be on... I don’t get it... I would rather they wouldn’t allow accent lighting at all and make bow / stern anchor and nav lights they way they should be. Makes no sense to me...

Thanks again for taking the time to ask!

Dan