I have a nice, calm, wind-protected area that I’ve fished extensively at night in a small jonboat. Unfortunately my friend whom I fished with for years was killed a few years ago driving drunk.
I’m thinking of taking my canoe out to this same spot for some night catfishing. I’m trying to recall the law on being in a NON-powered vessel (ie, no trolling motor).
I think I simply need the red green port/starboard lights, and the white stern light.
Correct? I cannot find clear regulations on this on the SC website.
Actually, apparently for an unpowered vessel, all you “have” to have is a flashlight. We’ll have that, in spades.
I’m making some high-powered Cree/Rebel LEDs for the navigation lights just for giggles, I already have them mounted to the heatsinks (red/green). I only need a small 12v battery, and that’s probably going to be a cheap Harbor Freight drill battery.
http://www.boat-ed.com/sc/handbook/lights.htm
Yep just a flash light, of course all your regular gear Life Jacket, Whistle, and Bilge pump, no gators in the creek ??
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
Yeah there are gators all over the place but they maintain their distance. I’ve been in this place with a 10ft jon boat many, many nights.
Now, bilge pump? Surely they aren’t requiring a bilge pump in an unpowered craft that has no battery.
If you are going to be out at night in an un-powered vessel, DO NOT add red and green lights… the single white light visible from 360 degrees is the normal lighting for a vessel at anchor and lets vessels under power know to give it a wide berth. If you have nav lights on they will expect you to be under power and have the same maneuverability… for kayaks and canoes it is a bad idea to make yourself look like a power boat at night. I would just put the 360 white light and have a REALLY good strong flashlight to point at someone if they start getting close to wave them off.
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
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Tarpon 160os
X2 on what nikonjedi said. we have this discussion all the time on the yakking forums. Safest bet is to look like a boat at anchor.
Who’s Ready for a Sleigh Ride? www.KayakFishSC.com
quote:
Originally posted by Redfish_matt
Now, bilge pump? Surely they aren't requiring a bilge pump in an unpowered craft that has no battery.
Based on the recommendation from a yaker, probably a human powered bilge pump. 
Tidewater 196DC
Yamaha F115
Pungo 120
Very good point on the nav lights---- I will leave them off.
I picked this up (actually, two of them) today at Harbor Freight. All I wanted was the LED light, and I may steroid-up one of them with some serious Cree gonads. They are ridiculously simple to gut and upgrade. Now I have an extra 18v drill for myself, and one (no battery) for my son to play with lol. The lights are actually pretty decent.
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/cordless-drills/18-volt-cordless-38-drilldriver-and-flashlight-kit-68287.html