Stringing lights, bad etiquette?

[Bulawayo]

We have a collapsible cone Christmas tree at goes up a week before Xmas and is taken down a few days into the New Year that get decorated with coloured LED's. We also hang coloured LED lights at low-ish level around the boat from the rigging. We do turn the rigging lights off around 23h00 as they are too bright otherwise. We also use yellow LED's in the cockpit, all year round.

Originally Posted by synclavier

If I wanted to string some white decorative lights (Christmas lights) from up the forestay to the main, down the triatic, and down the backstay, and I was around other boats, either at a marina or in a crowded anchorage, would that be considered uncouth or inconsiderate? Trying to imagine all the possibilities and I could use someone else's perspective.

Also, are there reasons to refrain from that while underway, especially at night (nav misinterpretation, degrading my or other vessels' night vision, etc)?

I have a feeling this is a newb question, and as a relatively newbish newb, I'll be the first to volunteer that.

[Badsanta]

I don't mind the lights. It's the music and noise that bothers me.

[Sailshabby]

Go for it. I'd consider it a yuck and stop by to share in whatever you're partaking! There'll be enough boring sailors around.

[Skuzzlebutt]

Can't sleep because another boat has a light on? Gimme a break! Do you ask the marina to dim the lights as well?

If your eyes are that sensitive, you need blackout drapes anyway.

Barking dogs, loud -- even not so loud -- music after dark? Shoot em.

[barnakiel]

I love it when sailors string Christmas lights. I do. I have never taken these for nav lights. I am not into things like etiquette and all this posh pseudo maritime culture thing.

Maritime culture to me is when people go slow thru anchorages with consideration for other users rather than go like a bat nearly flying the dinghy and making it dangerous for swimmers, pain in the ears for everyone and uncomfortable for me in my small boat.

Hoist them lights! Make the anchorage a place of joy. Express yourself!

b.

[Opie91]

Originally Posted by Skuzzlebutt

Can't sleep because another boat has a light on? Gimme a break! Do you ask the marina to dim the lights as well?

If your eyes are that sensitive, you need blackout drapes anyway.

Barking dogs, loud -- even not so loud -- music after dark? Shoot em.

I would agree most times except when this happens:

[dmalcol1]

Put some solar lights in our cockpit that stayed on all night after a few nights we had to leave, the cockpit was taken over by spiders.

[tmcdonagh]

Got to admit I strongly dislike extraneous artificial light. I have been know to curse the moon at times.
On a serious note, artificial night lighting has been associated with increased cancer, significantly hinders night vision especially for older folk and adversely effects wildlife. Light trespass across property lines is a serious problem which is only now being carefully considered by cities and municipalities.
Say nothing for the tons of carbon spewing into the atmosphere promoting climate change due to unnecessary lighting. Oh, and the safely argument, it's all perceived safety. Burglars and thieves need light to burgle.
I remember watching the march of the Milky Way across the night sky. There is a whole generation of children that will never experience that wonder without traveling to a remote locale where artificial light is minimal. So, I encourage you to think twice before adding more extraneous light to our environment.


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[jongleur]

[QUOTE=tmcdonagh;2099659]Got to admit I strongly dislike extraneous artificial light. I have been know to curse the moon at times.
On a serious note, artificial night lighting has been associated with increased cancer, significantly hinders night vision especially for older folk and adversely effects wildlife. Light trespass across property lines is a serious problem which is only now being carefully considered by cities and municipalities.
Say nothing for the tons of carbon spewing into the atmosphere promoting climate change due to unnecessary lighting. Oh, and the safely argument, it's all perceived safety. Burglars and thieves need light to burgle.
I remember watching the march of the Milky Way across the night sky. There is a whole generation of children that will never experience that wonder without traveling to a remote locale where artificial light is minimal. So, I encourage you to think twice before adding more extraneous light to our environment


What he said ^^^

[tmcdonagh]

Originally Posted by Skuzzlebutt

Can't sleep because another boat has a light on? Gimme a break! Do you ask the marina to dim the lights as well?

If your eyes are that sensitive, you need blackout drapes anyway.

Barking dogs, loud -- even not so loud -- music after dark? Shoot em.

Skuzzlebutt, I do in fact reach out to Marina owners regarding the excess, wasteful and unshielded light they ignorantly emit. We are the customers and consumers.


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[Sailor Doug]

Marina operators use a lot of light to help security. Better than excessive noise.


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[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Skuzzlebutt

Do you ask the marina to dim the lights as well?

Don't know about US marinas, but here we only have lights on the docks - on the side of the jetties or whatever the actual English word is for the wood we walk on

Lights are on the sides of the jetty, so they give enough light to know where you're walking but can't see it from your boat.

So - nope, marina lights aren't an issue here. If anything, we could do with a little more light

[tmcdonagh]

Originally Posted by Sailor Doug

Marina operators use a lot of light to help security. Better than excessive noise.


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Excessive lighting normally found in Marinas and other establishments runs counter to security by creating deep shadow allowing scoundrels to hide. At the same time, the bright lighting highlights the wares available for the picking.


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[tomfl]

Originally Posted by synclavier

If I wanted to string some white decorative lights (Christmas lights) from up the forestay to the main, down the triatic, and down the backstay, and I was around other boats, either at a marina or in a crowded anchorage, would that be considered uncouth or inconsiderate? Trying to imagine all the possibilities and I could use someone else's perspective.

Also, are there reasons to refrain from that while underway, especially at night (nav misinterpretation, degrading my or other vessels' night vision, etc)?

I have a feeling this is a newb question, and as a relatively newbish newb, I'll be the first to volunteer that.

Lots of opinions so far and there seems to be some disagreement. First off it is not clear to me if you are talking about being at a dock or on a ball/anchored. If you are at a dock there may be rules there concerning lighting, but most likely the whole place will be lit up like a Christmas tree.

Some places with mooring balls/anchorage have rules (Colregs) that require an anchor light (like BKH). Especially in a crowded harbor there are lots of guys who seem to drive their dingys at high speed, and believe it or not some do this after they have had a drink or two, or three, or ten or more and usually at night. For this reason it is common to get advice about placing lots of lights on your boat as an anti dinghy measure to lessen your chances of getting hit by a drunk driver.

This is not to say you will not be called "uncouth or inconsiderate" for doing it.

Bottom line for me is if the worst thing you do is put lots of lights on your boat you don't have to worry about much.

[markpierce]

I don't see a problem if the lights aren't exceedingly bright, no one complains, or if the site isn't an excellent star-spotting site. (Do most sailboats, or others without a genset, normally have enough electrical power for unessential lighting?)