No boats dont need headlights. they need to learn basic navigation slow down and pay attention. It's very is to navigate at night if you know what your doing.

True as stated above. When you take the coast guard exams for marine lincense's a large section of the test is night identification of vessels. It is call color regs. Test is black screen with different colored dots simulating the different running lights of vessels. Everything from a 16' john boat to a ocean freighter, to different lights on obsticals.
If you use your dock lights running, they over power your running lights, bounce off water, create glare for yourself and the others coming toward you etc. At night if you use your navigation lights correctly I should be able to tell how long vessel is, if your running or anchored, coming or going, quartering left or right, sail or powered, and more.
So when running dock lights you severly diminish this ability. Very dangereous if running in a body of water that has LARGE vessels in it. I assure you those individuals have captains license and they know their "lights".
Use a spot light intermittantly as needed, slow down, use the moonlight and GPS. We do alot of night riding but as stated above you have to pick a good night for it and plan for the unexpected.
Also it is against the law to use docking lights for headlights.
Hope this helps.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nni8gblrcJM&feature=PlayList&p=F6D12855AF2 3C803&playnext=1&index=4[/YOUTUBE]

dock lights
 

dock lights on also makes it virtually impossible for other boaters to see your bow red/green navigation lights. They're there for a reason.
I'm just glad folks ask the questions when they have them.
Smart boater is one who asks if he is in doubt.

Gare


Thumbs up for the good question not the dock lights.

I find at night I tend to use my docking lights often. Mostly because while in the no wake zones it is a pain in the ass to see the buoys. It also helped greatly on the trip through the intercoastal on the way to Atlantic city(9pm). The city's lights were literally blinding, washing out the unlit day markers. The gps was basically useless on the way there because it was a virgin trip and I had no waypoints or the chart for the area (only paper charts). Ironically what got me through it was my iPhone!! I brought up google maps and went to the satellite view and could easily track myself via gps right through the channel. Upon arrival I quickly purchased the iNavX app for $49.95 which gives you charts for anywhere you are.

The lights on my boat are angled just right if you are at idle.

I noticed all the talk about nav and anchor lights on Iboats. On my boat when turning the switch on (one way switch, not a two way switch) the nav (green&red,stern) are on and so is the anchor light. There is no way of switching from nav & anchor lights or just anchor light on...Maybe its time to rewire the light's on the boat?
Erik

flir.

My 311 has switch for Navigational Lights .... red/green running lights and white light mounted on the Stern ....

And a switch for the Anchor Light ....which is the "360" Light ....mine is a LED that retracts .....

I believe in the past you did not have to run the "360" light while underway .....But now you do ...its been years since they changed that rule .... Personally I dislike running with the "360" light because it tends to blind you ....I can see alot better without it ....of course I guess somone might not be able to spot you as easy either ......m

Yeah what stinks is my "360" degree anchor light is just infront of my windshield...so while underway and having the anchor light on is really no good for my eyes. Its bright and makes it so much harder to operate my boat at night because the anchor light is infront of me!

Man I would Definately fix that!!!! put an Anchor light on rear port side .... At Nite I kill the dash lites too ..... I have red lamps in the dash but kill them anyway .... a dimmer is on the list ......m