Who remembers all around white lights?

[rwallace]

I’m in the more lights at anchor the better camp. Of course this is in addition to the required, 360 degree white anchor light. Ships at anchor off the US east coast can be seen as a bright glow well over the horizon - a good plan! I don’t want a predawn fisherman hurrying to their fishing grounds plowing into me because he didn’t see a single white light 60 feet off the water lost against stars or city lights.

[capt.rob]

Personally I always have a deck light on as well as anchor light, on a dark knight a light on top of the mast is deceptive being high on the horizon the boat appears far away when youre actually right on top of it. Deck lights eliminate that problem. I have a couple led solar lights like they use in yards to illuminate drive ways and walks. they generally last al night and are always on at night making a venture out on deck at midnight much easier and safer

[pnw2022]

It is interesting with sailboats, with our 'anchor lights' up so high.
From a legal perspective that is one thing, meanwhile I usually leave some light either from within or the LEDs in the cockpit yellow-ish to assist with practicality.
In addition to the legally required anchor light.

There may be certain exceptions, such as being near the shores of the gitchi gummi and also other places South, or under the Jaguar skin, where during certain times it is inappropriate to have any lights at all.

Meanwhile - just follow the rules, and if your neighbors are not doing so - they probably just don't know and it is okay to talk with each other and just ask.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

So one could argue that having one on top of the mast where it is often difficult to see them when up close is not "where it can best be seen".

That line of reasoning will get you nowhere because placing it at the top of the mast is part of the ordinary practice of seamen.

[David Mathis]

It seems the boats in some anchorages are well lighted and COLREG compliant while other areas have maybe half or less with proper anchor lights. A more serious problem and a frequent one is boats running at night without lights or not having all lights functional.



More law enforcement could quickly change this dangerous situation. Here in the colder climates, we see law enforcement boats frequently during the day but rarely at night. In the past 20 years, I've seen one after sunset other than at fireworks events. The agencies need better funding (Police don't work for free and the boats are expensive.) to allow an occasional night patrol. An occasional warning or a ticket written would go a long way to fix this situation. Word spreads fast and one warning or ticket can provide the incentive to turn on lights or fix the broken ones on a lot of boats.

[jlubinsky]

Anchored just outside of boot key marathon fla with anchor light Consisting of a 360 light at the spreader we would have been run over from astern by a large commercial fishing boat where all aboard were not watching The Horizon properly. Also the backdrop of City Lights may have hidden our anchor anchor light from Clearview. I luckily heard the engine grabbed a flashlight and shined it back and forth at the fishing boat about 100 ft from us he veered severely to miss us. You really need to have an anchor watch and be very cautious in certain areas when anchoring.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Jammer

That line of reasoning will get you nowhere because placing it at the top of the mast is part of the ordinary practice of seamen.

No, that's the ordinary practice of boat manufacturers who only care about using the cheapest and easiest method to achieve legal compliance. There is no rule requiring one to have the anchor light at the top of the mast.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by jlubinsky

Anchored just outside of boot key marathon fla with anchor light Consisting of a 360 light at the spreader we would have been run over from astern by a large commercial fishing boat where all aboard were not watching The Horizon properly. Also the backdrop of City Lights may have hidden our anchor anchor light from Clearview. I luckily heard the engine grabbed a flashlight and shined it back and forth at the fishing boat about 100 ft from us he veered severely to miss us. You really need to have an anchor watch and be very cautious in certain areas when anchoring.

A little bit of thread drift, but it’s really important to decide where you are anchoring in a way there can’t be real traffic like that.

Typically what I do is I find a place that is impossible for traffic to come through.

I anchor behind rocks. Behind ledges. Behind sand bars. Behind land. Places where there is no possibility that a boat could hit me because it would have to hit the obstruction first.

That’s always been rule number one for me.

Nowhere near a channel and behind something that would destroy the other boat before it could ever hit me if it came out of the channel.

Never anchoring anywhere near the line between various navigation aids.

[singlespeed]

Been hit twice by fellow cruisers driving RIBs, in designated anchorages, at night despite having my white masthead anchor light on.

First time they claimed they couldn't see the anchor light due to all the background lights on shore. You would think the black hole my boat presented against the same shoreline would have been a big clue to them.

The second time in a crowded anchorage, the driver was returning to his boat that was further out in the bay, said he was looking ahead and not up, so he never saw it.

I now keep the masthead anchor light on at night and have an all around deck mounted flashing white light on top of my bimini. Not a whole anchorage annoying strobe.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by singlespeed

Been hit twice by fellow cruisers driving RIBs, in designated anchorages, at night despite having my white masthead anchor light on.

First time they claimed they couldn't see the anchor light due to all the background lights on shore. You would think the black hole my boat presented against the same shoreline would have been a big clue to them.

The second time in a crowded anchorage, the driver was returning to his boat that was further out in the bay, said he was looking ahead and not up, so he never saw it.

I now keep the masthead anchor light on at night and have an all around deck mounted flashing white light on top of my bimini. Not a whole anchorage annoying strobe.

Wow!!! Were these people OK?

I can’t imagine plowing into a boat with a RIB. Ouch

[Kiwicrew]

Here in New Zealand it is very rare to find a vessel in an anchorage without an all round white light. I did come across one on a very dark night a year or so ago when I nearly ran into him , and he immediately lit up.
I recently changed the masthead bulb on my FP catamaran to LED and it's made a dramatic difference to the overnight consumption.

[jen1722terry]

I really like the suggestion to put some reflective tape on the stern of an anchored vessel.

We sail a lot in Maine and the fog can be so thick I worry about folks hitting us because they don't see the masthead anchor light. Something reflective at the bow and stern gives a little more visibility down near the water line.

Just a bit of tape around the pulpits and a few stanchions. Really cheap insurance.

Y'all have a great winter, except for those in the southern hemisphere.

Terry

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Jammer

That line of reasoning will get you nowhere because placing it at the top of the mast is part of the ordinary practice of seamen.

May have been excusable when the only lights available were incandescent and each bulb pulled an amp or more but not now we have LEDs which only pull tens of milliamps.

[Mike OReilly]

In my experience, most sailboats of the typical cruising size (32 to 45 feet) have masthead anchor lights. Maybe newer boats are moving away from this ... most of the boats in my neck of the woods (a bit off the beaten path) are at least a decade old, and most are older.

Once again, I think this whole "can't see the masthead light from up close" is mostly myth. These lights are readily visible without craning one's neck steeply up until one gets within a few boat lengths. For example, basic trig tells me a 100' high* light can be viewed at a 25º angle** 214 feet away. IOW, a few boat lengths away.

If someone hits another boat, then clearly they are the menace, and would likely find a way to screw up, regardless of lighting. But to account for these "weekend warriors," I think placing deck-level lights is probably a good idea. I have done this in busy anchorages when close to 'dense' (used in both ways ) populations. But if someone is so inept as to be zipping around in an anchorage without watching, then I doubt any measure will really help.

* Boats with this height of mast are likely near 50'. Most of our masts are shorter.
**This is a very modest kneck angle. Most people will easily angle to 45º or more.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by David Mathis

It seems the boats in some anchorages are well lighted and COLREG compliant while other areas have maybe half or less with proper anchor lights. A more serious problem and a frequent one is boats running at night without lights or not having all lights functional.

More law enforcement could quickly change this dangerous situation. Here in the colder climates, we see law enforcement boats frequently during the day but rarely at night.

In MN most lake/river boating is day use and most of the enforcement is at boat ramps where people are hauling out. No lights or lights not working is a reliable way to get a ticket when using public ramps if returning after sunset, unless you're duck hunting.


On the larger lakes and rivers where there are cruising boats and commercial traffic, I still don't think I can remember seeing anyone running at night without lights. I've maybe seen people with a light out once or twice. Not common.