A Plea For Decent Anchor Lights.

[sailorchic34]

I have a very bright led light Zip tied on the aft stay about 9' above deck as my primary anchor light. That's high enough to clear the sail cover and meet the CG requirements concerning all round light and the max 6 degrees of arc occlusion (listed in the appendix). Plus it lights up the deck house quiet a lot, so it makes the boat much easier to see.

It also makes nighttime boardings easier too.

[bobconnie]

We are still useing an oil fired anchor light, that has to be 75 yrs old LOL If ya swing it tween the main mast and the mizzem or the stearn, half way up, you can see it for 4 or 5 miles in a dark anchorage, and at at least a 1/4 mile in a back lit anchorage. I don't waste my time with a mast head light, uses to much power, I can use less with the small light I leave on in the cockpit! makes us easy to see, at least thats what folks tell us !

[SimonV]

What is wrong with swinging a spot light around as you enter the anchorage. I can tell you that unattended public/private moorings have no lights, vessels on these mooring designated SCM (small craft mooring area) are not required to display lights. I enter a lot of places in the dark, and my 100w spot light will be in use. I would apologize to those vessels I light up with it, but hey I didn't hit you. I then anchor wide and may move closer in the daylight. If you are anchored in a secluded bay all I ask is you have some form of light on.

[donradcliffe]

If you ruin your night vision with a spotlight, you are more likely to hit someone. I've never had a problem with masthead lights, because I have someone up front where they can see the sky. Even backlit boats can be detected when they block out the shore lights. Its all a matter of not moving faster than you can stop.

That being said, I leave a flouro light on in the cockpit in addition to the masthead when I'm concerned about the visibility.

I had a friend hit by a Gulet in Turkey, because he was anchored somewhere where 'nobody anchors'--he could probably have had a dozen lights on and still been hit.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Always a puzzle to me that some tend towards the attitude that others are there to make own life easier.......

I would always proceed on the basis that there will always be some unlit boats (and shore obstructions - jetties and rocks etc) when coming anywhere near shore. But if heading into an anchorage then pretty much guaranteed. And if the anchorage is marked on a chart then that is an easy heads up.

Which IMO makes the answer simple - use a spotlight, and own decklights if you have them. Ruining own nightvision? not if you are looking where the beam is!, and when pointed where the boat is headed the fact you can't see astern is not a big deal (and if you do want a quick peek / reminder then simply move your arm!). The trick is not to be moving at warp factor 10.

Have never used radar to enter an anchorage / avoid boats (or anything!) less than 30 foot away - and can't see me ever being comfortable with doing that....even if I did have a radar capable of doing that.

And of course their is the old fallback position - if not comfortable entering somewhere, then don't (night or day), that's what Plan B's are for....I don't see relying on others (in this case to light themselves up) as ever prudent - and in the case of anchorages pretty much doomed for dissapointment!

Of course also prudent to have own light(s) when anchored - just in case someone comes in at night at warp factor 10, under sail and blind or using the power of wishful thinking. And no harm if you hear someone coming in to flick on own decklights / open up a few curtains until they are safely anchored.

I would also suggest that if returning by dink to own boat at night to carry a torch and don't be shy about pointing it at any moving boats (and against others) - they might not all have hot poop radar guidance systems onboard.........

[kthoennes]

You just need in-hull perimeter LED's like this, simple.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by kthoennes

You just need in-hull perimeter LED's like this, simple.

I see 16 on one side so that would be 32 in totalplus some on the stern let's say 35... times $4k each... hmm

[noelex 77]

A collision ruins everyone's day, not just the boat doing the colliding (in fact it is usually the least damaged).

Using a spotlight is often a great option, but once used dark adaptation will be effected for 30mins, so its important to consider carefully before hitting the switch.

The regulations were written in the days when additional lights were a considerable burden to a boats electrical supply. These days the power consumption will be barely noticed. Additional lights will keep you boat safer for minimal cost. Seems like a no-brainier to me.

[jeremiason]

It is still the Captain's responsibility to avoid a collision and to use all available means for a lookout, which would include radar and posting someone on the bow. Having good lighting on your anchored boat is fine, but there is a lot of stuff floating out there without lights.

On our boat we use the Masthead Anchor Light to comply with regulations and three solar powered lights on the rails for additional visibility.

The other thing that hasn't been brought up and the frequency that sailboats tend to use improper lighting when moving... I guess some people are belt and suspenders types who use tricolors and running light together, but at a distance looks like two boats approaching instead of one. Another favorite is running the tricolor and steaming light, which is also confusing at a distance, since it looks like a sailboat and anchored vessel. Sometimes I see someone using a flashing mast head light, which could mean a buoy or barge. Once in a while I see some one running a combination of tri, running, steaming and anchor light, which is just ridiculous. Or lastly not using your steaming light when motoring causing other vessels to think you are sailing instead of motoring. In my non-scientific survey, I found 40% of sailboats do not use proper running lights at night.

I think sometimes think maybe we should just go to switches that say "Sailing", "Motoring" or "Anchoring" so no one is confused

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

The other thing that hasn't been brought up and the frequency that sailboats tend to use improper lighting when moving... In my non-scientific survey, I found 40% of sailboats do not use proper running lights at night.

I think sometimes think maybe we should just go to switches that say "Sailing", "Motoring" or "Anchoring" so no one is confused

Jeremiason.... I have not done a study... But I think your numbers are spot on....

[Caracal]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

I think sometimes think maybe we should just go to switches that say "Sailing", "Motoring" or "Anchoring" so no one is confused

I have seen quite the clever switch (it was a bitch to find again, since I didn't know the brand):




From here:
aqua signal - Recreational boats - Accessories - Accessories - Nav-Switch - Article number 3928500000

It can be pulled out/pushed in, so it's not just a switch which turns (notice the "deck light" labels).

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Caracal

I have seen quite the clever switch (it was a bitch to find again, since I didn't know the brand):




From here:
aqua signal - Recreational boats - Accessories - Accessories - Nav-Switch - Article number 3928500000

It can be pulled out/pushed in, so it's not just a switch which turns (notice the "deck light" labels).

I'm writing my congressman ..... This needs to be mandatory equipment under COLREG lighting requirements!!!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

I saw a boat anchored off South Caco with an anchor light programmed to flash his boat name in morse code.....

Saw another boat doing the same thing off Long Island (salt pond)................

As someone else pointed out, at least in the USA, that would be illegal.

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by rwidman

As someone else pointed out, at least in the USA, that would be illegal.

That would be illegal Internationally as well....

[s/v Jedi]

I once dinghied over to another boat at night that had activated their strobe. I asked how I could assist but was met with puzzled faces. So I explain that the strobe is an emergency sign. They tell me that they use it so that their kids can find the boat when they return. I did try to explain why the regulations were against that, using the example of somebody having a heart attack but nobody coming to help after activating their strobe because we think it's just for their kids to find the boat. Their answer was that they were not going to have a heart attack that night so I gave up. But they didn't use it again so may be the quarter dropped after all.