Who the Hell Turned Out the Anchor Lights in the USVI?

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The practice we apply, and that of many other cruisers these days is actually following 30/a/i and ii. Eg, the masthead all around light is in the forward half of the vessel, and the over-the-boom light is aft and lower.

Seems like we are doin' it right.

Meanwhile, your garden lights are bloody useless IMO. We see them used a lot out here, and they are too dim and too short lived to be considered anything but decorations.

Use of deck lighting may help, as stated, but seems redundant when the lower anchor light illuminates much of the deck and rigging. Further, on our boat the deck light (very bright LEDs) shines directly into the forehatch and into our eyes in our forecabin where we sleep... not a starter for us.

Jim

Jim, you ARE doin' it right. I just didn't want anyone to come away from this thread thinking "if one anchor light is good, two would be better - no matter where or how they're mounted."

Garden lights ARE bloody useless as navigation lights. They actually work pretty well as an awareness aid to help the folks in small outboards who don't look up to understand that there's a boat there.

Like you, our deck lights are pretty bright and we'd need to draw the curtains to sleep with them on. Those are the last resort in a really dark anchorage where there might be small-boat traffic.

Unlike you, we don't have a good way to properly rig two anchor lights. Sounds like your solution is perfect for your boat.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by justjohn

Just can back into the USVI after a few months down island at 4 this morning. Every anchorage as dark and plum full of boats with 0 anchor lights on. It's a sad day when the VI are to hammered to turn on there lights!! Just a little respect for us night sailors goes a long way
The Lady Euphoria

It's not just the USVI...less than 50% of the boats we were anchored with in Mexico had anchor lights. Kinda crazy but it's the way it is these days....

Originally Posted by a64pilot

there are good garden lights.....But, only a fool would use them as an anchor light.

I've seen lots of fools in Mexico at anchor then....

[justjohn]

Originally Posted by Rubikoop

I read the whole thread from start to finish. And you are right, I do not turn my anchor light on every night. My boat is in a slip. I don't turn it on when anchored out every night either...there's a nifty little photocell that turns that LED on and off as needed for me! No need to get your panties in a wad. Just trying to follow your thought process and it wasn't making sense to me. I understand why I was confused now.

Fairwinds

PS. If you think there are too many cats here, I strongly suggest you not go to the BVI.


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Ahh my sailor friend some of us don't wear panties but we do spend time of the hook. It's good to know that you dock jockeys take all precautions to make sure that your slip mates don't stumble into you vessel after a hard night of sailing the bar stools. If you wanted to fallow my thought process put down the G&T and read the title of the thread.

I always bypass the BVI coming and going.


The Lady Euphoria

[justjohn]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

It's not just the USVI...less than 50% of the boats we were anchored with in Mexico had anchor lights. Kinda crazy but it's the way it is these days....



I've seen lots of fools in Mexico at anchor then....

Mexico is a mess and I try to stay out of there.

I think that anchor lights are not being taught as a safety issue or a respect of other sailors issue. It is truly sad!


The Lady Euphoria

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by justjohn

Mexico is a mess and I try to stay out of there.

The USA is more of a Mess than Mexico...as soon as the kids get out of high school (which is the only reason we came back) we are outta here and back to the Saftey of Mexico....with or without anchor lights.

[Rubikoop]

JJ, I will be sure to mention your thoughts to the circumnavigators and professional delivery captains that keep their boats at the same marina I use.

In the Galapagos and the Marquesas in March only about 10% of the boats were using anchor lights. Of those the vast majority were clearly transients. Because of that and the fact that the anchorages are very tight, one might consider arriving in daylight hours. Just a suggestion should you find yourself over there.

In keeping with the brotherhood of people who love the ocean, I'd like to cordially invite you to participate in the 2014 Pigs in the Water Regatta July 26&27th if you are still in the area. You seem like the fun loving easy going type of person that would have a great time.

Thanks for the laughs. Your posts are hilarious!!!




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[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Robin3

Maybe they were using their battery power to watch the USA lose to Belgium in the World Cup football and are too embarassed if american to light up again.

Na....Americans would have been embarassed that you can lose a game and still get to advance to the next round...which goes to prove football is a socialist sport anyway........

[sailorboy1]

I don't know why people are always trashing the solar lights. I can see mine across the mooring field (that's how I find the boat at night) and it is still just as bright in the morning. Maybe people should not get lights from the hardware stores if theirs don't do the job!

[justjohn]

Originally Posted by Rubikoop

JJ, I will be sure to mention your thoughts to the circumnavigators and professional delivery captains that keep their boats at the same marina I use.

In the Galapagos and the Marquesas in March only about 10% of the boats were using anchor lights. Of those the vast majority were clearly transients. Because of that and the fact that the anchorages are very tight, one might consider arriving in daylight hours. Just a suggestion should you find yourself over there.

In keeping with the brotherhood of people who love the ocean, I'd like to cordially invite you to participate in the 2014 Pigs in the Water Regatta July 26&27th if you are still in the area. You seem like the fun loving easy going type of person that would have a great time.

Thanks for the laughs. Your posts are hilarious!!!




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Please do pass on my thoughts my friend. But one quick question if you please. How does one circumnavigate from the dock? Is that like driving your GPS all the way around. I'm really interested in this new concept of dock circumnavigation. Please advice!

Please tell me more about the pigs of the water. If we are not in Cuba it might be fun


The Lady Euphoria

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I don't know why people are always trashing the solar lights. I can see mine across the mooring field (that's how I find the boat at night) and it is still just as bright in the morning. Maybe people should not get lights from the hardware stores if theirs don't do the job!

Don't know why? Because the ones that we see in use are dim to start with and dark long before dawn, that's why!

You may have garden lights that are good... I've never seen yours and am unlikely to do so. But other folks are not so lucky or so selective in their purchases, and theirs are inadequate. None that I have yet seen meet regs for visibility. Unless your mooring field is at least a mile across, being able to see your light across it doesn't prove acceptability.

Nowadays good LED anchor lights are pretty damn inexpensive. The one we use in our masthead anchor light comes from Bedazzled in the UK. 360 lumens, built in light sensor switch, no RFI and voltage spike protected... costs 13 pounds sterling. Big deal... So why not use something that meets requirements and really does the job right... for little money and 160 mA draw?

Pretty hard to justify the garden lights in my view!

Jim

[sailorboy1]

I didn't say I had a garden light. I said I have a solar light and that people should get a good light that works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chouliha]

Don't get me started on solar garden lights for anchor lights. grrrrrr.

Just try coming into an anchorage at night with city lights behind the vessels anchored. Can you see the vessels using gardenn lights? Heck no.

Cruising in 3rd world countries I want to be seen and not run into. Even if you have an anchor light lit and someone runs into you there is a good chance you will be in held at anchor by the port captain and your cruise postponed for the season. We have a white all around on the radar arch, a blue one on the wind generator pole and another blue one on the bow. The 3 lights do not move my digital volt meter.

The cost of good bright led anchors lights is so minimal these days I never can figure out why people decide on this darn garden lights.

Get lit up so people coming into the anchorage at night can see you





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[BandB]

We ran across this long ago on inland lakes. Fishermen who would turn their lights out so they wouldn't attract bugs. Then, worse, fishermen who would go flying across the lake with no lights because they said they could see better. Didn't cross their minds maybe they also needed to be seen. Such a simple thing that people seem so unwilling to do right. When in doubt, light.

Fortunately, enforcement got tough on the lake we were on. Unfortunately, that only occurred after a totally avoidable death.

[Rubikoop]

Originally Posted by justjohn

Please do pass on my thoughts my friend. But one quick question if you please. How does one circumnavigate from the dock? Is that like driving your GPS all the way around. I'm really interested in this new concept of dock circumnavigation. Please advice!

Please tell me more about the pigs of the water. If we are not in Cuba it might be fun


The Lady Euphoria

You can easily circumnavigate from the dock. Actually it's very safe. You start in the cockpit, walk up one side of the boat to the bow, walk back down the other side and finish up in the cockpit. See how easy that is? The people I was talking about previously did it the hard way. They photoshopped pictures of themselves and their boats making it appear they went around the world thru the Panama Canal etc. They have photos and trinkets to go along with the stories of breakage, interactions with indigenous peoples, customs clearing and bad fuel.

Thanks so much for asking about the regatta. For more information on the Pigs in the Water Regatta go to Facebook dot com\happyislandyachtclub or send me a PM. If you are not into racing feel free to at least come join in on the big party Saturday night. To get this back on track, I will make sure to have my anchor light on!!!

You really do seem like a fun loving guy with a very active imagination. I've been using GPSs for a long time and have no idea how to "drive" one. I'm jealous of your superior skills.





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[accomplice]

In addition to an anchor light when anchored out, I sometimes run blue LED rope lights around the deck. It provides plenty of light for any festivities on deck, makes the boat clearly visible, and cannot be confused with any navigational lights. Although I have had many people come to me the next day to tell me that they found the lights beautiful, on one occasion I was approached by someone who complained that the lights on my boat ruined his night vision.

I suppose if you're used to having to rely on night vision to see other boats then when one is well lit, it can be a problem. Or, perhaps you can't please all the people all the time.