Recommendations on a Masthead/Anchor light?

[andrewembassy]

I went to the top of my new C&C 34's mast the other day to check out the sheaves and see why our masthead light wasn't working, and in the process of removing the cap the small bolts that held the cap on sheared off, meaning it's time to replace the fixture.

There seems to be a lot of options for masthead/anchor lights, but many of them seem to focus their light in a horizontal band; I want to make sure that the light is able to illuminate my wind indicator.

Has anybody replaced theirs recently and if so, what did you use?

[Vasco]

Why would you want your anchor light (360 allround white)to illuminate your windex??

[andrewembassy]

Maybe I'm betraying my ignorance - how else do you illuminate your wind indicator while sailing at night?

[RainDog]

The signal mate lights have this feature. For example:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2015671

[Vasco]

Davis sells a windex light for this. Do not use an anchor light to illuminate your windex.

[andrewembassy]

I'll go ahead and answer my own question, apparently it's wrong to use one's anchor light to illuminate a wind indicator, which makes sense; I'm surprised that this isn't a more talked about and design-ed around issue; all the boats I've sailed on (admittedly all built in the 70's/80's) have never had anything but an anchor light on the top of the mast, so if you wanted to see your indicator that was the only option.

In doing research I'm finding options such as this but ~$350 is a little beyond what I was hoping to spend (especially since it doesn't fix my need for an anchor light). Anybody else have other options?

[Paul Elliott]

A regular tri-color atop the mast has a white light facing aft (and red to port, and green to starboard). On my boat the white stern-light of the tricolor illuminates my windex pretty sell, but this obviously depends on the placement of both the tricolor and the windex.

My tricolor is the "Optolamp Amazonia", and it includes an all-around anchor light. As a bonus it generates absolutely no radio-frequency noise. Since it lives right next to my masthead VHF antenna, this is a very good thing.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by RainDog

The signal mate lights have this feature. For example:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2015671

I've got that light, bought it the other day when it went on sale, I believe it to be a good light, not so sure about it signaling aircraft, but I am sure it has no special light or lens or anything to illuminate a WIndex, near as I can tell it's a high quality LED anchor light with a photocell, and nothing else, but that is all I wanted too.


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[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Andrew.

Originally Posted by Vasco

Davis sells a windex light for this...

Under $25 @ Defender. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...58558&id=74260

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by andrewembassy

Maybe I'm betraying my ignorance - how else do you illuminate your wind indicator while sailing at night?

Andrew, welcome to cf

Most wind indicators face to the stern and then the night time Nav lights light it up sufficient to see it. At least it does on mine. But in reality, when sailing at night, I rarely have need to look up and see it. After all, that's why I have a wind instrument.

[RolfP]

I have this light and I am very happy with it.

Misc: NASA Marine Instruments

Lights up the windex at either anchor or moving with tri-color and uses very little power. The purchase was no problem and delivery quick, but confirmation that I had really ordered it was somewhat mysterious . . . but no worries.

[hrsail920]

I believe Aqua signal has what you are looking for.

[exMaggieDrum]

Since you are replacing the light fixture, go with a high quality LED light, whether you go with just an anchor light or tri-color+anchor. But check your wiring as it is often a problem with non-functioning mast lights - connections down below (especially at the mast foot), the wire itself, and/or the connections at the top. If you don't have an existing tri-color and want to put one on (in addition to the anchor light) you will have to pull another cable to it since you turn them on/off separately. And you will need a separate switch because you are not supposed to run a tri-color and on deck running lights at the same time.

[jreiter190]

Maybe he doesn't have a beard and wants to check the wind direction while at anchor. Would be nice to have his windex illuminated by his anchor light under those conditions,no?

[roland stockham]

Tie a length of wool to a shroud, easier to see, no crick in the neck. Showing any all round white light at the masthead is illegal on any boat other than a small, slow, dingy so you need to position the windex within the standard tricolour. The anchor light is the one in the foretryange. Masthead white lights, though popular, are frequently lost against stars or shore lights. Lighting the deck with a 10w LED flood is very effective both for visibility and anti-theft, and is perfectly legal. If you really want to you could attach some small LED's to the vane as long as the only shine down