Nav lights for dinghy

[Jim Cate]

In many areas of the world, the majority of cruiser's dinghies are not lit at night at all. Many of us have used LED headlamps or torches as a substitute (yes, i know this does not meet the rules), and this is better than running dark. The neat little tricolour unit (which we now have) is a huge improvement over that practice, even if it too fails to meet the COLREGS.

In practical terms, the missing "steaming light" does not impact safe operation of the dinghy. It only (in theory) indicates to other vessels that you are a sailing craft when you are in fact not. The other vessel can determine your relative course and speed just as well as if you had the additional light, and can thus avoid a collision. He may have an additional burden placed on his decisions by the sail vs power situation, but it is not likely to even enter the equation... again, in a practical sense, not a legal one.

The authorities would doubtless prefer that all of us had fully compliant dinghies. I suspect that most of them would be quite happy if we all had the little tricolour lamps... not perfectly compliant, but functional and far better than the status quo. There are doubtless those who would swoop down on such a dinghy, ticket book in hand. Fortunately, in our experience, most of those types go home at night!

I suppose that the above could be viewed as seditious thinking, advocating disobeying the COLREGS. If such thoughts offend you, ignore them and make sure that your dinghy meets all the rules. I think we will use the tricolour and see how it goes.

Jim

[skipmac]

Got one of these for the bow lights.

Aqua Signal Series 27 LED Portable Bow Navigation Light

Street legal and when mounted right forward there's no glare back into the inflatable dinghy to kill my night vision. Use the suction cup mount on top of the tube at the bow and it seems to hang tight.

LED with batteries and in a few hours use haven't had to replace the batteries yet.

Been using a handheld flashlight (that's a torch to you foreign types) for the all around but am getting the matching white light soon. Not sure how I'll mount that since the glare from that will be worse and trickier to deal with.

Maybe mount it on a 4-5' pole so it will be high enough the glare won't be a problem. Will really help the visibility as well.

[SteveInMD]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I use and love this thing, it is waterproof, about three inches around so it easily fits in your pocket.
A flat plate with four rare earth magnets mounts to the top of the outboard engine cover, that way you just put it on top of the outboard and magnets hold it on, if you manage to knock it off, it's waterproof and it floats.
USCG approved too, it does go through batteries pretty quick as it is bright enough to be legal as the light for a 40' boat I believe, it's almost too bright

Navisafe Navi light Tri-Color LED Navigation Light

+1 for Navisafe lights!

[Jacko]

For Assie sailors there is an article in current Cruising helmsman on some great dingy lights from Whitworths Marine Page 26

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Best I think would be to mount the thing on a stick that sticks up above your head when seated in the dinghy, that way the light won't be so bright and nothing to block 360 visibility.
I plan on giving the stick a try anyway

Couldn't you just mount the stick on a headband, like a miner's light?

Oh, wait, you couldn't turn your head!

Sorry, another great idea sunk by reality.

Been happening to me all day today.

[Jacko]

For Aussie sailors there is an article in the current Cruising Helmsman on dingy lights available from Whitworths Marine Page 26

[ausaviator]

I can't do the magnet thing as I don't have a need to wear a hat at night because there's no sun out.

These are a basic possibility - probably can't be seen big distances, but better than nothing, easy to attach and simple.

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