Looking Forever to Find a Bow White Light Picture Example

[sdowney717]

And found one

Navigation Lights - Georgia Boating License Laws and Safety Guide



Reason is, my boat has a white light built into the bow rail at the front. I checked the wires to that socket and they power up with the nav lights. The bulb uses typical brass round base and the bulb is sort of shorter compared to a 1142 type bulb. The socket might also be smaller, cant recall right now.

This is a special cast piece which has a white central light and the SS rails are attached to it. I am not sure if the socket works. so before going to effort to make it work what do you think? I have not seen any boats with a white light on the bow.

I have port and starboard red green lights, a 360 anchor light mounted on a short wood mast at the central part of the boat, and a Perko transom mounted stern light in the transom itself.


I was wondering if the front white bow light was even required, so what do you think? For a power boat 37 feet long.

The picture example shows an allround white stern light, which I dont have. The light arrangement is all factory, EXCEPT, I moved the red green lights up to the cabin side. They were mounted below the rub rail which is no longer acceptable and a bad idea that they put them there..

[David M]

The correct term for that light is the masthead light. It is a 20 point, 225 degree light.

Putting this light on the bow is odd and not such a good idea because of backscatter. Backscatter is the light that is reflected back to your eyes from moisture in the air. What backscatter does is reduce your nigh vision.

It is better to have the masthead light up on the cabin top or the mast where the effects of backscatter will be minimal to none. The same goes for sidelights if you have that choice, although the effects of backscatter from sidelights at the bow is less because these lights are not as bright as your masthead light.

However you decide to do this, you must keep some vertical separation between the masthead and side lights.

If your boat is under 12 meters you can combine your masthead and stern light into one 360 degree white light.

[Jim Cate]

Interesting to note that they apparently will not allow the use of a tricolor masthead lamp on sailing vessels of any length. Wonder if they enforce that?

Cheers,

Jim

[DeepFrz]

When you put the white light on the cabin top you have to be careful that you don't get any of the light shining on the bow pulpit or railing, as that will be worse than back scatter. Lots of boats have a plate under the light that extends out far enough forward that the light will not hit any of the boat structure. I think that forward on the bow is a perfectly legit place for it to be.

[CharlieJ]

Annex 1 to CG 169 states:

(c) The masthead light of a power-driven vessel of 12
meters but less than 20 meters in length shall be placed
at a height above the gunwale of not less than 2.5 meters.

It does not appear by the illustration posted that the placement of the masthead light is in compliance.

Charlie

[David M]

In the illustration the better place for the masthead light is the radar arch.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by CharlieJ

Annex 1 to CG 169 states:

(c) The masthead light of a power-driven vessel of 12
meters but less than 20 meters in length shall be placed
at a height above the gunwale of not less than 2.5 meters.

It does not appear by the illustration posted that the placement of the masthead light is in compliance.

Charlie

Height of the white light aside, the new positions of the red/green takes the boat further out of compliance

[sdowney717]

Height of the white light aside, the new positions of the red/green takes the boat further out of compliance

Which boat, mine, the pictures or both of us?

The correct term for that light is the masthead light

In the provided picture which is the mast head light and then what is the other white light called?

[sdowney717]

If your boat is under 12 meters you can combine your masthead and stern light into one 360 degree white light.

Why not then just run the allround white anchor light with the colored sidelights?

How about dont turn on the front bow light and run stern light, colored side lights and anchor light when under power? The anchor light meets the required height difference from the colored side lights. The front bow light is a little lower the the colored side lights.

How about making the front bow light turn on when the anchor light turns on when at anchor?

Or just do nothing.

[sdowney717]

Navigation Lights - BoatSafe.com

says you can have 2 white lights running
it seems silly, but perhaps a combination 360 anchor light and 225 degree mast head light on that short wood mast plus the stern light plus the colored lights is legit. Do they make that light?

And the current bow masthead light dont turn that on under power. Perhaps turn it on with the anchor light.

here is the combo light.
http://www.perko.com/catalog/categor...s/product/131/

If the masthead light is on, how will that affect navigation fron the flybridge regarding back splatter lighting? That light will be at eye level facing forward, about 5 feet in front of your head.

[markpierce]

Colregs state the "masthead" light (for boats under 12 meters in length) should be centered as close to the fore-and-aft centerline as is practical.