Rich Andrews
Well-known member
Do we need to run a flag at night? If so, who do we send our petition not to? Kind of like running lights in the daytime?
-
If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com
Flags at night?
- Thread starter Rich Andrews
- Start date
Rich Andrews
Well-known member
from what I understand you need a flag at night....
Rich
Someone who belongs to ABATE or one of the larger bike clubs could probably find out for you at what point in the legislative structure a petition is introduced. Possibly Bonnie could as well.
I do find it interesting that running lights are required on a boat ONLY when operating at night.
I think the flag at this time is a 24 hour requirement though.
Wait til someone flying a flag has a collision accident at night and there might be a bit of standing for this idea. However it could backfire and a requirement to have the flag lighted with a spotlight or something at night might get imposed.
Trouble is, as I see it, You are dealing with two things at once on this. One is the LAW, and the other is the Comission RULES. Completely different structure for ammendment, enforcement and such.
However I feel certain there is a path and someone may be able to identify it professionally.
Scotty
Someone who belongs to ABATE or one of the larger bike clubs could probably find out for you at what point in the legislative structure a petition is introduced. Possibly Bonnie could as well.
I do find it interesting that running lights are required on a boat ONLY when operating at night.
I think the flag at this time is a 24 hour requirement though.
Wait til someone flying a flag has a collision accident at night and there might be a bit of standing for this idea. However it could backfire and a requirement to have the flag lighted with a spotlight or something at night might get imposed.
Trouble is, as I see it, You are dealing with two things at once on this. One is the LAW, and the other is the Comission RULES. Completely different structure for ammendment, enforcement and such.
However I feel certain there is a path and someone may be able to identify it professionally.
Scotty
A
Anonymous
Guest
Whitebear":fyg771bl said:
Why?!
Can't see them in the daytime anyways....
fatboy0054
Well-known member
YALL REALLY GOT TO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS !NO WONDER WHY YALL WOMEN DONT LIKE YALL ! :crybaby:
A
Anonymous
Guest
Yer here too, neighbor
Red
That was my point. Ya cant see lights in the day time, so there is no requirement to have them in daylight. Dont even have to be on the boat. I find that very interesting in light of the fact that we do apparently have to have a flag all the time, and as far as I know, I cant see one at night? What good is it? Will it prevent a colission, will it even contribute to preventing a colission at night? I think not.
Scotty
That was my point. Ya cant see lights in the day time, so there is no requirement to have them in daylight. Dont even have to be on the boat. I find that very interesting in light of the fact that we do apparently have to have a flag all the time, and as far as I know, I cant see one at night? What good is it? Will it prevent a colission, will it even contribute to preventing a colission at night? I think not.
Scotty
blackpowderscout
Well-known member
It will probably boil down to the officer's discretion....if you have an officer who writes you up for that he/she is either anal as all get out or you severely upset them somehow.
I haven't spoken to our local FWC officer about that but next time I see him I'll ask him what guidance he has been given on it. He seems to be pretty fair anyhow so I'd wager that as long as you had it in the boat at night you'd be ok. But that is my OPINION
Adam
I haven't spoken to our local FWC officer about that but next time I see him I'll ask him what guidance he has been given on it. He seems to be pretty fair anyhow so I'd wager that as long as you had it in the boat at night you'd be ok. But that is my OPINION
Adam
SwampMatt
Well-known member
I'm glad I checked before asking... I was just gonna start a thread with this same question.
Ya left one out there Scotty. We're dealing with THREE things... Law, Rules, and Common sense.
I like your idea Adam. I was thinking the same thing myself. At night, I'll take the flag down but make sure I keep it on board.
matt.
Whitebear":2e87r8rw said:
Ya left one out there Scotty. We're dealing with THREE things... Law, Rules, and Common sense.
I like your idea Adam. I was thinking the same thing myself. At night, I'll take the flag down but make sure I keep it on board.
matt.
Naw sniper they just aint got around to airboats yet LOL give them time and a few more airboaters moving in the state and it will come. Although the ofeefenokee is closed to airboats already I beleive. You see when a few more airboaters move in then the locals will be hollerin just like we are hollerin down here about them coming in and trying to change things. I know quite a few airboaters have moved to tenn, lately and a couple are looking hard at georgia. So givem time it will come.
swampjet
Well-known member
Watch it Sniper,
Your politians screwed with the "Stars and Bars" to be "politicaly correct :? :lol: .
These guys need something meaningless to gripe about.
I've been running a flag on my airboat since 2000 and it happened to be the club flag which was orange. Never had a problem with trees, bridges, or other overhead obsticles destroying or "capturing" my flag. I average about 1 flag every year to 18 months due to fraying and sun damage. If you want a HEAVY DUTY flag, then get one at the Truck stop since they are designed for 70(+)mph down the highway for extended times.
I will say that this past Sunday in Gardners marsh there was a time when I was following BPS, BigDaddy,and all when I, being the last boat, came around a sawgrass patch and there were two boats coming at us and I had to kick it hard to avoid a collision. Then after the pain in my shoulder subsided due to the death grip my wife put on me, she leaned forward and said "That's why airboats need orange flags isn't it?" and I responded with the ever so loveing "Yes dear".
Oh, the two boats coming at us didn't have flags.
About whether you need them at night? Find something important to get upset about. This horse is dead, it's no fun to ride it anymore.
Maybe it's just the vultures coming out to feed- doing their part.
Your politians screwed with the "Stars and Bars" to be "politicaly correct :? :lol: .
These guys need something meaningless to gripe about.
I've been running a flag on my airboat since 2000 and it happened to be the club flag which was orange. Never had a problem with trees, bridges, or other overhead obsticles destroying or "capturing" my flag. I average about 1 flag every year to 18 months due to fraying and sun damage. If you want a HEAVY DUTY flag, then get one at the Truck stop since they are designed for 70(+)mph down the highway for extended times.
I will say that this past Sunday in Gardners marsh there was a time when I was following BPS, BigDaddy,and all when I, being the last boat, came around a sawgrass patch and there were two boats coming at us and I had to kick it hard to avoid a collision. Then after the pain in my shoulder subsided due to the death grip my wife put on me, she leaned forward and said "That's why airboats need orange flags isn't it?" and I responded with the ever so loveing "Yes dear".
Oh, the two boats coming at us didn't have flags.
About whether you need them at night? Find something important to get upset about. This horse is dead, it's no fun to ride it anymore.
Maybe it's just the vultures coming out to feed- doing their part.
FoMeAirboater
Well-known member
I would venture to say that most, if not ALL, of the people making these rules have never been on an airboat. But that's about par for the course. Hopefully they will outlaw stupidity one of these days and they will all be out of a job....LOL
I would think that they would require them to be on the boat at all times (day or night).
Question: Haven't flags been required for a while now on Okeechobee? if so, were they required at night as well?
I would think that they would require them to be on the boat at all times (day or night).
Question: Haven't flags been required for a while now on Okeechobee? if so, were they required at night as well?
Rich Andrews
Well-known member
flags definitely serve a purpose and no you did not need one on Lake Okeechobee prior to the new law...just the glades. I was hoping a guy coming into a ramp at night did not need to worry about a flag on display after dark.
I've pointed this out before, but I think its time to do so again.
I have ALWAYS run a flag since my first airboat. I think common sense dictates it. I perceive a value in it. I am FOR it.
Now the get real part...... I think it absolutely absurd to have a law mandating it. Thats its a good idea is way enough.
It ain't over til the fat lady sings. We got a bad law and someone asked a question about where to inject a petition into the system to get a process begun to get it changed. Sadly i didn't know where its appropriate to submit the petition.
If someone knows the appropriate place to do so please help the original poster with info.
Scotty
I have ALWAYS run a flag since my first airboat. I think common sense dictates it. I perceive a value in it. I am FOR it.
Now the get real part...... I think it absolutely absurd to have a law mandating it. Thats its a good idea is way enough.
It ain't over til the fat lady sings. We got a bad law and someone asked a question about where to inject a petition into the system to get a process begun to get it changed. Sadly i didn't know where its appropriate to submit the petition.
If someone knows the appropriate place to do so please help the original poster with info.
Scotty
SwampMatt
Well-known member
Still no real meaningful answer to the question. Can / will we be ticketed for not flying a flag at night?
Some will run a flag because it's a safe thing to do,
some will run one because they run in an area where they were already required to have them,
some will run one just because.
Some will not run one.
The 'why' is not the issue.
Will an airboater get a ticket for not flying an orange flag after dark?
In my limited experience at froggin' I found that the flag mast got in the way of maneuvering the gig pole around. I'll take the flag down at night when I'm froggin, and not bother to fly it in the dark on the way to the froggin' fields.
I'll not fly my flag because I believe that I will not get a ticket. My lights are legal. The way I'm set up, the flag would just obscure the white "all around" light. Not that is makes all that much of a difference.
Will the first person to get a ticket please speak up to warn the rest of us? I doubt it'll ever happen, but just in case.... We beat the body of that horsey.
matt.
Some will run a flag because it's a safe thing to do,
some will run one because they run in an area where they were already required to have them,
some will run one just because.
Some will not run one.
The 'why' is not the issue.
Will an airboater get a ticket for not flying an orange flag after dark?
In my limited experience at froggin' I found that the flag mast got in the way of maneuvering the gig pole around. I'll take the flag down at night when I'm froggin, and not bother to fly it in the dark on the way to the froggin' fields.
I'll not fly my flag because I believe that I will not get a ticket. My lights are legal. The way I'm set up, the flag would just obscure the white "all around" light. Not that is makes all that much of a difference.
Will the first person to get a ticket please speak up to warn the rest of us? I doubt it'll ever happen, but just in case.... We beat the body of that horsey.
matt.
When I ran a boat 25 years ago, you had to have a flag anywhere
south of SR60. I was out on lake washington on monday in my
kickerboat and don't get me wrong cause I don't want to have to
put a flag on my kicker, but the air boats are far more visable
than the kickers, and even the most quite ones have a hard time
sneaking up on you.it's the kickers that are hard to see. sounds like
discrimination to me.
south of SR60. I was out on lake washington on monday in my
kickerboat and don't get me wrong cause I don't want to have to
put a flag on my kicker, but the air boats are far more visable
than the kickers, and even the most quite ones have a hard time
sneaking up on you.it's the kickers that are hard to see. sounds like
discrimination to me.
Priorty1
Well-known member
Here let me throw this in the mix..
Went to the court house today to square away my hunting license and on the counter they had The Florida Boaters Guide "A Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities" I picked it up since I never recieved anything from the state about the new laws.
In the Airboat section it states "Some areas of the state have special administrative rules and ordinances to enhance safety while operating airboats. For example, in the Everglades and Franklin Taylor Management Areas, no vessel may be operated outside of the Water Management District canals unless it is equipped with an orange flag, atleast 10"x12", displayed at least 10 feet above the bottom of the vessel.
This handbook is listed as a 2006 edition, and it does give reference to the new muffler law but the bit about the flag seems old law to me.
I am compliant with both laws and it would be nice to have everyone on a level playing field especially the ones enforcing it.
Anyhow sorry for the long post
Went to the court house today to square away my hunting license and on the counter they had The Florida Boaters Guide "A Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities" I picked it up since I never recieved anything from the state about the new laws.
In the Airboat section it states "Some areas of the state have special administrative rules and ordinances to enhance safety while operating airboats. For example, in the Everglades and Franklin Taylor Management Areas, no vessel may be operated outside of the Water Management District canals unless it is equipped with an orange flag, atleast 10"x12", displayed at least 10 feet above the bottom of the vessel.
This handbook is listed as a 2006 edition, and it does give reference to the new muffler law but the bit about the flag seems old law to me.
I am compliant with both laws and it would be nice to have everyone on a level playing field especially the ones enforcing it.
Anyhow sorry for the long post
cowboy
Moderator
Yeah Priority,
Sounds like they need to update that brochure.
Perhaps they will for 07.
If my ride extends past dark, then my flag is up.
If I launch after dark, I don't run with one.
That's just how I have always done it.
That don't mean I won't get a ticket.
I'm not too worried about if I will get a ticket at night for no flag.
I don't think it will be a big hang-up for most L.E.O.'s.
Sounds like they need to update that brochure.
Perhaps they will for 07.
If my ride extends past dark, then my flag is up.
If I launch after dark, I don't run with one.
That's just how I have always done it.
That don't mean I won't get a ticket.
I'm not too worried about if I will get a ticket at night for no flag.
I don't think it will be a big hang-up for most L.E.O.'s.