Anchor Lights in a Mooring Field (USA)?

[Escape Plan]

Admittedly, this will evolve into a food fight but hey, it'll be entertaining!

Ok - there are some mooring fields (Titusville, FL USA, and Boot Key, FL USA come to mind) where the controlling "agent" requires anchor lights to be lit while in their field. Putting those aside, my understanding of Rule 30 is anchor light does not have to be lit while in a mooring field - only while at anchor and not in a "special anchorage" (like the one at St Simons Island in the USA). As I say this, the boats around me here in Annapolis all have their anchor lights lit in the mooring field, except for a few, myself included, that say not required.

Edited to add - what is your interpretation of Rule 30 as it applies here. I understand everyone will have their "technique", but I am asking if it is required. Sorry - didn't state that at first.

Thanks in advance for the discussion. I searched around and didn't see this discussion so I thought I'd have a thread on it.

[rslifkin]

If it's a mooring field that's consistently full of boats that are based there and in an area where it wouldn't have much traffic (such as off the side of a channel towards land in a harbor), I probably wouldn't worry about it. But other than that, provided I could keep the anchor light powered readily, I'll use one. If I'm overnighting on a mooring somewhere unfamiliar, the light is on.

[C420sailor]

If I’m in a mooring in the field, no. Absolutely not, never.

If I’m anchored next to a field, even in a special anchorage, light on. Technique only.

[Lazerbrains]

I've never seen a mooring field where they are required, and here in SoCal most boats in a mooring will not display a light. I always have my light on in a mooring field, but mainly so I can find my boat when dinghy-ing back at nighttime.

[Mike OReilly]

I'll let the COLREGS wonks answer the legal question. I take a practical approach to this: Why would you NOT want to be seen, regardless of what the law says?

An anchor light is a useful tool because it makes a potentially invisible boat, visible. Why would you not want this?

[C420sailor]

Two (and a half) reasons.

0.5) I don’t live on my boat. I take it on trips and such, but the overwhelming majority of nights, it is all by its lonesome, on its mooring, in a massive field. If you manage to safely navigate through the many, many rows of unlit boats just to crash into mine, I won’t be angry—I’ll be impressed.

1) I don’t have solar. My light is LED, so it’ll probably run for weeks, but still.

2) Related to 0.5, I do not like the idea of leaving the batteries on while away from the boat.

Now, if I feel it’s necessary given the circumstances and/or I’m not on a mooring in a field? Anchor light. Sometimes even the LED deck lights, too.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'll let the COLREGS wonks answer the legal question. I take a practical approach to this: Why would you NOT want to be seen, regardless of what the law says?

An anchor light is a useful tool because it makes a potentially invisible boat, visible. Why would you not want this?

Mike's right. Simple.

[Escape Plan]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'll let the COLREGS wonks answer the legal question. I take a practical approach to this: Why would you NOT want to be seen, regardless of what the law says?

An anchor light is a useful tool because it makes a potentially invisible boat, visible. Why would you not want this?

Again, techniques aside; I don't disagree with you - just trying to discern as whether or not it is required by COLREGS. This is a beer/happy hour type question. This mooring field (Annapolis main city) is so brightly lit, an anchor light wouldn't make a difference. That's what got us talking about it.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Why would you NOT want to be seen, regardless of what the law says?

Precisely.

Regulations are a minimum requirement.

The regulations excluding moored boat from displaying any lights were formulated when this was impractical. LED lights and solar panels have changed what is feasible.

It is a mystery to me why so few yachts on a mooring display any lights.

[Dsanduril]

Unfortunately COLREGS is a little silent on this, there's a definition of "underway" but not one for "anchored".

In the US, mooring fields are "managed anchorage mooring fields" (MAMF) in the parlance of the federal government. The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) manages permits, and the USCG reviews permit applications for interference with navigation. But, with respect to lights, unless the MAMF falls within a designated special anchorage area it is just another anchorage, even though it has moorings.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by SaltyDogsLLC

Again, techniques aside; I don't disagree with you - just trying to discern as whether or not it is required by COLREGS. This is a beer/happy hour type question. This mooring field (Annapolis main city) is so brightly lit, an anchor light wouldn't make a difference. That's what got us talking about it.

I too have heard conflicting responses to this, but I'm quite sure there is a definitive legal answer. As with questions over day shapes and black water dumping, I tend to take an approach that seems the most sensible to me.

C420sailor I get the practical limitations. I used to have a boat that was stored on a mooring. This was before the days of LED lights and easy solar installations. So I did not have my anchor light on at night. I did mount a solar-powered patio light, but it was nowhere near as bright as a proper anchor light.

Point is, a boat is potentially invisible in the dark, regardless of what the law says. So I approach the question from that perspective. Given that you have an LED anchor light, it wouldn't be hard to install a simple solar panel to accommodate its draw. But that's your choice.

[Escape Plan]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Unfortunately COLREGS is a little silent on this, there's a definition of "underway" but not one for "anchored".

In the US, mooring fields are "managed anchorage mooring fields" (MAMF) in the parlance of the federal government. The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) manages permits, and the USCG reviews permit applications for interference with navigation. But, with respect to lights, unless the MAMF falls within a designated special anchorage area it is just another anchorage, even though it has moorings.

Wow! Did not know this....that certainly takes the guesswork out. Thanks for this.

[GreenWave]

If I am on the boat, I would absolutely have the lights on. And for same reason as some others noted, also when off the boat - so I can better find it.


If you don't leave your batteries on how can your bilge pump make any attempts to slow your boat from sinking!? Of course I also don't understand why anyone would leave their boat on a morring for months with no one on it. Too many risks and unknowns there.

[Nord Sal]

(i) The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

The vessel is clearly not underway.


The vessel is clearly not aground.


The vessel is clearly not made fast to the shore.


I don't see any definition for 'moored'.

It would seem, in the strictest sense, that the vessel is at anchor. It has been made fast to the bottom, i.e., it's at anchor, just not the boat's own anchor.

[C420sailor]

Bilge pump is the only thing hard wired.

I’d have to modify the electrical system to get always-on power to the anchor light switch.

I just don’t have a need for this. As for solar, it isn’t hard to install...but given my typical sailing and boat use, I don’t need it. I can’t justify the expense.

Oddly enough, my previous boat was once hit on its mooring. It was totaled...

In broad daylight, clear and a million, by a guy who was sailing recklessly through the mooring field and not paying attention. At night, I’m certain he would not have seen the anchor light—by the time you weed through the other unlit boats, that little twinkle is so high above the horizon it may as well not even be there.

Listen, I get it. Many people on here have more money than they know what to do with. Or they live on their boats and sailing is their life. I’m not either one. This is a hobby that I do on a budget. To me, dropping a bunch of coin on solar panels and controllers and drilling holes in my boat and modifying my electrical system just to be the literal ONE boat in a mooring field of hundreds with an anchor light is about the furthest from practical I could get.

If it’s not required (and it’s not, US special anchorage) and I don’t have a personal reason for doing it, I’m not doing it. End of story.