# Jet ski fishin at night



## Jet fishin (May 5, 2012)

Is there a way to legal operate a jet ski at night? With the proper equipment of course.


From the Fl. Law

Be Aware and Show You Care by Following These General Rules

Each person operating, riding on, or being towed behind a personal watercraft must wear an approved non-inflatable Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device. Inflatable personal flotation devices are prohibited.
*
The operator of a personal watercraft must attach the engine cutoff switch lanyard (if equipped by the manufacturer) to his/her person, clothing, or PFD. 
Personal watercraft may not be operated from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise.
*
Maneuvering a personal watercraft by weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably close or when visibility around the vessel is obstructed, or swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision is classified as reckless operation of a vessel (a first-degree misdemeanor).
*
Each person operating or riding on a personal watercraft must wear an approved Type I, II, III, or V personal floatation device. Inflatable personal floatation devices are prohibited. The operator of a personal watercraft must attach the engine cutoff switch lanyard (if equipped by the manufacturer) to his/her person, clothing, or PFD.
*Maneuvering a personal watercraft by weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably close, or when visibility around the vessel is obstructed, or swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision is classified as reckless operation of a vessel (a first-degree misdemeanor).
In addition, if allowing someone to drive your PWC:


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## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

I just checked http://myfwc.com and this is what it says about personal watercraft (PWC)

Personal watercraft may not be operated from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, even if navigation lights are used. Remember, both federal and state law requires the use of navigation lights from sunset to sunrise.

http://myfwc.com/boating/boating-regulations#PWC

So, legally it's against the law in the State of Florida


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## Jet fishin (May 5, 2012)

Starlifter said:


> I just checked http://myfwc.com and this is what it says about personal watercraft (PWC)
> 
> Personal watercraft may not be operated from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, even if navigation lights are used. Remember, both federal and state law requires the use of navigation lights from sunset to sunrise.
> 
> ...


Thanks! 
That sucks!!


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## knot @ Work (Apr 18, 2012)

Sounds interesting,, and crazy enough. I have seen kayaks at night with lights. Probably hard enough to fish from in the day time..

PWC's are hard to see like motorcycles on the highway. 

Safety First.

Your right that sucks, for PWC, jet skier guys....but safer for the other boaters who are looking out for other boats.


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## jasoncooperpcola (Jan 2, 2008)

Navigation lights, and SOLAS reflective tape wont work either???


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

Jet fishin said:


> Is there a way to legal operate a jet ski at night? With the proper equipment of course.
> 
> 
> From the Fl. Law
> ...


I called the Luitenant in charge of this region and he said it's not legal to take a jet ski out at night, HOWEVER if you alter your jet ski into an integrated vessel like those tug boats that dock inside another boat or framework. ..I have put dinghy pontoons on my ski and its not a pwc anymore...now its an integrated vessel...I just painted the pontoon skirt and I'm posting pics.. check it out...by the way if you wanna go ski fishin hit me on the pm...


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## Corpsman (Oct 3, 2007)

153 Large fish said:


> I called the Luitenant in charge of this region and he said it's not legal to take a jet ski out at night, HOWEVER if you alter your jet ski into an integrated vessel like those tug boats that dock inside another boat or framework. ..I have put dinghy pontoons on my ski and its not a pwc anymore...now its an integrated vessel...I just painted the pontoon skirt and I'm posting pics.. check it out...by the way if you wanna go ski fishin hit me on the pm...


Cool pics. Where do you put your feet? The inflatable pare looks like it is covering the foot wells.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

Corpsman said:


> Cool pics. Where do you put your feet? The inflatable pare looks like it is covering the foot wells.


The wells are open ...the pontoons do touch my legs but actually help me with stabilization. ..


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## MaverickFH (Nov 2, 2016)

Been night fishing from my jet ski for 3 years, Michigan and Ontario.

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I tried a picture but it wanted a URL.

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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

knot @ Work said:


> Sounds interesting,, and crazy enough. I have seen kayaks at night with lights. Probably hard enough to fish from in the day time..
> 
> PWC's are hard to see like motorcycles on the highway.
> 
> ...


Kayaks don't run 30+ knots.


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## Bobr (Nov 22, 2019)

knot @ Work said:


> Sounds interesting,, and crazy enough. I have seen kayaks at night with lights. Probably hard enough to fish from in the day time..
> 
> PWC's are hard to see like motorcycles on the highway.
> 
> ...


Thats garbage as bass boats are lower to the surface than a jet ski is and, at night lights can be seen miles away so that argument hold no water. Pun intended. While I was in the Navy you could not even smoke a cigarette on deck at night while running in dark conditions as the glow from the tip of a cigarette could be seen a mile away by the enemy. So that blows a huge hole in not being able to be seen theory. Also people not seeing motorcycles happens during the daytime not at night. Get your facts straight.


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## Bobr (Nov 22, 2019)

I just call the fla. boating regulations and asked about night riding with a jet ski. I was told that if you put on the proper required lights (mounted & hard wired in that is) you can. The only reason your not allowed to is because the proper lighting requirements are not present on jet skis.


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## sharkrider (Dec 14, 2009)

Same thing we were told. We used to use them to run our shark baits out. More than once were told it was to dark to run them.


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## Skippy (Sep 18, 2008)

I was told it's because you sit on a jetski, not in it, I went ahead and purchased a shuttlecraft, you drive the ski into it, and then it's a boat with full equipment, the ski simply becomes the motor

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk


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## Skippy (Sep 18, 2008)

Removed link

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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Bobr said:


> Thats garbage as bass boats are lower to the surface than a jet ski is and, at night lights can be seen miles away so that argument hold no water. Pun intended. While I was in the Navy you could not even smoke a cigarette on deck at night while running in dark conditions as the glow from the tip of a cigarette could be seen a mile away by the enemy. So that blows a huge hole in not being able to be seen theory. Also people not seeing motorcycles happens during the daytime not at night. Get your facts straight.


You're calling someone out who posted to this thread 7 years ago.


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## DLo (Oct 2, 2007)

Lol, welcome to the forum, you’re going to fit right in


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Or.... just a thought.... you could get a real boat. Crazy I know, but many have done it.


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## Yellow Boat (Jan 1, 2010)

Go ahead and put some lights on your jet ski and run it at night,,then post back on here and tell us how much it cost you. According to FWC only vessels can be operated at nighttime and a PWC aka jet ski is not vessel . I know I tried it, it was cheaper to get a boat. Please let us know what the FWC & Coast Guard tell you.


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## Hook (Oct 2, 2007)

I have seen the F.W.P. writing tickets for running at night even with proper lights at shoreline It is against the law.


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Maybe the reason it's illegal to run them at night is because 90 plus percent of the people that run them in daylight are complete idiots. If you are in the tiny percentile that are not complete idiots then this remark should not offend you. The number of boaters this day and time that fit into that category is growing rapidly so don't think I'm prejudiced against pwcers.


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