Captains: Question on rules for nav lights when in US waters

Yeah, I'd imagine all those lights really could. (LOL I got that far in the sentence and started laughing before I could finish reading, sorry!)

Seriously though, there must be some provision for running with lights though, otherwise the cruise ships would be getting chased by the CG all the time.

I am 99% sure that as long as the extra lights do not interfere with your steaming lights you are in good shape. I would try to dim them a bit though. I have the rules of the road on the boat, I will check tomorrow.

nas

I belive it says:

As long as any other lights are not to be confused with required lights as determined by the Administrator.

Use common sense here guys:

I have gone down the New River at night in December with some arsehole in front of me displaying high intensity reindeers and santa-clauses all over his gin-palace 47' amateur barge becuase he was in the spirit and it looked cool..

I lost all my night vision and was blinded to the point that safe navigation was compromised.

When at Anchor however, ya can never display too many or too much lights.

Underway, stick with the rules and use brain.

Yeah, but others are also supposed to see which direction and angle he is going..Can't do that if the boat looks like a Christmas Tree...

The rules were written before Radar and AIS came on the market and unless the Rules change, turn off the entertainment lights and navigate by the book.

Yeah, safety could be compromised if some idiot are flying the wrong lights at night.

Not sure you could demand he turn 'em off, that could be close to mutiny as the captain is still in charge and responsible for safety, blah, blah.

Be the world best diplomat and ask leading questions instead: Uh Cap, aren't we supposed to use proper nav lights when underway at night..? Not sure I remember all these other lights from the book?

C4ENG,
Norseman is right (and we'll save nas130 the trip to the boat).
From the book, Rule 20 states "The rules concerning lights shall be complied from sunset to sunrise, and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these rules or do no impare their visibility or disctinctive character..."
Now, if you have a few halogens burning from your stern and someone can't see the stern light, that could be a problem.
As for lighting when anchored, Rule 30 states "... a vessel over 100 meters or more in length shall also use the available working lights to illuminate her deck".
Capt Tom

Now that we've had all the serious replies...

Is there any truth in the rumour that back in the '50s, Hollywood moghuls purposedly had their skippers replace the light bulb in the port red navigation light aboard their yachts with a lower wattage one...just in case?!

Gee, and I thought it was a serious question...

Interesting rule... but it seems to me that it's quite open to interpretation. Who decides what lights are ok to have on, and which could be mistaken for something else? It seems very vague and subjective.

Kevin,
Of course they'll decide that after there has been an accident.
Capt Tom