steaming anchor light cmbo..your thoughts

[boatsail]

Do you use one?

If so or not, why?

Here is example.Combination LED Steaming and Anchor Light

[roverhi]

Never occurred to me to have a steaming light at the masthead. Would go with a tricolor/anchor light at the mast head if I had my druthers. Not saying that it wouldn't be fine but just seems a strange place for a running light.

[boatsail]

I thought the same, never seen one before, but it seemed logical as it gets rid of a light halfway up on the from that always seems to catch my jib halyard while I'm working sails.

I was looking for led and tricolor and that link came up. Never heard of it before really

[MarkJ]

Expensive but a good idea.

I put led nav lights on the mast top but when on they reduce the range of the AIS!

[boatsail]

MarkJ check the price. Its like 60 bucks.

The ais thing regardoing range stinks. I have heard of that.

[Snore]

When I replaced the anchor light on my boat I considered the same question. Since there are only two wires going to the top of my mast, the only option was a combo light that work by repeated switching of the switch. For example turning the switch on turned on the anchor light. Turning the switch on, off, on turned on the nav lights. Turning the switch on, off, on, off, on turns on a blinking anchor light.

I pondered doing this. But the idea of putting an electronic chip 50 feet above the water that required me to ascend the mast to replace or by-pass the circuitry, knowing it would fail at the worst time- did not work of me. I installed a plain LED anchor light.

I got a light from this firm Innovative LED Lighting Products click on "exterior lights" and then "anchor lights".

That said, if I had three wires going to the top of the mast, having nav lights that high would appear to be useful in a seaway.

Bill

[Stu Jackson]

In reading that site, it appeared to me that that light was for power boaters.

[Kettlewell]

I have a LED masthead tricolor and anchor/steaming light. When anchored or steaming I use the all around white light. It gets the light off of the sails, dramatically improving your visibility if you are motorsailing. It also means you don't need a stern white light so you don't light up your aft deck, wake, or dinghy--helps preserve your night vision. It's only legal up to 12 meters.

Masthead Light: This white light shines forward and to both sides and is required on all power-driven vessels. (On power-driven vessels less than 39.4 feet in length, the masthead light and sternlight may be combined into an all-round white light; power-driven vessels 39.4 feet in length or longer must have a separate masthead light.) A masthead light must be displayed by all vessels when under engine power. The absence of this light indicates a sailing vessel because sailboats under sail display only sidelights and a sternlight.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatsail

Do you use one?

If so or not, why?

Here is example.Combination LED Steaming and Anchor Light

I don't use one. Why - because my boat already had lights when I got it.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Don L

I don't use one. Why - because my boat already had lights when I got it.

Wow, you mean you missed all the fun of spending years rebuilding an ancient boat only to discover the engine is failing, the tanks buried under the furniture are leaking, the deck core is saturated, and it's worth half what you've got in it??? What is wrong with you??

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

What is wrong with you??

I thought I've made it clear on my avatar, "mildly confused and ain't no expert"

[David M]

It's fine if your boat is under 12 meters. If you are 12 meters or over you are supposed to have a masthead light (steaming light) with an arc of 225 degrees and a separate stern light with an arc of 135 degrees. If the light can be changed from a 360 degree light when at anchor to a 225 degree light when under power then it would be legal for vessels 12 meters or longer.

A tri color at the top of your mast and this light would not work because you would not have enough vertical separation between your side lights and your masthead/anchor light, if over 12 meters.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Wow, you mean you missed all the fun of spending years rebuilding an ancient boat only to discover the engine is failing, the tanks buried under the furniture are leaking, the deck core is saturated, and it's worth half what you've got in it??? What is wrong with you??

LMAO.... Especially after thread on older off shore boats!!!!!

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by David M

A tri color at the top of your mast and this light would not work because you would not have enough vertical separation between your side lights and your masthead/anchor light, if over 12 meters.

I think that's the answer. You really want the steaming light to be visibly separated from the mast tricolour.

[nes]

I have a Hunter 326, it came with all the lights at the top of the Mast. They are individual lights. The Steaming light shows forward, the Anchor light shows all around.

Upside to this is that it does not stick out from the front of the mast for the jib to catch.
Downside, I have been told several times by will meaning boaters that my anchor light is on and not my running light. Each time I thank them and double check my breakers to ensure, that indeed I have the correct lights lit for the occasion. Given a choice, I would rather have the steaming/running light half way up the mast to shine on the sail.