I have been thinking about maybe installing some kind of deck lighing on the front and rear casting deck for some night fishing. My question is do you think if i recess them directly on the deck will it blind me while fishing? Will it just be a waste of my time? Im not doing anything for sure i just thought it would be a neat idea. Thanks

I think if you could figure out how to run some of that rope lighting around the edges of the casting decks, it would look awesome and be very functional.  Better than shining light straight up in your face.

Jason

Blinded by the light,

revved up like a deuce,

another runner in the night

First off, you don't want to use white light a night, totally destroys night vision. Black lights at the front and back and if you fish both side of the boat use black lights on both sides of the front and back. If you need light in the boat, use a head band light with a red filter. On very dark nights and needing to make longer cast because the water is too shallow to manuver the boat, get the black lights that have one black bulb and one white bulb. The black lite kills a lot of the white light so it doesn't bother your night vision too bad.

Get used to using your night vision and once you learn just how good you can see, you will be covering all your guages and anything else in the boat that has a hint of white light. You will also truely learn to hate a Q-Beam. The cat fishermen and crappie fishermen seem to enjoy throwing that big, bright light right in your face and holding there.

You had better also hope you were lucky enought to have bought a good LCD depthfinder that lets you control the light. Most only give you two levels and lowest level is still way to bright for a dark night.

Paul,

I would go with the rope lights that NEBassMan recommends. I would go with red for the color so that night vision isn't affected.

Here are some links:

http://www.ledlightworld.com/ledvision.html

http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/store/PPF/parameters/2584_415/more_info.asp

This site has the best info.

http://www.affordablelighting.com/LED_rope_light_lighting.html

I was thinking of putting rope lighting in my deck boat after I saw how good it worked in a limo I was riding in. It's versatile and flexible.

Good luck.

Tom

Any light that's always on will affect your night vision, regardless of color.  (some are just way worse than others)

If you do install lighting around the decks, be sure to install a switch on the decks so when you get tired of night blindness, you can turn them off.  But it might be nice to have the lights for when you are rigging, etc.  ?

The best solution I have found is a hat mounted light like the "Cateyes" which are also available in mutliple colors.  On when you need them and off when you don't.

Red lighting will not effect your night vision to any great affect...provided that the light is truly red.