Visibility While at Anchor

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

And completely trash any night vision?

Just an all-around white at the masthead meets the all round part of the rules ok, personally I don't think meets the "where it can best be seen" part very well. I think the OP is smart to look at additional low level lighting.

Amblers point about the lost depth perception with masthead lights is very true in my experience.

Most folks night vision is pretty trashed anyway with all the displays one has in cockpits these days..

[rwidman]

Question: After 150 posts on the subject, has anyone made plans to move or add his/her anchor light(s)?

[cruisersfarm]

Why is no one addressing the fact that..

If you have a mast...

By definition, the only light that meets the colgregs requirement of a 360 light *is* one at the top of the mast?

Adding more lights lower is a great idea, but not having a light visible through 360 degrees is in violation of colregs.

LED spreader and cabin lights left on through the night can help add visibility by outlining the shape of the boat at eye level, but by law, if you have a mast, you need one at the top.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Question: After 150 posts on the subject, has anyone made plans to move or add his/her anchor light(s)?

Me, me, me! Really!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by cruisersfarm

Why is no one addressing the fact that..

If you have a mast...

By definition, the only light that meets the colgregs requirement of a 360 light *is* one at the top of the mast?

Adding more lights lower is a great idea, but not having a light visible through 360 degrees is in violation of colregs.

LED spreader and cabin lights left on through the night can help add visibility by outlining the shape of the boat at eye level, but by law, if you have a mast, you need one at the top.

Quit with the logic..
This is CF...

[four winds]

rwidman,yes. The thread has allowed me to reprioritise the need to acquire additional lighting for mounting at a lower level.

In fact a large M/V passed close ahead last night in high winds being pushed to leeward toward me. My thought was he should have turned away sooner and considered more the leeway.

Maybe he didn't see my dark hulled boat soon enough up in his full enclosed fly bridge on a dark, rainy, and windy night.

Less than an hour later I read this thread and it offers good food for thought. Maybe I should have helped the captain more to see me.

Big cats have a nice growl when you poor the fuel to them.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by cruisersfarm

Why is no one addressing the fact that..

If you have a mast...

By definition, the only light that meets the colgregs requirement of a 360 light *is* one at the top of the mast?

Adding more lights lower is a great idea, but not having a light visible through 360 degrees is in violation of colregs.

LED spreader and cabin lights left on through the night can help add visibility by outlining the shape of the boat at eye level, but by law, if you have a mast, you need one at the top.

i use a light of most brightness and fresnel lens placed in my foretriangle, as has traditionally been done for decades if not centuries. has proven to be 360 visibility and is NOT pricey yotty bs.
i also have a brighter than bright light in my cockpit. just in case someone cannot see the whole boat via my lights up water, half the boat and rig foretriangle lighting.
i have seen pangas and dinghies collide with sailing craft insistent on use of only masthead lighting, i have not been able to see masthead lighting in anchorages set inside cliff walled coves with houses lighted on them...
i have preferred to use traditional methods over the trendy since i was young, and with excellent results.
i add fun lights in cockpit when i feel need to be seen better

[Strait Shooter]

Zee

I'm having a hard time imagining your traditional system.
Any chance you can post a pic of your bow set up?

And what of regs?
Does that comply then?

[sv Winterlude]

Depends on where you're anchored. When there are no shore lights to confuse the issue -- like anchored on the Rio Chagres, or even the Everglades/10,000 Islands in the dark of night with fishermen flying up and down the river ... We have our all around white anchor light on top of the arch. On the other hand, since we're a dark hulled sailboat, we use a solar light on the bow as well as leave a solar light on in the cockpit. Saves my nerves.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by cruisersfarm

Why is no one addressing the fact that..

If you have a mast...

By definition, the only light that meets the colgregs requirement of a 360 light *is* one at the top of the mast?

Adding more lights lower is a great idea, but not having a light visible through 360 degrees is in violation of colregs.

LED spreader and cabin lights left on through the night can help add visibility by outlining the shape of the boat at eye level, but by law, if you have a mast, you need one at the top.

Annex I of the Colregs

(b)

(i) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impracticable height above the hull.


(ii) If it is impracticable to comply with paragraph (b)(i) of this section by exhibiting only one all-round light, two all-round lights shall be used suitably positioned or screened so that they appear, as far as practicable, as one light at a distance of one mile.

[zeehag]

mine are visible 3 miles, observed, and placed traditionally, in fore triangle, which is where jib goes, at about 6 ft above deck.
i ALSO place one under mizzenboom.

life is an adventure meant to be LIVED!!!

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by zeehag

mine are visible 3 miles, observed, and placed traditionally, in fore triangle, which is where jib goes, at about 6 ft above deck.
i ALSO place one under mizzenboom.

life is an adventure meant to be LIVED!!!

Absolute star!

[cruisersfarm]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Annex I of the Colregs

(b)

(i) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impracticable height above the hull.


(ii) If it is impracticable to comply with paragraph (b)(i) of this section by exhibiting only one all-round light, two all-round lights shall be used suitably positioned or screened so that they appear, as far as practicable, as one light at a distance of one mile.

Ah.,. should have pulled the book out.

I'd hate to find out I'm at 7 degrees in the event of collision though.

Seems the best answer is to have both high and lower lighting.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Question: After 150 posts on the subject, has anyone made plans to move or add his/her anchor light(s)?

Definitely. Not because of this thread, but because of the accident I had last fall which resulted (indirectly) from a fishing boat's not having seen my anchor light.

I will be using my deck lights in future, until I come up with a suitable lantern to hoist into the foretriangle.

In addition to my normal anchor light.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by cruisersfarm

Why is no one addressing the fact that..

If you have a mast...

By definition, the only light that meets the colgregs requirement of a 360 light *is* one at the top of the mast?

Adding more lights lower is a great idea, but not having a light visible through 360 degrees is in violation of colregs.

Read collregs annex 1 section 9 b (I) and b(ii)

Easiest place to find them is in the "marine orders part 30"

Edit: see Nigel beat me too it, the upshot is that a masthead or steaming light coupled with a stern light is acceptable in lieu of a conventional anchor light.

Good to have Dockheads unfortunate experience mentioned here, its a good reason to have good deck level lighting.

Another point is that having a backup system on is good practise, hard to argue your light was on, when the bulb has possibly blown...