Cup holders

Wisco

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I have blue illuminated cup holders on my Bennington, but in Wi we can't have blue. Is it difficult to pop out the factory and replace with after market?
 
First off, why can't you have blue? So most of the cup holders pop out or are slightly glued in place with silicone. I don't think you can just replace the LED light ring. However, I just replaced all my speakers and the factory ones as well as the ones i put in, all have lights. All the colors are already there. You just choose the wire of the color you want and apply power to it. So you might want to pull a cup holder that is easy to get to, or look at the one above the helm from inside the helm to see if you can change the wiring to get a different color.
 
State of Wisconsin doesn’t allow the blue. Thanks for your help.
They don’t allow blue cup holder or side lighting? The cup holders are in the boat Why on earth would that matter.
 
They allow no blue lights at all due to lake patrols blue lights, ridiculous to me. I now have to change the colors for my speakers, cup holders and the string that was run in the Bimini support.
 
Interesting as i boat in Missouri and first time was stopped Memorial day weekend for running with my sidelights on. Three years running with them never stopped. The patrol told me i could not run with them as they may interfere with navigation lights. Well, i researched this after this incident. There is no law on the books prohibiting anyone from running with side lighting. I talked with laywer friend who did some researched and he found same thing i did. He said they are trying to use navigation section to prohibit running with side lighting but it does not clearly prohibit other lights. They are just telling people no with no law on the books. I will not comply.
 
It’s nuts, cup holders and speakers are below the rail and for the most part can’t be seen. The Bimini maybe as it looks like their light bar but it’s not flashing.
 
Here is marine safety alert from the US Coast Guard.
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/Alerts/1015.pdf

The important thing to note here is as follows:
Boaters should be concerned about installing “decora- tive” lighting on their boats in various places, including underwater, on the rubrail, or just above the waterline. Care must be taken that these lights:
  • cannot be mistaken for navigation lights,
  • do not impair the visibility or distinctive character of approved and properly placed navigation lights, and
  • do not interfere with the operator’s ability to maintain a proper lookout. Such circumstances may represent a violation of Rule 20.
LEDs under rub rail surrounding vessel.
SAFETY ALERT 10-15
Rule 20 specifies that only those lights prescribed, or those that don’t interfere with those prescribed, may be used. Haphazard installation of additional lighting must be avoided. A violation can occur if the installation of additional lights can be construed as a light required by the Rules for another vessel. For instance, blue underwater LED lights can appear to be flashing if there is any wave action, giving the ap- pearance of a flashing blue light only authorized to be used by law enforcement vessels per 33 CFR 88.05.
 
Thx for your guidance, Wi DNR just said cup holders and speaker lights are good but Lake District May have different rules which I’ve found none on their website, waiting for a response from their leadership.
 
I looked at the cup holders and it's only one color. But my stock speakers were mulitiple so you could change those.
 
The LED cup holders in my 2020 SSBXP are from ITC Marine. If there are four wires going to the bottom of the cup holder, you can change the color. If there are only two, you're stuck with blue.

ITC Marine LED cup holder

LED cup holder.jpg

Ken
 
Interior lights below the rails should not matter.
 
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Here is marine safety alert from the US Coast Guard.
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/Alerts/1015.pdf

The important thing to note here is as follows:
Boaters should be concerned about installing “decora- tive” lighting on their boats in various places, including underwater, on the rubrail, or just above the waterline. Care must be taken that these lights:
  • cannot be mistaken for navigation lights,
  • do not impair the visibility or distinctive character of approved and properly placed navigation lights, and
  • do not interfere with the operator’s ability to maintain a proper lookout. Such circumstances may represent a violation of Rule 20.
LEDs under rub rail surrounding vessel.
SAFETY ALERT 10-15
Rule 20 specifies that only those lights prescribed, or those that don’t interfere with those prescribed, may be used. Haphazard installation of additional lighting must be avoided. A violation can occur if the installation of additional lights can be construed as a light required by the Rules for another vessel. For instance, blue underwater LED lights can appear to be flashing if there is any wave action, giving the ap- pearance of a flashing blue light only authorized to be used by law enforcement vessels per 33 CFR 88.05.

Solid information for some, but Coast Guard regulations do not apply to my lake since there is no way to boat to the Coast. The only things that do apply are state statutes. And I bolded / underlined all the soft language in that alert. None of that is law so I don't think it would hold up in court. I realize I may get stopped by law enforcement for running my lights, but I am very confident I am not breaking any law applicable where I boat.

The former head officer (of about 30) who patrol my lake is an acquaintance of mine. I discussed this with him in detail about 5 years ago and showed him my lights at night at the dock. He said I had nothing to worry about.
 
Our lake looks like an alien attack or Christmas on Friday and Saturday nights from all the boats lit up.
But we are in the great state of Texas where most cops have courtesy and common sense.
 
Here is marine safety alert from the US Coast Guard.
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/Alerts/1015.pdf

The important thing to note here is as follows:
Boaters should be concerned about installing “decora- tive” lighting on their boats in various places, including underwater, on the rubrail, or just above the waterline. Care must be taken that these lights:
  • cannot be mistaken for navigation lights,
  • do not impair the visibility or distinctive character of approved and properly placed navigation lights, and
  • do not interfere with the operator’s ability to maintain a proper lookout. Such circumstances may represent a violation of Rule 20.
LEDs under rub rail surrounding vessel.
SAFETY ALERT 10-15
Rule 20 specifies that only those lights prescribed, or those that don’t interfere with those prescribed, may be used. Haphazard installation of additional lighting must be avoided. A violation can occur if the installation of additional lights can be construed as a light required by the Rules for another vessel. For instance, blue underwater LED lights can appear to be flashing if there is any wave action, giving the ap- pearance of a flashing blue light only authorized to be used by law enforcement vessels per 33 CFR 88.05.
Completely insane. Any lighting is only likely to make you more visible to other boaters, thereby increasing safety.
 
You are wrong. If I am moving at night and I cannot see your navigation lights because you are lite up like a christmas tree you are putting me and my family in danger. The rules of navigation are from hundreds of years what works. Learn boating rules and turn off the leds will moving.
 
The key to understanding the traditional navigation lighting rules is it helps you determine placement and direction of motion of a boat when it is pitch dark out in a 360 degree operational world on the water. It is not just about seeing the other boats (easy with any lights) but also understand their direction, rate of motion, facing directly at me, on an angle, is aft facing me, etc... so as to navigate around them. Hence colored forward facing green and red lights, and a white anchor light.
 
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Jeff You said it better than me. For 20 years I picked up our friends at night to bring to the houseboats. 10 miles at night, i need to know if you are anchored or moving and direction of travel as you need to know my direction. The rules of the road are for everybody's safety.
 
Sorry, I strongly disagree that traditional tiny red/yellow/white lights are safer than LED strip lights mounted between the playpen and the pontoons.

In 2014, we had two separate boat wrecks at night a mile from my house that each killed two people. In the first, a 24 ft center console crashed virtually head on into a a 22 ft bow rider. Two women on the bow rider were killed. About twenty minutes later just hundreds of yards away, a different large center console rode over a jon boat killing two men aboard. Speculation is that the driver of the center console in the second wreck was distracted by the emergency response boats and other boats assisting the first wreck so he didn't see the jon boat crossing directly in front of him. Alcohol played a factor as just about everybody in all four boats was under the influence. But that's another discussion.

Three charged in deadly Lake Murray accidents, details released

Then in 2017, a very close friend of mine was heading home at night in his 32 ft center console when a bass boat carrying three men failed to yield the right of way and were run over by the center console. Two of the three in the bass boat died and three of the four in the center console were injured. My friend was not drunk and was not charged, but the three in the bass boat were all under the influence of multiple substances.

DNR releases final report on deadly Lake Murray boat crash

Then last September, an acquaintance of mine left our regular waterfront bar/restaurant at night in his 28 ft Baja. As soon as he cleared the no wake zone, he powered up to come on plane. He ran over a pontoon boat crossing his path, killing one injuring two (one very severely). He is awaiting trial on BUI charges and also multiple civil suits.

Man charged with felony BUI in deadly Lake Murray boat crash

My point is....While only one of the eight boats involved in these crashes was a pontoon, I'm convinced all (or at least most) of them would not have happened if the boats had more lights on them than the ridiculously tiny red, green and white navigational lights that have been the standard for probably a hundred years..

I run blue LED's on the outside of my pontoon. The lights themselves are not visible, but they light up the pontoons and water around them. I can see a pontoon with similar lights from literally two miles away. I don't have any trouble determining which direction they are moving and, more importantly, I have plenty of time to avoid a collision. My boat is 22+ feet long and my LED light strips are 16.4 feet long. My LED lights stop at least three feet from my red and green front navigational lights , so they do not interfere with anyone's ability to see the.
 
Not trying to be argumentative, and just stating why the rules are as they are. I hear your points Sundog, but it seems to me the common variable in every antidotal situation you provided above was operating a water vehicle under the influence. I guess I would cite that as the problem, not the traditional recognized red/green/white lights. OUI over-rides most any safety measures.

However, it is not like any of us will settle this issue. My guess is the Coast Guard and other safety related groups actually have studies on this stuff, and it would put to rest any of our “opinions” as to what is most safe. I am not even saying that the traditional way is more safe. I am just saying that studies are likely out there that indicate what is.

My personal guess is that it is in fact the traditional red/green/white lights or otherwise the rules would have been changed. However, I also concede maybe the studies show it is safer with the newer colored LED’s and safety regulations just haven't caught up yet. I honestly have no idea personally in that regard.

Interesting conversion and points of view.
 
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