blue lights in 485's...

do you have to special order the speakers with the blue glow light in them or is that something you do yourself? also how do you go about adding the blue glow light to other parts of the boat?

Mike,

Mikeski on here had those custom made. I also have one of our dealers that custom makes them as well. Shoot me an e mail and I can get you the info for both.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Soon to be white...

Blue is illegal, already had one ticket.

Mikeski-Did you really get a ticket? Where at? I just added a pair of pro-60's with some more lighting. Sounds like a I may need to be careful at night

Tim,

Did you ever look into bringing a wetsounds distributor up to Redding, or did that Chico audio store stay in business?

I'm still interested in demo-ing a pair of the pro 60s, I guess my chance will probably be when I come down to the Sacramento Boat Show in early March.

Thanks, Steve

Steve,

email sent

Ben,
It is illegal in CA to have any blue light whatsoever on top of your tower since this is the color the rangers and law enforcment use. Sucks cuz I was going to do a blue led setup with my blue boat...Might go white but leaning toward doing some other winter project instead...I hit the water on March 1st usually

hey mikeski how is your ipod sitting there? do you have some bracket for it or something? i always wanted something like

MOX- Thanks for the info. I saw a previous post where Mikeski or G mentioned that, but I thought they were kidding. Oh well, bring on the tickets

Ben: "No Joke" water cops with nothing to do are looking 4 a reason to pull you over and give you a FREE saftey inspection.

Mike's ticket was for IMPERSONAITING a Law officer. Yes can you believe that! I guess blue lights are the Official color the water cops use and they don't like sharing with anyone. If I was you I would be real carefull about how you use your light's Example (never roll with them on) park and use them or just roll the dice.
Yea I dont know why Mike never made more people aware of the Blue light NO NO after he got his ticket. I feel weird telling people about a ticket that he got (its not really any of my business to go telling people on a public fourm about a ticket he got). I did'nt wan't to bust him out or anything just thought more people in Ca should have a heads up on the BLUE LED thing. Mike and I are friends so I know it's not a big deal and mabey he thought more people knew. Mabey before people get started with their winter time LED projects we could give everyone a heads up so the are not in the same situation you and mike are in.
Peace.

Mikeski,
I hope you fought this in court. (although impersonation is probably a mandatory court apperance). Unless the lights dance with the sound of the music, they cannot claim they were for emergency purposes. The laws were refined several years ago to rule out, constant color emergency lights. (again as long as the lights don't dance with the music). They would have to flash, rotate, blink or flicker in a specific pattern to be considered something other than ornamental. I'd also go to your local police station and talk to someone outside of the district you got the ticket in and explain the situation and what the laws really are pertaining to this.

G- Thanks for the heads up. I almost e-mailed Mike when I saw the original post, but again, thought you guys were kidding. I honestly don't do ALOT of driving with the lights on at night, so I will just be more careful. Good to know that I may be looking for trouble though. This just gives me a good reason to trade up a little sooner

I actually did find the actually statue but I did not save it. I am still looking for any kind of noise pollution law. My friend got a $350 ticket and kicked off the lake because his stereo was too loud(powered by 4 pro 80s). The funny thing is there are no homes or anyone that actually complained....we were back in our party cove doing what we do every sunday.

Has anyone seen in CA a code/law that prohibits loud stereos?????

I have spent several hours trying to get a yes or no answer.
Thanks

"G"...Did he get his ticket @ Tulloch? I've got blue on my tower speakers also.

Mikes ticket was in the Delta.

8tens...what kind of LED's did you use and how did you go about wiring them? by wiring them, i mean are you using the twist-lock speaker connector??

Dave: Are you the owner of the Bonecrusher?
Yes Mike got his ticket in delta. Right where you enter Disco Bay there was a cop just sitting there picking people off.

The cops are out at night at Tulloch on big weekend's and somtimes just by suprise. I have had my red lights on and they have passed us right by.
When I saw them I turned them off because I thought they were illegal. I think its one of thoes things that if they want to ticket you they might be able to find some sort of law like wrong navagation lights or somthing. I dont know. Just one more thins to watch out for.

Supra Steve- Yes on the twist lock, although I think they needed a special one that had more wire capacity than standard for mine. Not sure on the LED spec, Cartronics (Santa Rosa, CA) does my work.

Yea "G" thats me.
Thats good to know about the lites. I know in motor vehicles you cant have any blue or red forward facing lites. I didn't think rear facing "marker" lites would be an issue on boats.

Ive also seen the sheriff at night in the cove where the rope swing is, w/no lites on, just sitting and waiting for speeders. Sneaky mo-fo...

Yes He sits there and just off the Resort looking 4 people that leave the resort. Also inside the cove @ Poker Flat's. Dave I see you boat sitting out in front of Paul's house I guess your buddy's with him. Good to meet ya. Hey congrats to Paul I guess he just bought the lot at the end of Pensiula Estates. I guess in a few years we will be neighbors.

wouldnt the sheriff be doing something illegal himself by sitting there w/o lights. thats a potential hazard. someone with a pos boat should go and run into him and sue.

Hey Grant, nice to meet you too. Yea were at Pauls pretty much every weekend. Stop by any time for a drink. Bars always open.
Im sure you'll be up there for Spring Ride, so i'll see you then.

ouch, that's a pretty rough ticket. Too bad, because that setup looks so sweet.

On most lakes in CA the Sheriff will enforce sound levels stated below. Though the Laws where originally designed for Boat Motor db they do apply to the stereo as well. Basically any sound being emitted by a boat. Only real exception is when signaling a distress (i.e. air horn) or warning someone of eminent danger (i.e. going to crash or doing something to endanger someone’s life). Also some lakes may chose to enforce sound levels below that which are enforced by state law. On Don Pedro where I have been house boating for years I believe sound level is 90 db. Seen many people get tickets for sound pollution. For the most part don’t blast it near a marina or homes near shore.

654.05. (a) The owner of a motorized recreational vessel that is
numbered pursuant to Section 9850 of the Vehicle Code, or that is
documented by an agency of the federal government, shall not operate,
or authorize the operation of, the vessel in or upon the inland
waters, or in or upon ocean waters that are within one mile of the
coastline of the state, in a manner that exceeds the following noise
levels:
(1) For engines manufactured before January 1, 1993, a noise level
of 90 dB(A) when subjected to the Society of Automotive Engineers
Recommended Practice SAE J2005 (Stationary Sound Level Measurement
Procedure for Pleasure Motorboats).
(2) For engines manufactured on or after January 1, 1993, a noise
level of 88 dB(A) when subjected to the Society of Automotive
Engineers Recommended Practice SAE J2005 (Stationary Sound Level
Measurement Procedure for Pleasure Motorboats).
(3) A noise level of 75 dB(A) measured as specified in the Society
of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice SAE J1970 (Shoreline
Sound Level Measurement Procedure). However, a measurement of noise
level that is in compliance with this paragraph does not preclude the
conducting of a test of noise levels under paragraph (1) or (2).
(b) A law enforcement officer utilizing a decibel measuring device
for the purposes of enforcing this section shall be knowledgeable
and proficient in the use of that device.
(c) The department may, by regulation, revise the measurement
procedure when deemed necessary to adjust to advances in technology.

(d) This section does not apply to motorized recreational vessels
competing under a local public entity or United States Coast Guard
permit in a regatta, in a boat race, while on trial runs, or while on
official trials for speed records during the time and in the
designated area authorized by the permit. In addition, this section
does not apply to motorized recreational vessels preparing for a
race or regatta if authorized by a permit issued by the local entity
having jurisdiction over the area where these preparations occur.
(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.

How much did it cost for all the lighting? I really like it too

Just found this on the Blue lights. My buddy is a cop and told me where to find.
California Harbors and Navigation Code 650-674

652.5. (a) The use of a distinctive blue light as prescribed by the
department is reserved for law enforcement vessels and may be
displayed during the day or night whenever the vessel may be engaged
in direct law enforcement activities, including, but not limited to,
those activities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 663.7, where
identification of a law enforcement vessel is desirable or where
necessary for safety reasons.
(b) That light when used shall be in addition to prescribed lights
and day signals required by law.
(c) The display of such blue lights on vessels for other purposes
is prohibited.
(d) Any vessel approaching, overtaking, being approached, or being
overtaken by a moving law enforcement vessel operating with a siren
or an illuminated blue light, or any vessel approaching a stationary
law enforcement vessel displaying an illuminated blue light, shall
immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage only,
shall alter its course, within its ability, so as not to inhibit or
interfere with the operation of the law enforcement vessel, and shall
proceed, unless otherwise directed by the operator of the law
enforcement vessel, at the reduced speed until beyond the area of
operation of the law enforcement vessel.
(e) The operator of every cable ferry shall take whatever
reasonable action is necessary to provide a clear course for any law
enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue
light, or both.

Unfortunately that is just the way it works for us Californians.

Brandon,
Thanks for digging this info up. I will do more research to make sure I fully understand these laws.

on my lake in a wakeboard boat you get a "random" safety inspection about everytime you go out on a weekend. During the week its not like that but most definantly on weekends

Been busy at work, just noticed this thread was getting some traction...

Brandon nailed it. My ticket was 652.5-C as stated above. The sherriff followed me in to D. Bay one night the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend. They then proceeded to give me a 30 minute drunk test, in typical form when boating I had only consumed two beers at lunch about 5 hours earlier. They seemed bummed that they could not haul me off and tag another drunk on the delta. The sherriff said I had to remove all the lights before it could get signed off. When the notice to appear arrived in the mail I had the option to pay $128 to dismiss the offense, check went right in the mail.

I guess I could leave the lights on and hope for the best. It's not the next ticket that worries me, it's the time I have two beers and a shot at dinner then idle 100 yards across from a buddies house with the lights on and a sherriff pulls me over and gives me a DUI ticket. I would rather live clean and change out the LEDs to white. I was going to do RGBs (million color's) but the groove in my speaker rings is about a millimeter too narrow causing the on board resistors to pop off the LED tape. So I am just swapping everything out to white instead.

I think blue looks about the best, really shows up on the water, guess that's why the cops use it. I just want to step inside the letter of the law and white is the next best color on my boat.

Just for the record I asked the sherriff if any other color was illegal. He said that they would not like to see red or green as they can be confused with the navigation markers but he said he would not ticket red or green. Any other color was fine, he said white would be good as it increases visibility. He said he would drive across the lake and go after somebody running blue. He also said that it was too bad that it was illegal because they looked great.

The IPOD is just mounted with a Multidapt stick on snap clip on the dash.

Here is one of the grills with some of Grant's reds...

Mike sent you a pm

Great looking stuff!!

I know you here it all the time, but Mikeski your attention to detail is awesome. Great stuff to see wish I had the tools to do this stuff.