dual sets of navigation lights

[Penna]

I've got a 12-volt masthead navigation light wired to a panel, and am thinking of adding an additional port and starboard light on the cabin sides. I'm an electronic novice. Can I wire all of these to the same panel switch or do I need to add a new switch for the second set?

[Quebramar]

No you may not. Nav lights are on either at the top of the mast or at deck level, not both together

[Pandor]

And to clarify, the tricolor masthead light is only for when sailing. So you should have a separate set of nav lights near the pulpit and a steaming light on the mast for when motoring. . Just don’t turn them all on at once.

[Penna]

Thank you both!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Penna

I've got a 12-volt masthead navigation light wired to a panel, and am thinking of adding an additional port and starboard light on the cabin sides. I'm an electronic novice. Can I wire all of these to the same panel switch or do I need to add a new switch for the second set?

I gather from your description that you are NOT talking about a "masthead light" but are talking about a "combined lantern at or near the top of your mast".



Simple answer: NO.


More complete answer:
I'ts not a case of being an "electronic novice", it's a case of knowing the rules

You need to read COLREGS Part C.

In particular

"“Masthead light” means a white light placed over the fore and aft centreline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

...
A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit:
(i) a masthead light forward;
...
(iii) sidelights;
(iv) a sternlight.


A power-driven vessel of less than 12 metres in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights;



and
(a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:
(i) sidelights;
(ii) a sternlight.
(b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.

1. To summarise you have different requirements when sailing and when motoring:

When motoring you must be showing a white light both in front and behind you and one red and one green light to the sides.

When sailingyou must be showing a white light behind you and one red and one green light to the sides. (but no white light to the front!)

IOW,

You must not show both a "combined lantern" and separate sidelights at any time.


You must not show any white light to the front when sailing.

If you are going to mount separate sidelights, they cannot be on at the same time as the "combined lantern" and you must also have a separate sternlight wired to the same circuit

[Clivevon]

StuM is absolutely right. In case it helps, I would just add this:
Your combined masthead light (one bulb inside a case with red, green & white lenses) is commonly called a tricolour & is there to be used alone, mainly to save battery power when sailing overnight, but might also be used in poor weather when any lower lights may be obscured by wave action.

Most boats also have lower nav lights which must be on a separate circuit - a white light at the stern & red & green sidelights (the red & green may be combined into one bicolour light, mounted right forward on the pulpit (again to save battery power when sailing).
You will also have a separately switched white "steaming" light mounted high on the front of your mast, to be used ONLY when motoring, together with either the masthead tricolour or the lower nav lights.
In all cases these days you will be best advised to use very bright LED bulbs (not old style tungsten bulbs) which use a fraction of the battery power & last very much longer.

You may also have an allround white anchor light mounted on top of your tricolour light, on a separately switched circuit.

Also you may have a deck light mounted on the mast below your steaming light to illuminate the deck when working on it at night (maybe anchoring). Or you may have deck lights mounted on your spreaders.

Some people also like to have portable lights they can hang up as extra anchor lights lower down at night to avoid being run down while sleeping at anchor - the masthead anchor light can be confused as a star or maybe people just dont notice it up there - its happened.

Thats about it, I think.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

You will also have a separately switched white "steaming" light mounted high on the front of your mast, to be used ONLY when motoring, together with either the masthead tricolour or the lower nav lights.

The steaming light cannot be used with a tricolor light at the top of the mast. The steaming light has to be a minimum of a meter above the red/green lights.

[Wrstein]

To avoid accidentally forgetting to make the switch between the masthead tricolor when under sail, and the deck-level running lights plus steaming light when under power, we wired both of those sets of wiring to a relay, triggered by the engine ignition switch. Thus the electrical panel only has a single “Nav Lights” switch: when the ignition’s off we’re a sailing vessel displaying only the masthead tricolor; when the ignition’s on we’re a motor vessel, not displaying the tricolor but the deck-level running lights and the steaming light. I suppose we could wire a daylight sensor so that regardless of our status, when the daylight is up the nav lights are off, but we haven’t done so yet.

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by Wrstein

I suppose we could wire a daylight sensor so that regardless of our status, when the daylight is up the nav lights are off, but we haven’t done so yet.

And I don’t think you really want to do that. There are plenty of times that nav lights are required during the day (e.g. fog and other restricted visibility when the sun may still be shining).

[Wrstein]

Excellent point. It was a bit over the top, anyway.

[sailortype]

the term 'masthead light' has become very confusing and misused and should almost be avoided. Many use it to describe the anchor light at the masthead. But the Masthead Light is not at the masthead, it is by definition the 'Steaming Light' and is located kinda halfway up the mast.
The lights at the top of the mast (the masthead) are the anchor light and the trilight (if installed).
(of course the anchor light does not necessarily need to be at the masthead and in fact is more effective lower to the deck in a crowded anchorage)

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

You will also have a separately switched white "steaming" light mounted high on the front of your mast, to be used ONLY when motoring, together with either the masthead tricolour or the lower nav lights.

Please don't use the term "masthead" when talking about a tricolour or anchor light mounted "at or near the top of the mast" on a sailboat. The term "masthead" has a very specific meaning and using it when referring to any light other than what is colloquially known as a "steaming light" leads to confusion.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Wrstein

To avoid accidentally forgetting to make the switch between the masthead tricolor when under sail, and the deck-level running lights plus steaming light when under power, we wired both of those sets of wiring to a relay, triggered by the engine ignition switch. Thus the electrical panel only has a single “Nav Lights” switch: when the ignition’s off we’re a sailing vessel displaying only the masthead tricolor; when the ignition’s on we’re a motor vessel, not displaying the tricolor but the deck-level running lights and the steaming light. I suppose we could wire a daylight sensor so that regardless of our status, when the daylight is up the nav lights are off, but we haven’t done so yet.

Having the ignition switched on doesn't make you a powered vessel

[Capt.Don]

I installed the Marinebeam tri-color by replacing the anchor light. Their tri-color has a multi-toggle action switch that switches between anchor - tri - strobe, by toggling the switch 1, 2 or 3 times.

Another thing to keep in mind is your compass and instrument lighting may be wired into the traditional bow (red/green) and stern (white) circuit, so they won't be illuminated while sailing with the tricolor. Don't be tempted to run both

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Penna

Thank you both!

StuM covered it for the most part.
He left out that for certain sized boats the masthead (steaming) light can be combined with the stern light as a single all around white light above the red/green navigation lights.

Consequently you can mount
Bi-color Red/green at bow
Tricolor and all around white at top of mast and all basic conditions are covered:

Sailing: tri color
Anchored: all around white.
Powering: bi-color & all around white.

I got a 4 way switch for my electrical panel.
Sailing point switch up for sails up.
Point forward for for motoring forward.
Point down for anchor down
Point aft for off.
East to describe to non-sailing guests and can’t accidentally have bi-color and Tri-color running at the same time.