Steaming lights

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Have a look at virtually any cruise ship or any working Queensland shrimper... they are so festooned with lights that finding even the running lights is nigh unto impossible.

The above quoted rule is surely not followed by the pros... I'm not too worried about being brought up for non-conformance on my yacht!

Jim

Yup... nothing like an apartment complex ablaze on a black night bearing down on you as you try to figure the safe way to turn..

[MartinSG]

Hello everybody,

I'm new in this forum.
I think my case is related, so I decided to post it here.

My current light setup is:
-Anchor light at the top of the mast,
-Masthead light 1/3 up the mast combined with a deck flood light (both broken),
-3 Navigation lights at deck level (stern,port,stbd) (stern light broken).

I am looking to replace the lights for LED, and at the same time try not to spend too much. After reading the COLREGs I came with this solution and I want to know if it's 100% legal, because I may have missed something.

-On top of the mast, a combination of anchor light and tricolor.
-On the bow, a combination of Port/Starboard lights.
-A fwd deck light on a spreader.

My boat is 39ft, slightly below 12 meters, so my understanding is that I can use the anchor light as masthead and stern light combined when under motor. I can also combine both port and starboard lights in one single fixture at the bow.

Is this setup 100% legal?
Is it advisable?

Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Martin

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by MartinSG

Hello everybody,

I'm new in this forum.
I think my case is related, so I decided to post it here.

My current light setup is:
-Anchor light at the top of the mast,
-Masthead light 1/3 up the mast combined with a deck flood light (both broken),
-3 Navigation lights at deck level (stern,port,stbd) (stern light broken).

I am looking to replace the lights for LED, and at the same time try not to spend too much. After reading the COLREGs I came with this solution and I want to know if it's 100% legal, because I may have missed something.

-On top of the mast, a combination of anchor light and tricolor.
-On the bow, a combination of Port/Starboard lights.
-A fwd deck light on a spreader.

My boat is 39ft, slightly below 12 meters, so my understanding is that I can use the anchor light as masthead and stern light combined when under motor. I can also combine both port and starboard lights in one single fixture at the bow.

Is this setup 100% legal?
Is it advisable?

Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Martin

Welcome to CF.

First thing first. Your in Singapore, so check what the law is there, rather than just going off reading the colregs.

Secondly, you were all good up until your conclusion you can use your anchor light with a stern light when underway. Thats not correct. From behind, when under motor its important not to see a light above. Its from this set up you can tell the boat is travelling away from you.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Welcome to CF.

First thing first. Your in Singapore, so check what the law is there, rather than just going off reading the colregs.

Secondly, you were all good up until your conclusion you can use your anchor light with a stern light when underway. Thats not correct. From behind, when under motor its important not to see a light above. Its from this set up you can tell the boat is travelling away from you.

I take that back you CAN just use side lights and an all round light, if your under 12 meters and thus an anchor light

But again check out what the law is in Sinapore

[SteveInMD]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

I am pretty sure that your Beneteau 331 has a steaming light. Mine does.
It is half way up the front of the mast. It is actually a combo deck light/steaming light.

This is an important point that causes a lot of confusion - As stated here the masthead light often not at the top of the mast! And the masthead light is sometimes referred to as the steaming light.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Colin.

Two sidelights (Red/Green), a stern light (White), and a masthead/steaming light (White).

[MartinSG]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I take that back you CAN just use side lights and an all round light, if your under 12 meters and thus an anchor light

But again check out what the law is in Sinapore

Thanks Rustic Charm, I will check the local regulations just in case.

Changing from 6 lights to 3 LED makes a big difference in power consumption.

However, safety first always. Would anybody here don't recommend this light setup? Any advices or thoughts?

[Rustic Charm]

And keep in mind there is no power saving in changing the steaming light /masthead light to LED, as its running inly when the engune is on.

But changing it to an LED version, if its a good quality LED means neber needing to change a bulb again. I replaced all of mine and it made a hell of a lot of difference to power use over night. I even swapped all my house lights at home with LED and my 'light' bill at my next invoice was just a third of what it traditionally was.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by MartinSG

Hello everybody,

I'm new in this forum.
I think my case is related, so I decided to post it here.

My current light setup is:
-Anchor light at the top of the mast,
-Masthead light 1/3 up the mast combined with a deck flood light (both broken),
-3 Navigation lights at deck level (stern,port,stbd) (stern light broken).

I am looking to replace the lights for LED, and at the same time try not to spend too much. After reading the COLREGs I came with this solution and I want to know if it's 100% legal, because I may have missed something.

-On top of the mast, a combination of anchor light and tricolor.
-On the bow, a combination of Port/Starboard lights.
-A fwd deck light on a spreader.

My boat is 39ft, slightly below 12 meters, so my understanding is that I can use the anchor light as masthead and stern light combined when under motor. I can also combine both port and starboard lights in one single fixture at the bow.

Is this setup 100% legal?
Is it advisable?

Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Martin

Aren't you going to need a stern light when you are sailing?

If you want to save money ditch the tricolor and the masthead anchor light. Just run the deck level lights when sailing, add the steaming lt when motoring.

Put a good deck level anchor light someplace.

Sent from my HTC_0PCV2 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Zenset]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

I am pretty sure that your Beneteau 331 has a steaming light. Mine does.
It is half way up the front of the mast. It is actually a combo deck light/steaming light.

Where do you turn on your steam light? Thanks

[Gudgeon]

To clearify the lights are defined below. The mast head light is not at the top of the mast it is on the front of the mast.

Port sidelights are red, starboard sidelights are green and both shine from dead ahead to 112.5° aft on either side.
Stern lights are white and shine aft and 67.5° forward on each side. (Thus, the sidelights and stern light create a full circle of light.)
All-round lights are white and shine through 360°.
Masthead lights are white and shine from 112.5° on the port side through dead ahead to 112.5° on the starboard side for a total of 225° forward. They must be above the sidelights.

[MicHughV]

the light on the front of the mast is not a masthead light....'jes sayin'...

[Gudgeon]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

the light on the front of the mast is not a masthead light....'jes sayin'...

MichhughV you are incorrect the steaming light and mast head light are the same. A lot of people are under the misconception that the mast head light is at the top of the mast it is not.
\

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

the light on the front of the mast is not a masthead light....'jes sayin'...

Wrong. The white light on the forward side of a sailboat mast IS called the "Masthead Light" under COLREGS. Look it up. On sailboats it is commonly called the "steaming light" because it is used when under engine power aka "steaming". (The Rule was written back when ships only had steam engines.) On a ship or smaller power boat it probably would be at the "Masthead" hence the name. But on sailboats they almost never are at the top, more like half to 2/3 the way up. They're actually only required to be one meter (39.4 inches) above the red and green sidelights.

[MicHughV]

The white light in front of the mast is commonly known as a steaming light. ie, it's on, when the boat is under power, or should be on, though not everyone does this..

A white light on top of the mast is commonly the anchor light.

Where am I wrong ??