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**a64pilot** · 30-01-2019, 05:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don C L

I must confess I have never seen red over green.

I’ve not either, I have only seen one anchor ball on a small pleasure vessel too, I only see them on barges etc. and obviously professionally Captained Mega Yachts.
Point being that although correct, if it’s only very rarely ever seen, it may not achieve the desired result.
While I can see that any light if it makes you seen isn’t a bad thing, I’d bet only a very small percentage of people and I don’t include myself in that, would know what they were looking at.

My mast head tricolor is an Aqua Signal, and I’m way less than impressed with it, if I had designed it, it would be much brighter and draw another half amp.

steve77 · 30-01-2019, 05:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammer

Uh, I thought that's what sidelights and sternlight are for. Those all stay lit when you use red over green at the top of the mast.

Agreed, but that is not what your first post says or implies. The tricolor does not require deck lights to be on simultaneously, but the red over green does. He was just responding to your original post.

If you go back and read it carefully, I think you will see his confusion.

Cheers!

Steve

belizesailor · 30-01-2019, 05:35

Interesting how the rules are worded. The tricolor is specifically for vessels under 20 meters. No LOA specification is given for R over G, but my interpretation is that, since a vessels over 20 meters cant run a tricolor, by default it must use R over G...and conversely if your vessel is under 20 meters you cant run R & G since the tricolor applies.

Not sure whether that is the correct interpretation but Ive never seen R over G on a smaller vessel.

goat · 30-01-2019, 06:00

The white part of the trilight lights up your windex better than the lower green light would.

CSYChip · 30-01-2019, 06:25

I stopped using the tri-color I have after seeing others sailing at night. In any kind of sea, the movement and color cycling makes it impossible to tell which way the boat is actually going. Red over green certainly makes sense from a visibility stand point but is probably only helpful in areas where it is used regularly. I have never seen one at sea.

Dennis.G · 30-01-2019, 06:53

I came upon another sailboat on an opposing upwind tack at night, and he was running with tri-color on masthead. It was blowing pretty good so we were both moving well, and bouncing a bit off of the waves. I was amazed on how difficult it was to determine how far away from me he was. He was stand-on so I just kept steering to where I thought I would pass well to his stern. All of a sudden I caught a glimpse of him (he pointed a flashlight on his sails) - oh **** he was like 30 yards away! We passed safely, but learned that judging distance with just seeing a tri-color light waving around up in the sky is very hard to do.

Dennis.G · 30-01-2019, 07:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve77

...The tricolor does not require deck lights to be on simultaneously, but the red over green does. ...

Steve

Just to clarify (I think everyone knows this) if running a masthead tri-color light you are required to NOT run deck level nav lights.

goat · 30-01-2019, 07:24

I personally wouldn't mount a tri-colour on the mast head. My steaming light is there now. The top of the mast would be a much better choice. ;^)

**Dockhead** · 30-01-2019, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis.G

Just to clarify (I think everyone knows this) if running a masthead tri-color light you are required to NOT run deck level nav lights.

And not masthead light, either. Tricolor is only for sailing.

ramblinrod · 30-01-2019, 07:58

Lights at the masthead are useful in any wave or swell, where the deck level lights of a small boat will rarely if ever be seen.

The advantage of a tricolour, is that other vessels can easily determine relative heading by them, where this is not possible with red over green.

While the deck lights (not to be shown with a tricolour) will show direction for read over green mast head lights, again, in any kind of waves, they just won't be seen on a small boat.

While proper and effective lighting is important under all circumstances, it is most important to small boats that may not be equipped with radar or AIS receiver, where the only way to tell the heading of other boats, is via the colours they are showing, which is all important in collision avoidance.

Dennis.G · 30-01-2019, 08:12

Oh geeze, yes the tri-color is at the top of the mast (mine is). A masthead steaming light is not at the top of the mast (masthead???) but no one was talking about that were they?

Only on a sailing forum does masthead not mean "the top of the mast" (the dictionary definition).

goat · 30-01-2019, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis.G

Oh geeze, yes the tri-color is at the top of the mast (mine is). A masthead steaming light is not at the top of the mast (masthead???) but no one was talking about that were they?

Only on a sailing forum does masthead not mean "the top of the mast" (the dictionary definition).

No worries. Just that 'head' generally means forward, not up. But you can use whatever you want; Your boat, your rules.

"Mast top" really isn't harder to say than "mast head" and is easier to type.

Please carry on with the conversation any way you see fit.

goat out.

alctel · 30-01-2019, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Alcatel...'Red over Green is good ~~cos you can~~ but you must run them at the same time as the deck level running lights, meaning you are more visible, '

They are not in lieu of side and stern lights but must be shown together with the side and stern lights....

Yeah my wording was wrong, thanks for pointing that out. I always run my deck lights with the red over greens

Taipe · 30-01-2019, 09:53

On my sailboat I have a colreg rated led masthead tricolor in addition to an incandescent steaming light and deck level forward & aft pulpit railing led nav lights. Apart from a possibility for induced static from the led bulbs, am not convinced there is any reason not to leave them alone as they are.