H-Crate safety lighting

With my new H-Crate assembled and set up on my 2015 Outback (in the garage, not on our foot or better of hard-top ice on our lakes) I have been considering add-ons. After drilling out drainage holes in the tackle bins they are ready to go. Now, a logical add-on for us night fishers would be a stern red/green lense safety light that would snap onto the rear H-Crate rail. I have jury-rigged an existing light from my old crate set up, but I believe an H-Crate add-on would be a seller. Comments?

Oldguysrule (CO)

No on the red/green navigation lights; your not a vessel under power nor do you want to be mistaken for one. I would suggest the YakAttack VISICarbon Pro for the white 360 stern light with either a RAM ball or Scotty mounting base.

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Thanks, Firedog,

For the last ten years we have had a houseboat at Lake Powell with a "fleet" of six Hobies, PAs, PA12s, and Outbacks.We are night-fishing addicts, walleye and stripers. All the units are equiped with red/green stern lights to assist approaching night trollers in recognizing our port and starboard sides to properly pass us in the dark. Gives us some comfort too as silent trollers on electrics arriving from our blind side can tighten the old sphincter muscle in a heartbeat. When they are headon, easy to see them coming.

At home base we have three more Hobies on our trailer behind the RV, PA and PA12s. They also have the same night lights for the same reason as we fish walleye lakes in five states.

It's just a personal, you might say, comfort thing.

Thanks for the input.

Oldguysrule (also Hobie Fishing Team)

The USCG Navigation Rules, Inland Waterways, Rule 25, "vessels under oars" allows you to display traditional red/green nav lights at the bow with a white light at the stern while underway at night, or you may display a white light at all times, or you can run dark but have a white light at hand to avoid collisions.

The more light the better, especially on busy waters at night. But common sense tells me that red/green nav lights 6" off the water will not be seen as well as the the super bright white LED light on the end of a 3' fiberglass pole that is sold for kayaks.

FWIW, if you display navigation lights that violate the specifications of Rule 24, (red/green facing to your stern is a violation) you open yourself up to liability if you are struck by another boat. And I'm not strictly speaking of legal liability. If you display nav lights in violation of Rule 25 you might get run over and killed by a powered vessel who was relying on you to have a proper and legal display of lights.

And if I haven't been clear enough, a vessel displaying one white light and no red/green navigation lights tells other boaters that you are either an anchored vessel (Rule 30) or are a HUMAN powered vessel (Rule 25). Why send a mixed message with red/green nav lights?

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navRules/navrules.pdf

Thanks Rufus,

We have been checked many times at night by the Lake Powell fisheries guys. They have never mentioned a problem, and usually are complimentary because we are so lit up, but will switch the red/green up front per your suggestion on all our rigs. (We have six Hobies on our houseboat fleet)

I also have a 3-foot pole up with a white light in the crate rod holder, and a remote-controled white lantern on the front deck. Where we are fishing are small, narrow back-water cuts where no one travels at night more than about 2 mph due to rock slabs just below the surface. Water is like glass and lights on the crate are easily seen a long way off.

But good advice. We will switch, Thanks

Oldguysrule CO

Oldguysrule...is there opportunity to camp on shore at Powell? Was thinking about doing three or four days on the water, camping at night.

Where's the best place for yackers to put in?

Great camping opportunities. All public,1400 miles of shoreline. Many straight canyon walls though so you need to plan your trip. Order maps either of North Lake or South Lake. We like puting in at Halls Crossing (North) . Much less ramp traffic.

It will be sand and minimal shade. Also, don't leave tents or gear up when you are away. Wicked winds come up rapidly. Carry a weather radio and listen every hour. Weigh everything down with rocks. When you lift up gear, watch for scorpions. They crawl in under any shade. Not any more problem than a wasp but just a good idea to shake them out of sleeping gear.

Speed boaters can be a nuisance. Not much respect shown for yakers, but seeing more small boaters on the water every year. Don't get trapped against a wall when speedsters roar by close as you are going to catch waves incoming and also bouncing back off the wall.

Good striper fishing in back canyons and along walls. Smallmouth are excellent. Scattered walleyes. Big crappie when you can find them. Channel cats excellent every evening on any sand bottem cut. They (all species) take Gulp leeches and shad imitations readily. For weekly updates on fishing, etc, got to Waynes Words Lake Powell. ANy specifics as you get close, give a hollar.

Oldguysrule CO

What type of remote control lantern do you use? You are right about night time imagination. Did a russian river nite float and hearing seals breach and blow air without seeing them was spooky. I also bent the mirage drive masts on submerged logs that i saw when paddling during dusk but missed cause i could see a thing. My head lamp spot barely got past the bow. I bought a newer petzel tikka rxp. Great for camping. Havent tried it on the water. It is not water proof

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Amazon.com has several remote-control lanterns. I use a mini, the point being to let folks know where I am, not to see with. I attach it by using commercial-grade Velcro strip on the front hatch and on the bottom of the lantern. The remote control switch makes it easy to turn it on without having to crawl up there or park. I only put it on when I anticipate being out at dusk or after dark.

Hope this is of a help.

Oldguysrule