Are Docklights Headlights?

Boating Safety Committee
by: Bruce C. Bower

Headlight is “a light with a reflector and lens, at the front of a locomotive, automobile, etc.” per my old dictionary. Docklights are lights on the bow of a boat (in our case usually a pontoon boat) to illuminate your dock at night in order to help you see your dock. Seems simple huh? There were so many people this year driving their pontoons with the docklights on that it was amazing. They are potentially blinding people coming towards them in the other direction. Shut them off when under power, they are NOT headlights used to illuminate the road, AND it is against the law. Think of your neighbors, it may harm them.

Here comes some of what I saw: incorrect lights or non-existent lights on boats, young people dangling their feet in the water while the pontoon boat is moving, not following the no-wake speed after 8:00 PM on fireworks night, jetskis running after sunset, power boats running wake speed after dark, and the all-time favorite of flying between 30 and 50 feet from shore kicking up a huge wake, even when there were small children in the water.

The next and disturbing action that is becoming more common is taking very very young children for a thrill ride on a jetski! Some children appear to be one or one and a half years old. I’ve written about this before, but it appears to be catching on. Just think if a ski is going slowly and a wakeboard boat kicks up a huge wave and is close to the ski, might the ski tip over? One would wonder if the adult driver is thinking about the “what ifs” of a mishap. One would wonder, why do this?

The fishermen have told me that boats are coming too close to their boats when they are not moving or merely trolling. You should stay at least 50 feet from a non-moving craft and give the SUPS and Yaks more room than the 50, try to think of the other people.

As always, call me if you have comments or criticisms. 563.4108

Bower out.
Think Safety!