night lights!

[fishermon]

Ok, anyone have any suggestions on a light that i can put on the yak that will allow me to be seen at night by other boats? I want to do some dock light fishing, but am not stupid enough to do it without a couple lights. Do they make specific kayak lights? Im assuming i'll need a bow light and 1 that will go behind me and rise up in the air so i am easily seen. thanks guys

[prowler13angler]

I really wanted to get that scotty light, but i never got to it. There also 40$ i believe, but they seem worth it.

[Willie T]

If you're like most of the guys on this forum, you have money to burn, you will immediately dismiss this idea, and go out and buy one of the $30 to $120 stern light posts at Boater's World. But, if not then this for you and the other cheap guys out there.

This cost me a shade over $7 each.

I bought two double battery penlights from the bargain backroom at the 34th st. BW store. (About $6 each.. one for me, and one for my wife) They have the little twin wire bulbs that are super intense.

Then I went to the $1 Store and bought a package of 3" whiffle balls. (5 balls for a buck)

I unscrewed the lens assemblies from the lights (the bulb stays solidly in place) In about ten minutes I had opened one of the holes in each ball to just the size of the threaded lens receiver. (used a utility knife, while watching tv in my recliner)

I screwed the whiffle balls onto the penlights.

I waterproofed the open hole balls with a baggie, and clipped one onto a 1/2 x 36" pvc pole. The penlights come with a sturdy clip built in.

Now, how you'll get it attached to your boat is your brainstorm... since most guys have a milk crate, I guess you could tie wrap the pcv to a corner of the crate.

Some of you have seen our kayaks with the Willie T Clamp rails on them. With the addition of a pvc "T" they snapped right on.

We were out about midnight with a couple of friends with regular stern lights (the thirty dollar jobs)... ours showed up better. I dropped about an eighth mile behind the other three to see what it looked like, and the difference was startling.

The regular lights were OK, but my wife's whole whiffle ball glowed white right through the thin plastic it was made of, AND... with the motion of the yak, the bright center light made it appear it was also flashing at the same time when the bulb could be seen directly through the holes.

Not the sturdiest rig around, but definitely impressive for $7.

Yes, I can send a photo of the light via email. (I've gotten spoiled by all the forums where you can post photos directly from your own hard drive, so I no longer bother with a third party upload.)

[LHolman]

Bought a light at Wal-Mart I believe it was about 12/13 dollars that is on a rod and has a clam at the bottom that you can mount it on your milk create. Had no problems with it except the rubber seal wore out but silicone fixed that.

Larry

[LagoonAddict]

West Marine, $19.95 complete with suction cup, white light as required by regulation for the stern...put it at the far end of my stern tank well...works great

[BearsFan]

required by regulation for the stern...

which regulation is this I am not familiar with it. I thought you only had to have a light on hand that could be seen at least a mile away. Also, how did you become VP of beer??

[MrSpectaculous]

I'm with LHolman get the Wal-mart light(I have one) and it's cheap and effective.

[DaveR]

Wrongo Bob. You are not required to have a stern light in a yak. Good idea maybe, but not a requirement.

[wiggleyourjig]

Yea Bob im quite sure bearsfan made it very clear when he was looking for beer at 6 am. He's the man for the job.

[Norm]

I bet there is a very simple answer as to why you will never see WillieT and McGiver in a room at the same time... The man can build anything with a pocket knife and PVC.. 8)

Norm

[LagoonAddict]

Yea, the light requirements were on a chart at 'West Marine....was running with a group that was going out of Haulover on Friday and Saturday nights...I'll have to check it again....but we all bought the lights with the suction cups...just the right height.....simple solution, don't need a parts list!!

....and you might remember Wiggle...Bearsfan FAILED to bring the beer!!! lmao......gotta plan these things right for Sunday morning...made the debauchery that much harder .....

but I'll be happy to pass the baton to Bear for the beer run...I prefer Bourbon and coke or sprite, or ginger ale, or water or over the rocks, straight and neat, particularly with a good steak while watching the NOLES beat the stuffing out of the Hurricanes or Gators or Bulldogs or whoever is foolish enough to show up........anyways!!!! .....

[BearsFan]

At least you were right about DA NOLES. I made up for the lack of any open gas stations for 20mi by drinking a 6er of Guiness that afternoon.

[LagoonAddict]

Sorry for the bother...just suggesting a way to make life a little easier....guess it's open to interpretation:

FLORIDA SAFE BOATING COURSE:

"Unpowered Vessels When Underway: Unpowered vessels are sailboats or those that are paddled, poled and rowed.

Vessels greater that 7 meters (23.0 ft) but less than 20 meters (65.6ft) long must exhibit the lights as shown in Figure 2:

Red and green sidelightgs visible from a distance of at least two miles (or if less than 12 meters (39.4 ft) loong, at least one mile on a dark clear night.

A STERNLIGHT VISIBLE FROM A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST TWO MILES


An alternative to the sidelights and sternlight is a combination red, green and white light, which must be exhibited near the top of the mast.

Vessels less than 7 meters (23 ft) long should:

If practical, exhibit the same lights as required for unpowered vessels less than 20 meters (65.6ft) in length.

If not practical, have on hand at least one lantern or flashlight shining a white light, as shown inf Figure 3, to be displayed in time to avoid a collision.

To prevent a collision, vessel operators should never leave shore without a flashlight. Even if you plan to return before dark, unforeseen developments might delay your return past nightfall.

I'll just keep slappin my West Marine suction cup white light in my rear tank well...its easy and practical and SAFER!! Besides who the hell wants to be hunting for a flashligh when a speed boat iS heading straight for ya.

Rest easy BEAR....I'm gonna place a six pak of Guiness in my emergency road box and keep it in the truck for those early Sunday mornin launches!!!

Just consider it a courtesy of ECCK!!!

[Willie T]

Not all that true, Norm. When I was much, much, younger the tialpipe rusted off my $100 pickup truck just behind the muffler. I figured it wasn't really excessively hot there so I replaced it with a piece of pvc pipe.

A valuable suggestion... Don't try it, you won't like it.

Let's just say I was lucky enough to get the thing yanked out from under there before I would have to gone out to locate another $100 truck. Whodda thunk that crap could catch fire so quickly!?!?

[LagoonAddict]

So here's your invite to go night fishing Bears.....let me know if I missed something to make your trip a little more comfortable!!!



1 - Appropriate color umbrella to keep the drizzle off yer noggin
1 - Sternlight to keep ya safe from the gas burners
1 - Authentic brick from Doak Campbell Stadium to keep hole jumpers away
1 - Six pak of Guiness - Stout - cause I know you can handle it
1 - Magnetic Noles vehicle sign
2 - Authentic Noles junk ( barrels at home but you're not worth hauling all that crap out for a pic!!!!)