Are Blue underwater LED lights Illegal in your area
 

We had our boat on the lift in our dock. Our BLUE LED light was on and a few inches above the water line. The local law enforcement appears and informed us it was illegal to have a blue light. I informed them it was actually supposed to be underwater and add a light effect. He said it was still illegal even underwater! They told me to change it to white. anyone else have this issue?

It did cause them to miss my son's potato gun thou!:evilb:

On a lift it can be any color you want!!

I think they are confused as the mast head light, all around and stern lights are above water! I dont think the regs cover underwater lights.

I would ask the officer what law and subsection?

You have to be kidding me, the police lights are up high and flash. They are not down low on the boat or even underwater. Don't they have anything better to do?

They can only give you trouble if your other lights can be confused with navigational lights.
I hear about this all the time when they give you a hard time about using spot lights.
I'm sure the the folks at Ocean LED and the others considered that before coming out with the products. They even show them in the marketing materials when underway.

What color were the emergency lights on his boat? Blue by chance?

He could be right. It depends on the local laws. For instance, different states have different colors for emergency vehicles; just like you can't run emergency color lights on your car/truck as that is an offense of imersonating an officer/emergency vehicle.

1) At night, you can't tell what height lights are above the water, especially if yours was up above the water line.

2) Your dock could be seen as "a place a refuge" if someone thinks you are a police or fire boat. Imagine if someone shows up on your dock with an emergency thinking you are police or fire.

I understand that entirely with the boat on the lift as I had it. We did notice several other boats that night with blue underwater LED lights and there is an obvious diffference when emersed.

Sounds like he was having a bad day. Small crank complex AKA. law enforcement officer :angry-smiley-038:

That could be awful if someone showed up that needed help. As for cars not having lights the same color as emergency vehicles doesn't really make since. Almost all police cars have red and blue lights and every car on the road has red brake lights. So isn't that kind of the same thing as a boat with blue underwater lights? I could understand if a boat had blue lights on top of a wake tower.

Not the case in all states. There are different color lights for different vehicles. (I used to be an EMT and FF in a couple states.)

Right, but you can't have red lights on top of your car except for the HMSL, nor can you have them facing forward.

We digress, but I think we have already found the root of the issue.

Well I think if people like the underwater lights they have to use a different color or just know the blue lights might cause you and issue so just be ready for it

Blue not illegal at LOTO; every dock has blue marker lights; they're everywhere.

I was told to change my Blue lights on the dock at Grand. I just laughe and said suure! Not till they write me up and then its going to court.
Didnt have my underwaters on at the time.
But they are BRIGHT mofos out of the water!

And they make it VERY difficult to see Osage Beach airport at night because guess what color taxi way lights are? Blue.
It doesn't help the issue when the airport's pilot controlled lighting goes out on ya.

au contraire, I got a ticket 2 years ago around Osage Beach area that says otherwise! I can also tell you that they'll pound you at Mead, Havasu, and they REALLY crack down in California. I've never been messed with back in Oklahoma though. I even had one guy here ask me how I got the blue lights in my tower speakers on my tow boat. Usually I cruise that particular boat with the tower speaker lights off and my under platform lights are tied in separately to my courtesy lights, just to avoid police issues. I can't remember the law, but I believe blue is a color designated by the coasties for emergency vessels only.

I pulled up one of my old tickets.... And the research I had done. Here was the Cali law.... I'm still looking for the coasti regulation on it.... Most states have a similar law to the Cali one.


California Harbors and Navigation Code 650-674

652.5. (a) The use of a distinctive blue light as prescribed by the department is reserved for law enforcement vessels and may be displayed during the day or night whenever the vessel may be engaged in direct law enforcement activities, including, but not limited to, those activities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 663.7, where identification of a law enforcement vessel is desirable or where necessary for safety reasons.
(b) That light when used shall be in addition to prescribed lights and day signals required by law.
(c) The display of such blue lights on vessels for other purposes is prohibited.
(d) Any vessel approaching, overtaking, being approached, or being overtaken by a moving law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light, or any vessel approaching a stationary law enforcement vessel displaying an illuminated blue light, shall immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage only, shall alter its course, within its ability, so as not to inhibit or interfere with the operation of the law enforcement vessel, and shall proceed, unless otherwise directed by the operator of the law enforcement vessel, at the reduced speed until beyond the area of operation of the law enforcement vessel.
(e) The operator of every cable ferry shall take whatever reasonable action is necessary to provide a clear course for any law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light, or both.

Having a light underwater is not what I would call "displaying" a light.

Having a light underwater is not what I would call "displaying" a light.

Having a light underwater is not what I would call "displaying" a light.

I argued the same point. Lake patrol didn't wanna listen, of course I think he was upset he couldn't get me for a BUI as I had none in my system. I didn't get the chance to argue it in front of a judge either as I was out of town. Luckily it was a "fix it" ticket

What lights are you using?

Freind of mine got a warning on Travis for them as well.
Just know if you run colored leds your eventually gonna get stopped.
No different than blasting music or doing anything else attention getting on a high profile vehicle.
You can argue all you want but you are calling attention to yourself by using colors that emergency vehicles use. I myself try to not call attention to myself but thats just me..Been driving boats since 1981, have yet to be pulled over by an LEO in all that time.

And what's the fun in that?

Abyss is what I have.

You can tell them they must be OK now because Arrowhead has a whole bunch of them on their docks now.

I think everyone should put a string of flashing blue Christmas lights on their boat for the Christmas Festival of Lights Parade.:evilb:

Michael

You noticed that too! lol
Now I have the Fino decked out in the cockpit with the ones that change colors Sweet
Underwaters go on in a month when we pull for bottom job.

WOW! that is a great run. I have a saying, "They always have to be f%$king with someone!" Around the river here, if they see you and don't have someone already then your next. This is no mater what. Boating here must be the safest in the country. I have had numerous safety checks and they are always grumpy when I have an answer to their questions. Just looking for anything!

Maybe they were MTI guys? lol, they pulled us over on our lake while we were running with them on and said they were illegal also.

They absolutely did not like my lights MTI or Skater guys. I bet 99% of the reason they tagged you was to "check out" your passengers AKA Deck Jewlery:evilb:

LED's
 

Can you use red led accent lights in the cockpit or will they blast you for that as well? What about RED underwater lights?

Pics of the Fino!

Well, Let's see. Water looks blue. So white lights under water would look blue. Don't see much difference.

I know this rule stemmed from cars w/ those neon's underneath. If you can see the bulb/tube it was illegal but if it was hidden it was acceptable. This sounds like a cop on a power trip...