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22-02-2019, 19:10
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Deltaville, VA
Boat: Hallberg-Rassy 42F
Posts: 82
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do you use side lights or tricolor?
My boat is equipped with regular side navigation lights an a tricolor on the mast. What is better to use?
I know on eis allowed to use only on or the other, but I must admit that in bad weather I am really tempted to use both. My thinking is that it would be better to be seen and treated as something else (e.g. from port : two red lights one above another would look like a vessel out of control) than not seen at all.
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22-02-2019, 19:18
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#2
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
The tricolor is intended to be used alone only when your boat is a sailing vessel. When the motor is propelling the boat even while motor sailing, your side running lights and steaming light are to be displayed to indicate you’re a motor driven vessel.
It’s not so much about visibility, the tricolor indicates to other boats which boat should be the give way vessel. As a sailing boat, power boats should give way due to the sailboat being less maneuverable, BUT... you still need to give way to less maneuverable boats such as fishing boats engaged in fishing or tug boats with a tow, even while sailing and displaying your tricolor.
Only one set of lights are to be used at a time, never together.
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22-02-2019, 19:25
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#3
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
It's been discussed at length in numerous previous threads.
IMNSHO:
Tricolour at sea. Side lights close inshore.
Both is illegal and confusing to other vessels.
Not just red over red. A tricolour white over a sternlight white could make you look like an approaching ship.
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22-02-2019, 19:37
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#4
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
The colregs are very clear about this issue, it has nothing to do with whether or not a sailboat is close to shore or at sea.
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22-02-2019, 19:39
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,135
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Both is illegal and confusing to other vessels.
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Ahh, not confusing to me, Stu. When I see a vessel with both sets of lights on, I know that I'm seeing an ignorant, arrogant and/or non-complying sailor. Best thing is to then assume that he will not behave in a predictable fashion, and try to leave considerable room for maneuvering.
Commonly seen in early evenings between Sydney and Broken Bay.
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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22-02-2019, 19:44
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Sydney Australia
Boat: Fisher pilothouse sloop 32'
Posts: 3,413
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate
Ahh, not confusing to me, Stu. When I see a vessel with both sets of lights on, I know that I'm seeing an ignorant, arrogant and/or non-complying sailor. Best thing is to then assume that he will not behave in a predictable fashion, and try to leave considerable room for maneuvering.
Commonly seen in early evenings between Sydney and Broken Bay.
Jim
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Jim, thanks for the laugh, so true so true.
__________________
Rob aka Uncle Bob Sydney Australia.
Life is 10% the cards you are dealt, 90% how you play em
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22-02-2019, 19:45
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#7
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Jim,
Not everyone knows the rules, which is why the question is being asked. I see no reason to degrade any individual who might not know, I wasn’t aware until recently; I thought this forum was a place to learn and share ideas.
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22-02-2019, 19:53
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Deltaville, VA
Boat: Hallberg-Rassy 42F
Posts: 82
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
I understand your point about using both lights, note I meant sailing not busy area in good visibility but out in open sea in bad conditions when the risk of not being seen is significant.
Apart from this the other question remains: which LEGAL option is better under sail: only tricolor, or only side lights?
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22-02-2019, 19:56
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#9
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Like Stu, masthead tricolor at sea, side lights close in. I have my steaming light on a separate switch so I can legally use the side lights under sail without the steaming light.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
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22-02-2019, 20:58
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: East Coast of America and Keys
Boat: Beneteau 473
Posts: 467
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Boats under 20 meters can substitute a tricolor light for side lights and a stern light. It has nothing to do with proximity to the shore or in close or traffic or any other situation.
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22-02-2019, 22:00
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Sydney Australia
Boat: Fisher pilothouse sloop 32'
Posts: 3,413
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SilentOption
Boats under 20 meters can substitute a tricolor light for side lights and a stern light. It has nothing to do with proximity to the shore or in close or traffic or any other situation.
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I believe that those responding that they use sidelights when close inshore and tricolour when offshore are merely exercising their choice to use the most visible option in the prevailing conditions. Prudent seamanship in my opinion.
__________________
Rob aka Uncle Bob Sydney Australia.
Life is 10% the cards you are dealt, 90% how you play em
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22-02-2019, 23:26
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#12
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
The colregs are very clear about this issue, it has nothing to do with whether or not a sailboat is close to shore or at sea.
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My comments regarding close to shore or at sea were not COLREGs related. They were prefaced by I]n M]y N]ot S]o H]umble O]pinion.
And my reasons are:
At sea, the tricolour is less likely to be hidden by waves than sidelights.
Close to shore: The sidelights are less likely to be confused with shore lights that is the tricolour.
.
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22-02-2019, 23:29
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#13
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
Jim,
Not everyone knows the rules, which is why the question is being asked. I see no reason to degrade any individual who might not know, I wasn’t aware until recently; I thought this forum was a place to learn and share ideas.
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I don't think that is why the question is being asked. The OP say he knows the rules but considers using both anyway.
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22-02-2019, 23:31
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#14
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,135
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Bob
I believe that those responding that they use sidelights when close inshore and tricolour when offshore are merely exercising their choice to use the most visible option in the prevailing conditions. Prudent seamanship in my opinion.
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Agreed, and a practice that I often use myself.
However, we've had input from commercial mariners who observe from bridges high above the sea that the tricolor lights are difficult for them to judge distance from, and prefer side lights. We small boat types know that side lights are often obscured by sails or seas when observed from near sea level... so it's a question of which vessels you want to be best seen by.
Sometimes a difficult decision...
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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22-02-2019, 23:43
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Back in Montt.
Boat: Westerly Sealord
Posts: 8,178
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Re: do you use side lights or tricolor?
I refuse to get drawn back into all this....
However.....
I think 'Red over Green' is the way to go... with sidelights... and AIS Tx.. unless you are on a long sea voyage and power is an issue... in which case go with tricolour and AIS Tx.
That's it... I'm done....
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