Anchor Lights in a Mooring Field (USA)?

[more]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Unfortunately COLREGS is a little silent on this, there's a definition of "underway" but not one for "anchored".

In the US, mooring fields are "managed anchorage mooring fields" (MAMF) in the parlance of the federal government. The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) manages permits, and the USCG reviews permit applications for interference with navigation. But, with respect to lights, unless the MAMF falls within a designated special anchorage area it is just another anchorage, even though it has moorings.

1-All boats at anchor or attached to a registered buoy mooring must show an all-around white light.
i sometimes have light sometimes not, but international law is up. around where i mornings is all-night light you can reed newspaper on deck.

anchor moored on bouy is same by law only diferent type anchor and conection to boat for example anchor + chain use steel. bouy use concrete anchor rope generaly is all anchor by international law.


All boat on anchor must have a minimal crew by documentation of the vessel. not obligated crew for boat under 25m this esception is for stay on dock,marina,port

[smj]

Originally Posted by more

1-All boats at anchor or attached to a registered buoy mooring must show an all-around white light.

i sometimes have light sometimes not, but international law is up. around where i mornings is all-night light you can reed newspaper on deck.



anchor moored on bouy is same by law only diferent type anchor and conection to boat for example anchor + chain use steel. bouy use concrete anchor rope generaly is all anchor by international law.





All boat on anchor must have a minimal crew by documentation of the vessel. not obligated crew for boat under 25m this esception is for stay on dock,marina,port

This is not true for the US.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by jack630

We almost got hit by a guy trying to anchor on top of us, even though we had our anchor light on and it was a clear night. We flipped our deck lights on just in time to stop him from backing down into us.

Was your anchor light on the masthead? If the other boater saw it, he probably thought it was a star.
That's why even though I'm technically illegal, I use an automatically illuminated led in a Fresnel lens hanging from my boom directly over the cockpit.
It lights up the cockpit so I can identify my boat when coming back after dark, and says to other boaters, DON'T HIT ME !
It's not rocket science, and to those who don't have solar of any kind, get with the program!

[Dougtiff]

"C420 sailor" used an interesting word "little twinkle" in reference to the anchor light, i don't know where or when anchor light's moved from above the foredeck to the top of the mast, but i believe it's dangerous, instead of looking at deck level light's, i.e. the boat, one is looking up at an angle, viewing the light's, not good, also Pangas and such have more chance of hitting a boat, my anchor light is hanging about 6 feet above deck level, i also have a light in the cockpit, both have Fresnel lens's, so are easy to see, i believe it's laziness for the most part, hafting to rig a light, instead of flipping a switch.

[garyfdl]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but my understanding has always been that a "mooring field" is a fairly defined, designated area where buoys are attached to 'permanent' anchors, and boats make fast to said buoys. An "anchorage" was a designated area, the edges of which are loosely defined, where boats used their own ground tackle to secure and (hopefully) hold position.

Anchor lights are required in an 'anchorage', but not in a mooring field. In all my years of sailing, both in the Great Lakes and the East coast, I do not ever recall seeing anchor lights on moored boats.

45 years ago, my first boat, a Sailstar Conqueror, was kept on a mooring. An anchor light would have been impractical as the boat had no electrical system. Needless to say, I didn't sail at night. I did keep a set of battery powered running lights on board, just in case ( I still do).

[requiem]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

my anchor light is hanging about 6 feet above deck level, i also have a light in the cockpit, both have Fresnel lens's, so are easy to see, i believe it's laziness for the most part, hafting to rig a light, instead of flipping a switch.

I like this approach. Having a single light makes sense for small powerboats, but to have it all the way up the mast... well, there have been other threads on the topic. It doesn't /have/ to be atop the mast.

30(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:
(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;
(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in Rule
30(a)(i), an all-round white light.

[geoff3nebel]

My boat is very precious to me and even when attached to a permanent buoy in a mooring ground I display two inexpensive, but powerful dusk to dawn LED lights fore and aft because I WANT IT TO BE SEEN (not shouting, just emphasising a very heartfelt wish)

[rslifkin]

Don't forget, there's nothing that prevents you from displaying additional deck lights, etc. for visibility beyond what the anchor light provides.

Personally, on a sailboat, I'd probably put the anchor light part way up the mast, using something like a 225* masthead light on each side of the mast with the idea being that from any angle, it should just look like a ring of light around the mast. Visually it'll be the same as a standard 360* anchor light from a distance, but it can be placed down lower where it would be more visible.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Anders

Two garden solar lights are cheap but will show other boaters where your boat is.

Until the battery dies at 1 AM.

Most are aimed at the ground and have visibility of only a few hundred yards.


I am frankly aghast that ANY boater would not know that a mooring field is not a "special anchorage" unless so designated, and the anchor lights are required in all other mooring fields. I know what common practice is, but this is like not knowing to put your lights on when driving in the rain... which is also common.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I am frankly aghast that ANY boater would not know that a mooring field is not a "special anchorage" unless so designated, and the anchor lights are required in all other mooring fields. I know what common practice is, but this is like not knowing to put your lights on when driving in the rain... which is also common.

Maybe so, but it seems clear a lot of people are misinformed or misunderstand the regs. I've heard similar conflicting messages up here in Canadian waters, with some insisting a mooring field is somehow exempt from the light rules, while others say the opposite.

To me, it's all a moot point. A mooring field doesn't magically make a boat more visible than one at anchor. I want to be seen (and to see others) at night. A light -- ANY LIGHT -- is preferable to none at all. But a bright anchor light is probably best most of the time.

I guess I approach this question the same way I do day shapes and black water dumping. I'm making my own assessment regarding what is needed (or not needed).

[requiem]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Don't forget, there's nothing that prevents you from displaying additional deck lights, etc. for visibility beyond what the anchor light provides.

Personally, on a sailboat, I'd probably put the anchor light part way up the mast, using something like a 225* masthead light on each side of the mast with the idea being that from any angle, it should just look like a ring of light around the mast. Visually it'll be the same as a standard 360* anchor light from a distance, but it can be placed down lower where it would be more visible.

Even encouraged:

30(c) A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.

That makes me wonder, what is the visibility of the forward anchor light on a ship such as this: https://www.vesselfinder.com/ship-photos/98088 Is it truly visible from directly astern?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Anders

Two garden solar lights are cheap but will show other boaters where your boat is.

I can guarantee you that two garden solar lights will not meet the requirements of the COLREGs, especially as dawn approaches and they have nearly discharged their batteries.

If your cruising sized boat does not have an actual anchor light installed, it's time to install one and use it as required.

[doublewide]

Buy these solar powered extra bright path lights

https://www.amazon.com/Solar-Pathway.../dp/B086BPRNH2

and fasten them to your stanchions as deck lights. They turn on at dusk and off in daylight. They are very bright, about a mile visibility. They have their own lithium batteries, so no drain on the house battery. We have them on all four corners of our catamaran so we are easy to see in the dark. Q.E.D.

[Auklet]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

But, with respect to lights, unless the MAMF falls within a designated special anchorage area it is just another anchorage, even though it has moorings.

Yes. Add to that. Special Anchorages exist only within the COLREGS of Inland Waterways (as you note above in #34). So, if you are moored in some place that is not inland of a COLREGS Demarcation Line, an anchor light is required. Santa Catalina Island’s north coast has many mooring areas between Avalon and Emerald Bay. Rarely does one see more than very few anchor lights displayed at night. Some boats do; however, most do not. I usually do for one of the reasons mentioned above. So I can see where my boat is when returning from shore after dark. Of course, if every boat was displaying the light I would not get much help there.

As for the chart, Special Anchorages are outlined and marked “Special Anchorage.” They ARE NOT notated by the small anchor icon sometimes seen on charts seaward of Demarcation. Those icons show only potentially suitable places where one might wish to anchor.

[Auklet]

Originally Posted by garyfdl

Perhaps I'm wrong, but my understanding has always been that a "mooring field" is a fairly defined, designated area where buoys are attached to 'permanent' anchors, and boats make fast to said buoys. An "anchorage" was a designated area, the edges of which are loosely defined, where boats used their own ground tackle to secure and (hopefully) hold.

Right and wrong. Mooring fields may be within a designated area called a Special Anchorage area if within inland waters. So as a Great Lakes boater you likely see many such examples. BUT, a Special Anchorage may be designated inside Demarcation that is NOT a mooring field. Boats can anchor in those areas and not be required to use the anchor light. In California these Special Anchorages are found inside harbors, such as Dana Point Harbor. However, there may also be General Anchorage areas within harbors where the boats would be required to display, and IF there were moorings there as well, the boats on those moorings would also be so required.

It is not a matter of how the vessel is “attached” to the bottom. It’s a matter of where that bottom is located that drives the rule.