Lights Schematics for Sailboat Under 20'

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Adelie

I would use a 4 position single or double pole rotary switch.
Top postion is Sailing
Next down is motoring
Next is off,
Bottom position is anchored.

I have a bicolor for the pulpit and a tricolor/anchor light combo for the top fo the mast. This fulfills all 3 desired lighting states.

This is kind of skewed to being seen at a distance so I have orange marker lights to install around the deck edge to make short range ID better.

This is by far the most intuitive way - a rotary switch for nav lights. Just turn the switch to whatever you are doing. Off, steaming, sailing, anchor. For the life of me I don't know why this isn't the defacto configuration for marine panels.

Peter

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

This is by far the most intuitive way - a rotary switch for nav lights. Just turn the switch to whatever you are doing. Off, steaming, sailing, anchor. For the life of me I don't know why this isn't the defacto configuration for marine panels.

Peter

Yep, I might even trust guests to deal with it.

Best would be positions with 90degree indexing,
Up = sails up
Forward = Motoring forward
Down = anchor down
Aft = off

I found one that will do it but out of stock currently
If I can find it in stock will post here.

[telecam]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Yep, I might even trust guests to deal with it.

Best would be positions with 90degree indexing,
Up = sails up
Forward = Motoring forward
Down = anchor down
Aft = off

I found one that will do it but out of stock currently
If I can find it in stock will post here.

Ok, sounds good. Thanks for the advice!

[Adelie]

Just ordered this from Ebay. 3-5wk delivery. Supposedly 90degree indexing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Changeover-...5.c10#viTabs_0

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Just ordered this from Ebay. 3-5wk delivery. Supposedly 90degree indexing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Changeover-...5.c10#viTabs_0

Nice switch.

Delivery: Estimated between Wed. May. 27 and Fri. Jul. 24

... so possibly a bit more than 5 weeks . Shipments from the far east are a bit slower these days.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Nice switch.


... so possibly a bit more than 5 weeks . Shipments from the far east are a bit slower these days.

I just started installing the 2nd battery on the boat. The lights have not yet been installed let alone wired.
I'm not in any rush to get the switch.

Battery is more important to me so that I can get the boat in and out. Normally I have an electric trolling motor since everything I do these days is daysailing. The gas motor hasn't been on the boat since Sept 2018.

The tricolor/anchor light I have yet to install reverses polarity on 2 wires in order to determine which lights up. That means I need a double pole switch or it would be a little easier to find.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by telecam

I want to built a proper electric panel for a small sailboat under 20' and am looking for basic lights schematics and needed hardware for proper switching. I need to control 3 different lights configuration:

• Anchor: W All around white
• Sailing: W Stern light + R/G
• Motoring: W All around + R/G

I can find basic panels as the one below but I suppose I need to add dual-pole rocker switches or some diodes? Anyone who has built such a panel who could provide guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Terry

https://www.westmarinepro.com/buy/we...56?recordNum=1

The length of your boat qualifies you to use an all around white light combining the masthead/steaming light and the stern light.

Have you already bought your fixtures? If not you only need to install 2 fixtures, a bi-color on the pulpit and a tri-colcor/anchor light at the top of the mast.

[telecam]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Just ordered this from Ebay. 3-5wk delivery. Supposedly 90degree indexing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Changeover-...5.c10#viTabs_0

Not familiar with rotary switches... How would the wiring schematics look like? Thanks.

[telecam]

Originally Posted by Adelie

The length of your boat qualifies you to use an all around white light combining the masthead/steaming light and the stern light.

Have you already bought your fixtures? If not you only need to install 2 fixtures, a bi-color on the pulpit and a tri-colcor/anchor light at the top of the mast.

The boat already has bow and stern light but I'll replace those wih LEDs. And I will add a mast light. It's a 1986 Siren 17.

[ebs001]

Why make life so complicated? First though, on a sailboat, the anchor light is not a steaming light. An anchor light is a 360° light usually on the masthead. A steaming light faces forward on the mast with a 225° arc. The red green and stern lights are navigation lights. So one switch for nav lights. One switch for steaming light and one switch for the anchor light. Turn on and off as appropriate.

[Adelie]

A rotary switch precludes things like turning an multiple light arrangements at the same time.
That’s why.

Also, an anchor light can serve as a steaming light for certain lengths of vessel.

[Redline452]

Originally Posted by Spot

I was obsessed with 'red over green' for a hot minute but am no longer.

I too was (am) tempted, but realize that "red over green" involves a meter of space between them.



So you either need a post for the red extending above the masthead green, or an all-round red at the masthead and two 180 degree greens on each side of the mast a meter below (perhaps this is why LopoLED sell an all-round red, and half-round greens, for $$$).

[ebs001]

Originally Posted by Adelie

A rotary switch precludes things like turning an multiple light arrangements at the same time.
That’s why.

Also, an anchor light can serve as a steaming light for certain lengths of vessel.

Just believe in K.I.S.S. and saving money.

Also depends on what authority you read what constitutes a steaming light and its requirements.

[Adelie]

Single rotary switch seems pretty simple to me.

I always thought that the COLREGS were the final authority on this issue in international waters.
Rule 23....
“(d)(i) A power-driven vessel of less than 12 meters in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed in Rule 23(a) exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights.”

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageNam...gamated#rule23

For national waters other rules may apply. In the USA those are the inland rules, western rivers rules and rules for various other major bodies of water all determined by the federal government plus state and local rules for minor and very minor bodies of water.

As it happens US Inland rules allow combining masthead and stern lights for larger vessels on the Great Lakes.
“Inland
(e) A power-driven vessel when operating on the Great Lakes may carry an all-round white light in lieu of the second masthead light and sternlight prescribed in Rule 23(a). The light shall be carried in the position of the second masthead light and be visible at the same minimum range. “

The COLREGS may the the final authority but interpretation falls to courts which may have conflicting opinions, especially from one nation to the next.

[Redline452]

Originally Posted by Adelie

(e) A power-driven vessel when operating on the Great Lakes may carry an all-round white light in lieu of the second masthead light and sternlight prescribed in Rule 23(a). The light shall be carried in the position of the second masthead light and be visible at the same minimum range. “

Emphasis mine - this paragraph refers to the all-round replacing the second, higher forward lamp plus sternlight, but there would still be the need for the forward-facing steaming lamp.



The rotary switch idea is neat, but three switches (or breakers acting as switches, as I have)
- Navigation lights (red + green + white sternlight)

- Steaming light (white forward)

- Anchor light (white all-round)

is pretty simple also.

Nav when moving,

plus "steaming" when motoring (which Jeanneau refers to on my panel as "Feu de hune"!),

then both off and Anchor when ... anchored.

If the above is actually too complicated for the other users of the vessel (which I grant you is not impossible), I would be concerned about their abilities in other regards as well. Might I suggest USPS or CPS-ECP courses?