Super Jet Running lights?

[west77]

So the season is short up here and I feel the need to extend it as much as possible. I am often the last person (boat or otherwise) on the lake and the sun is usually going down. This year there is a new guy in one of the lakefront houses who bought the perfect wakeboard boat (also the perfect boat for setting up wakes for my ski.) He has been known to be out surfing until 2:00 AM. While I am not planning on being out past midnight I have been out past sunset a few times and as we all know- skis do not come equipped with lights.

So, has anybody added at least the bow light (red / green) for visibility? I have considered some high output LEDs to better see the wake as the moon just does not allow me to judge the distance very well. I was just thinking last time that if the ski stalled it would really suck to get run over by the only boat on the water...

Any pictures or mounting suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Schmidty721]

Find yourself an old miner's helmet and you'll have the stern light taken care of!

We were actually discussing this as well. I need to read up on the laws here to see if a PWC with lights is even legal to use.
There is a section of river by a very nice board walk here that lifts the no wake zone late in the season. It also happens to be October fest which is huge in La Crosse and this portion of the river is right by the fest grounds. It would be awesome to be able to rip at night with all of the people around

 

[Scraggly]

Pretty sure it's not legal anywhere on public water ways.

 

[Yami-Rider]

On the 4th we go out on the lake to watch fireworks with family and bring my parents 2 couches and the boat. We usually head back to the dock around 11pm. We bought some suction cup red/green lights for the front and a clamp on white light for the rear. I later found out its illegal to ride pwc's past sunset even if you have proper lighting..That's the law for Oklahoma/Texas(My local lake is in two states)

 

[ProSouth]

Same in Ga. No pwcs if its even close to being dark.

 

[swapmeet]

Its illegal here (as Yami-Rider said) but maybe ya'll have different laws up there.... eh?

Anyhow, your question reminded me of this thread.



http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/112902-Light-Ski&highlight

 

[davy87nj]

Its illegal here in NJ to be out past sunset. But they sell LED battery powered lights red, green and white you could probably stick on some how. You could probably make that work. But thats basically for people to see you. If your looking to actually see where your going, I bet the wake boarding boat has some flood lights on it. IMO it could be extreamly dangerous unless you knew that lake like the back of your hand. Id stay way away from shore and use the boat as your guide if your going to do that. It does sound fun tho!

 

[augustaf]

In the US, pwc may only be operated from dawn to dusk, period! That's a US Coast Guard thing. They've hated jetskis ever since they were invented. If CA permits it you could easily rig up some lights as described above

 

[gc4]

Illegal in Canada as well.

 

[djraider700]

The way pwcs (especially stand ups) handle and ride in the water, it would be incredibly confusing to other boaters at night trying to get an idea of which way you are heading. Imagine 3 little lights zig zagging and doing 360s!

 

[Shifty]

I believe the law requires there to be gunnels or some other means to contain a driver if an accident were to occur.

 

[west77]

Thanks all for the replies. Alright, it is illegal. I would not do it in the ocean or lake superior- but where I ride is lovingly referred to as Chstermere slough. It is less than 2000 feet across at the widest point, a couple of miles long and used to hold water for irrigation. I would not confuse anybody by having my lights bobbing and doing 360s as there is only ever one boat on after sunset. Everybody else packs up earlier and I know the guys who are left on the boat. That is another reason I would not mind lights- if they were stationary for too long it would give them some warning that I was not alright...

A few days ago I wish I had a picture from the boat when I jumped the wake. It would have been a jetskiier flying in the air and outlined against the full moon. It would have made an amazing profile pic...

Anyhow, thanks again for the replies. I will have till next year now to find something that works as the temperatures are dropping after the sunsets and I know the owner of the boat is heading to Ontario for the weekend leaving me without a partner in the dark... When he returns it will be too cold to be out late.

 

[west77]

I believe the law requires there to be gunnels or some other means to contain a driver if an accident were to occur.

Gunnels... Isn't that what I cut the footholds into? :scratchchin:

IMO it could be extreamly dangerous unless you knew that lake like the back of your hand. Id stay way away from shore and use the boat as your guide if your going to do that.

The nice part about the slough is that it is close to Calgary... that has guaranteed that it is completely built up around the shoreline so as to provide me with some really good navigational lights. There are exactly two spots that I steer clear of and it is because of the depth for doing tricks more than any actual hazard. Really, this lake was made for my ski.