Twilight Paddling

Boatman53 · 2026-10-28T13:34:30-0400

It’s the other way Gamma, starboard is green and port is red.
Jim

Steve in Idaho · 2026-10-28T15:21:31-0400

lowangle al said:
Do you need different color lights for bow and stern?

IIRC, the coast guard regulations for paddlecraft require only a handheld white light visible at a minimum distance that I don't remember (1 mile? 2 miles?). At any rate, any average powered LED flashlight should do. Different state requirements might be more restrictive though.

kahel · 2026-10-28T15:40:02-0400

Boatman53 said:
It’s the other way Gamma, starboard is green and port is red.
Jim

If the boatswain had slapped you because you didn't know the colors of the port and starboard,
all it took was a glance in the mirror,
and you'd feel that slap for the rest of your life.

Glenn MacGrady · 2026-10-28T15:58:48-0400

Interesting and excellent thread. Thanks, Al.

Gamma1214 · 2026-10-28T20:06:13-0400

Boatman53 said:
It’s the other way Gamma, starboard is green and port is red.

oops. I should have looked at the letters printed on my sneakers.

scoutergriz · 2026-10-29T09:55:06-0400

lowangle al said:
There are no powerboats on my lake, but I always have two headlamps with me that I could use when on other lakes. Do you need different color lights for bow and stern? I also just started bringing a 10,000 lumen flashlight so I can get a better look at something if I want to. It works great.

I never really had the luxury of paddling after dark on trips. I didn't have the energy for it, and then you need to be able to find your campsite again. I'd like to do it on a base camp trip. The reason I've been going out so much lately is that my wife is out of town. She's been working in Ak since the spring so it's a good use of my time.

Calm and pretty, two good reason to do it, also the fishing can be about the best of the day.

you only need a single white (all around ) light for human powered craft under about 8m (26') if I remember correctly- by all around they mean it can be pointed in any direction at approaching craft, I like the glowstick (usually yellow or orange so it doesn't look like a navigation light) too because if two craft are approaching from different directions it's hard to light up both at the same time, I've been told by several boaters that they like the idea because the headlamp alerts them, and though dimmer, the glowstick means that, once they realise I'm there, they can track it and know to watch for me

scoutergriz · 2026-10-29T09:56:17-0400

Gamma1214 said:
US Coast Guard requires differently colored lights on the bow (red to starboard & green to port) on powered boats and a white light on the stern but I've always thought that was primarily so you could quickly determine which direction the boat was traveling (which is really important in bass boats where closing speed may be 100 mph or more)

To the best of my knowledge (and I didn't bother to look it up), I don't think lights are required in canoes or those other, plastic things that you see out there. A flashlight should be sufficient & light it up if you can see both the red & the green on a moving boat.

that's for powerboats, not human- powered craft...
Easy way to remember is that port is a dark red if you hold a glass up to the light

yknpdlr · 2026-10-29T10:41:11-0400

Boatman53 said:
It’s the other way Gamma, starboard is green and port is red.

That is because, just like when you approach a 4-way intersection stop on the road, the car that approaches on your right has right of way, therefore the red light will face you, the driver on its left, you must stop for the red light car. A car simultaneously approaching from the right , seeing a greeen light to its left, will have the right off way to proceed first. The rule is the same on the water.

Twilight Paddling

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scoutergriz

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